Unsuk Chin was born in 1961 in Seoul, Korea. Following lessons in piano and music theory from a very early age, her studies continued at the National University Seoul, including composition with Sukhi Kang. She appeared as pianist at the Pan Music Festivals and in 1984 her composition Gestalten (Figures) was selected for the ISCM World Music Days in Canada and for the UNESCO 'Rostrum for Composers.' In 1985 she moved to Europe when she received the DAAD stipend for study in Germany, and took composition lessons with György Ligeti in Hamburg until 1988. Since then, Unsuk Chin has lived in Berlin, composing and working in the electronic studio of the Technical University Berlin. In 2004 Unsuk Chin won the prestigious Grawemeyer Award for Music Composition for her Violin Concerto.

Unsuk Chin's compositions have been performed at numerous festivals and concert series in Europe, the Far East and the USA. Her most widely performed work is Akrostichon-Wortspiel for solo soprano and ensemble, programmed in 15 countries to date by such leading ensembles as Ensemble Modern conducted by George Benjamin, Birmingham Contemporary Music Group conducted by Simon Rattle, the Nieuw Ensemble of Amsterdam, Asko Ensemble, Ictus Ensemble, and the new music groups of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestra. Other works include Fantaisie mécanique and Xi, both commissioned by the Ensemble Intercontemporain, the prize-winning orchestral work santika Ekatala, which was premiered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, ParaMetaString commissioned by the Kronos Quartet, a Piano Concerto written for Rolf Hind, and Miroirs des temps, commissioned by the BBC for The Hilliard Ensemble and the London Philharmonic. Kala  for soloists, chorus and orchestra was co-commissioned by the Danish Radio Symphony, the Gothenburg Symphony and the Oslo Philharmonic orchestras and premiered under the baton of Peter Eötvös in March 2001.

Chin was Composer in Residence with the German Symphony Orchestra in 2001/02 culminating in the commission of a Violin Concerto, premiered in January 2002 with Viviane Hagner as soloist and Kent Nagano as conductor. The concerto has since been performed in ten countries, in Europe, Asia and North America. Other recent works include a Double Concerto (2002) for piano, percussion and ensemble, commissioned by the Ensemble Intercontemporain and Radio France, and snagS & Snarls (2003-04) for soprano and orchestra commissioned by Los Angeles Opera. Cantatrix Sopranica (2004-05) for two sopranos, countertenor and ensemble was co-commissioned by the London Sinfonietta, Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, St Pölten Festival (Austria), Ensemble Intercontemporain and Musikfabrik. Chin was recently appointed Composer in Residence with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (2006-08).

Chin is currently creating a stagework based on Alice in Wonderland, due for premiere at the Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich in June 2007. She is also composing an ongoing series of piano Etudes, five of which have been completed to date. Chin's music can be heard on a Deutsche Grammophon disc containing Akrostichon-Wortspiel, Fantaisie mécanique, Xi and Double Concerto performed by the Ensemble Intercontemporain.

Unsuk Chin is published exclusively by Boosey & Hawkes.

Reprinted by kind permission of Boosey & Hawkes.