Early Life and Education
Born in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Aiyun Huang began her musical journey in Canada, earning her Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance at the University of Toronto in 1995. She continued her studies in France at the Conservatoire National de Région de Rueil-Malmaison, where she received the Premier Prix in 1996. Further pursuing her passion for contemporary music, she completed her Master of Arts (1998) and Doctor of Musical Arts (2004) at the University of California, San Diego, studying under percussionist Steven Schick.
Awards and Recognitions
Huang’s international career gained prominence when she won both the First Prize and the Audience Prize at the Geneva International Music Competition in 2002. Her artistry and leadership have since earned her numerous distinctions, including the title of William Dawson Scholar at McGill University and, most recently, her election as Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2024 — one of the highest honors for Canadian academics and artists.
Artistic Career and Performances
As a soloist and chamber musician, Huang has appeared on renowned stages worldwide, including Victoria Hall in Geneva, Weill Recital Hall in New York, the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella Series, the Holland Festival, Banff Arts Festival, Agora Festival in Paris, and the National Concert Hall in Taipei. She has performed with leading ensembles such as the St. Lawrence String Quartet, L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, and the Taipei Symphony Orchestra. Between 1997 and 2006, Huang was a member of the acclaimed percussion ensemble red fish blue fish, and in 2001 she co-founded the Canadian new music trio Toca Loca. Her performances are noted for their physical precision, theatrical imagination, and deep engagement with sound — qualities that have made her one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary percussion.
Research, Projects and Curatorial Work
Aiyun Huang’s artistic curiosity extends far beyond performance. Her research focuses on the intersection of memory, gesture, and technology in musical performance. At the University of Toronto, she directs the Technology and Performance Integration Research (TaPIR) Lab, fostering collaboration between performers, composers, and technologists.
She has curated and led several interdisciplinary projects, including Random Walk: Music of Xenakis and Beyond (2013), created in partnership with Canada’s major scientific institutes, and Transplanted Roots: Percussion Research Symposium (2015), an international forum that brings together percussionists and scholars from around the world.
A recognized authority on percussion theatre, Huang produced the acclaimed DVD Save Percussion Theatre (Mode Records) and contributed a chapter to The Cambridge Companion to Percussion (2016). Her ongoing research project Memory in Motion explores the role of memory and embodiment in ensemble performance and has been released on Mode Records.
Teaching and Leadership
From 2006 to 2017, Huang led the percussion program at McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, transforming it into an internationally respected center for contemporary percussion. Since returning to the University of Toronto in 2017, she has continued to shape the next generation of performers as Professor of Music and Head of Percussion. Her teaching integrates technical mastery, creative experimentation, and a deep sense of artistic responsibility — a synthesis that mirrors her own multifaceted career.
Commissions and Recordings
Throughout more than three decades on stage, Aiyun Huang has commissioned and premiered over two hundred works by composers from around the world. Her discography and film projects — including Save Percussion Theatre and Memory in Motion — reflect her dedication to expanding the expressive possibilities of percussion. Whether in the concert hall, in research collaborations, or on record, her work continues to redefine the boundaries of contemporary percussion performance.
A Look into Aiyun's Setup
Kolberg Temple Blocks
Crafted from locally sourced hornbeam, Kolberg temple blocks combine precise craftsmanship with a naturally resonant tone. Available as a chromatic octave set from C2–C3 (C5–C6), they offer exceptional musical flexibility for both concert and studio performance. Individual pitches within the chromatic range A1–F3 (A4–F6) are available on request.
Full, warm, and clear sound – with a succinct, percussive character that responds beautifully to touch and dynamics. The sound varies naturally with the size of each block and the choice of mallets, offering a rich palette for both subtle rhythmic colour and powerful articulation.
Made of locally sourced European hornbeam and finished with a red lacquer coating, each temple block reflects Kolberg’s dedication to precision, durability, and acoustic excellence.
Photo Credits: Venera Red