Biography

Wen Wen Van Der Wende (They/He) is a queer, Chinese-American composer/performer and multimedia artist whose music conveys both visceral turmoil and a love for the natural world. A devotee of unconventional beauty, they balance brightly-colored destruction with a grounded sense of sincerity. Van Der Wende has worked with professional ensembles such as Hub New Music, Momenta Quartet, Tri-Cities Opera, and Modern Medieval Voices. They have also written music for The Hartt School’s Foot in the Door Ensemble and the Fusion Saxophone Duo, which recently premiered Van Der Wende’s piece, I have lived another day, at the XIX World Saxophone Congress in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.

Described as having “impulses of vitality, admiration, fear, and bravery,” Van Der Wende’s music is characterized by its emotionally-driven storytelling, stylistic flexibility, and textural soundscapes. Their most recent project, Perspectives, was written for the Pocket Opera Project, a collaboration with Tri-Cities Opera and with a student writing challenge sponsored by the WSKG radio station. Another project, MAXIMUM EFFORT!!, was commissioned by saxophonist Max Votolato. Inspired by the mutual nerdiness of both composer and performer, this piece references stylistic elements from anime music. Van Der Wende is currently working on a string quartet called Object over Body, which explores their nonlinear recovery from emotional abuse. 

Van Der Wende is a classically-trained vocalist. In their composer/performer practice, they combine their voice with fixed or live electronics. In 2022, they released an electronics album called Amy’s Third Most Emotionally-Distressed Roommate, which included a vocal/electronics piece called Little Sun. Van Der Wende is also an avid chorister and writer of choral music. They are particularly interested in collaborating with contemporary poets. Those collaborations include a tired sun, with text by composer Joe Hayes, and Unasked-For Ode, with text by Hannah Carr-Murphy. 

Currently, Van Der Wende is pursuing a Doctorate in Music Composition at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. They have received Bachelors in Music Composition from The Hartt School and a Masters in Music Composition at Binghamton University. In addition to music, they enjoy analyzing popular media, crocheting, and conversing with their menagerie of adorable, oddly-named plushies.