The world-renowned artist and UNESCO Global Goodwill Ambassador Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world’s music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical music, multimedia performance, and Eastern and Western traditions. He is the winner of today’s most prestigious honors, including the Grammy, Oscar/Academy, Grawemeyer and Shostakovich Award; the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres of France; the Bach Prize; Italy’s Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement, and the 50th Istanbul Music Festival Lifetime Achievement award. Tan Dun’s music has been played throughout the world by leading orchestras, opera houses, international festivals, and on radio and television. He is currently the Dean of Bard College Conservatory of Music.

As a conductor of innovative programs around the world, he has led the China tours of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Japan’s NHK Symphony. He led the Orchestre National de Lyon in a six-city tour; a four-city tour of Switzerland and Belgium with the Guangzhou Symphony; and conducted the RAI National Symphony, the Oslo and Hong Kong Philharmonics, and the Melbourne Symphony, where he was named Artistic Ambassador. Previous season highlights include conducting the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Orchestra Philharmonique de Radio France, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra. He also serves as the Honorary Artistic Consultant of the China National Symphony Orchestra.

Tan Dun records for Decca and has previously released albums with Sony Classical, Deutsche Grammophon, EMI, Opus Arte, BIS, and Naxos. In 2016, Tan Dun conducted the grand opening celebration of Disneyland Shanghai which was broadcast to a record-breaking audience worldwide. In 2020, his new work “Prayer and Blessing” was also live streamed using 5G technology and subsequently broadcast worldwide by UNESCO. In 2019, Tan Dun was invited to become the global music ambassador for the 250th anniversary celebration of Beethoven. Following the designation, in August 2024 at the Rheingau Music Festival, Tan Dun conducted the World Youth Chorus and the German National Youth Symphony Orchestra, in the world premiere of his Choral Concerto ‘Nine’ alongside Beethoven’s 9th Symphony for the 200th anniversary of the premiere of Beethoven’s 9th. Tan Dun then took the program on a nine-city tour across in Europe and Australia including performances at the Concertgebouw and Elbphilharmonie Halls. Choral Concerto ‘Nine’ was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society in London, the BTHV2020 Festival and Deutsche Welle, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

His recordings have garnered many accolades, including a Grammy Award (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) and nomination (The First Emperor; Marco Polo; Pipa Concerto), Japan’s Recording Academy Award for Best Contemporary Music CD (Water Passion after St. Matthew), and the BBC’s Best Orchestral Album (Death and Fire).