Tracy Yang
Biography
Biography
Born and raised in Taiwan, TRACY YANG (a.k.a 楊又臻 Yu Chen Yang)'s journey led her to New York where she established a name for herself in the jazz community as a composer and pianist.
Growing up in a family deeply connected to medicine, she pursued studies in Medical Imaging of Technology and Radiology in Taiwan and later dove into Cognitive Neuroscience. Despite her medical studies, music always provided an escape, maintaining its special resonance in her life. Tracy was immersed in music from a young age, embracing the classical tones of the piano and violin. As time went on, her musical palette expanded to include percussive instruments like the marimba, vibraphone, and drum set. This wide-ranging exploration built a solid foundation, nurturing her skills from an early stage. Starting with a foundation in classical music, Tracy gradually gravitated towards jazz. Attending jazz camps in Taiwan played a significant role in this shift. Further nurturing her passion, she then studied at Berklee College of Music. Under the guidance of figures like Greg Hopkins and Hal Crook, she expanded her jazz vocabulary in both writing and playing. During her time at Berklee, Tracy established her jazz quartet and was honored with the Benny Golson Award. Tracy made New York her new home in 2016. There, she took the lead of her quintet, showcasing her unique compositions at esteemed venues, including Minton's Playhouse. Tracy's commitment to her craft led her to Queens College in 2017, where she obtained a Master's in Jazz Composition and broadened her skills in orchestration and film scoring.
Tracy has been recognized with several distinctions in composition, highlighted by the Charlie Parker Jazz Composition Prize in 2021 for "Sea of Clouds". She was also featured in the JEN Young Composers Showcase in 2019, claimed both Winner and Honorable Mention titles in SWOJO’s 2018 women's composition contest, and was given an Honorable Mention at the 2023 Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble Prize. Her commissioned pieces "Sea Swell" and "The Bonfire" premiered at distinguished venues: New York's Dizzy's Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2022 and Taipei's National Theater and Concert Hall in 2023, respectively. The latter piece is particularly sentimental, marking her return to the NTCH summer camp where her jazz journey began. Furthermore, Tracy has shared stages with acclaimed groups such as the Army Jazz Ambassadors, the Taipei Jazz Orchestra, and the BMI/New York Jazz Orchestra. Her work has received backing from organizations including New Music USA, the New York Foundation for the Arts, Taiwan's National Culture and Arts Foundation, and Pathways to Jazz.
Blending the worlds of photography, dance, and music, Tracy Yang crafts a distinctive sonic identity. Her photographer's eye infuses her compositions with vibrant imagery and expressive stories. This connection is further enriched through her associations with esteemed institutions such as Martha Graham, Paul Taylor, Mark Morris, the Juilliard School, ABT JKO School, and Dance Theater of Harlem. Following her 2021 EP "The 217 Diaries", Tracy is set to captivate audiences with her upcoming jazz orchestra album, "OR".