Jen Shyu

Shyu was born on March 28, 1978, in Peoria, Illinois, the child of Taiwanese and East Timorese immigrants. She was classically trained in piano, violin, and ballet, and performed with the Peoria Symphony Orchestra at the age of 13. Shyu studied theater and opera at Stanford University.

Shyu's seven albums as leader or co-leader include 2011's Synastry, the first woman-led record released by Pi Recordings, and Sounds and Cries of the World (Pi 2015), reviewed favorably by The New York Times{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/17/arts/music/through-music-jen-shyu-explores-the-unknown-including-herself.html |title=Through Music, Jen Shyu Explores the Unknown, Including Herself |work=The New York Times |date=16 September 2015 |accessdate=12 March 2020|last1=Ratliff |first1=Ben }} and The Wall Street Journal{{cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/sounds-and-cries-of-the-world-by-jen-shyu-review-1445895558 |title="Sounds and Cries of the World" by Jen Shyu Review |work=The Wall Street Journal |date=26 October 2015 |accessdate=12 March 2020|last1=Blumenfeld |first1=Larry }} and included in annual best-of lists in both The New York Times{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/13/arts/music/best-albums-of-2015.html |title=Best Albums of 2015 |work=The New York Times |date=9 December 2015 |accessdate=12 March 2020|last1=Pareles |first1=Jon |last2=Ratliff |first2=Ben |last3=Caramanica |first3=Jon |last4=Chinen |first4=Nate }} and The Nation.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.thenation.com/article/forget-what-youve-heard-these-were-the-ten-best-albums-of-2015/ |title=Forget What You've Heard: These Were the Ten Best Albums of 2015 |magazine=The Nation |date=17 December 2015 |accessdate=12 March 2020|last1=Hajdu |first1=David }} The latter album featured Shyu's band Jade Tongue, comprising trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, violist Mat Maneri, bassist Thomas Morgan, and drummer Dan Weiss.

Shyu appears on several records released by saxophonist and MacArthur Genius Fellow Steve Coleman and Five Elements. Other collaborators include Anthony Braxton, Mark Dresser, Bobby Previte, Chris Potter, Michael Formanek, and David Binney. Shyu has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rubin Museum of Art, Ringling International Arts Festival, Asia Society, Roulette, Blue Note Jazz Club, Bimhuis, Salihara Theater, National Gugak Center, and the National Theater of Korea.

Shyu studied traditional music and dance in Cuba, Taiwan, Brazil, China, South Korea, and East Timor. In 2013, Shyu was awarded an Asian Cultural Council Fellowship to conduct music research in Indonesia; this work culminated in 2014's Solo Rites: Seven Breaths, directed by Garin Nugroho.{{cite web|url=https://www.asianculturalcouncil.org/events/solo-rites-seven-breaths |title=Solo Rites: Seven Breaths |publisher=Asian Cultural Council |accessdate=12 March 2020}} In March 2016, Shyu premiered the multilingual music drama Song of Silver Geese.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/27/arts/music/jen-shyu-presents-song-of-silver-geese-at-roulette.html |title=Jen Shyu Presents Song of Silver Geese at Roulette |work=The New York Times |date=23 March 2016 |accessdate=12 March 2020|last1=Ratliff |first1=Ben }} A duo with MacArthur Genius Fellow Tyshawn Sorey was included in The New York Times as one of the "Best Live Jazz Performances of 2017".{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/13/arts/music/best-live-jazz-performances.html |title=The Best Live Jazz Performances of 2017 |work=The New York Times |date=13 December 2017 |accessdate=12 March 2020|last1=Russonello |first1=Giovanni }}

Shyu has been a recipient of multiple Doris Duke Performing Artist Awards{{Cite web|url=http://ddpaa.org/artists/|title=Doris Duke Performing Artist Awards|website=ddpaa.org|access-date=2016-04-29}} and Bronx Recognizes Its Own (BRIO) Awards. Commissions have come from the MAP Fund, Jerome Foundation, Chamber Music America’s New Jazz Works,{{Cite web|url=http://www.chamber-music.org/about/press-room/article/07-13-2015/chamber-music-america-announces-475000-grants-commissions|title = CHAMBER MUSIC AMERICA ANNOUNCES $475,000 IN GRANTS FOR COMMISSIONS | Chamber Music America}} and New Music USA, and Shyu has received fellowships from the Asian Cultural Council,{{Cite web|url=https://www.asianculturalcouncil.org/our-grantees/shyu-jennifer|title=Our Grantees|website=www.asianculturalcouncil.org|access-date=2016-04-29}} Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. In 2019, she was awarded the Guggenheim Fellowship for Music Composition.{{cite web|url=https://www.gf.org/fellows/all-fellows/jen-shyu/ |title=Jen Shyu |publisher=John Simon Guggenheim Foundation |accessdate=12 March 2020}} In 2024 Shyu was awarded the Rome Prize in Musical Composition at the American Academy in Rome.{{cite web |last1=Nietzel |first1=Michael T. |title=American Academy in Rome Announces Winners of the 2024-25 Rome Prize |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaeltnietzel/2024/04/25/american-academy-in-rome-announces-winners-of-the-2024-25-rome-prize/ |website=forbes.com |publisher=Forbes}}

• For Now (2002)
• Jade Tongue (2008)
• Synastry (2011) with Mark Dresser
• Sounds and Cries of the World (2015) with Jade Tongue (Ambrose Akinmusire, Mat Maneri, Thomas Morgan, Dan Weiss)
• Song of Silver Geese (2017)

• Soko Arts Festival 2001 (2001)
• Lewis Jordan Quartet – More Travels of a Zen Baptist (2002)
• Doug Yokoyama Quartet – Thanks for Stopping By (2002)
• Steve Coleman and Five Elements – Lucidarium (2005)
• Steve Coleman and Five Elements – Weaving Symbolics (2006)
• Miles Okazaki – Generations (2009)
• Positive Catastrophe – Garabatos Volume One (2009)
• Steve Coleman and Five Elements – Harvesting Semblances and Affinities (2010)
• Steve Coleman and Five Elements - The Mancy of Sound (2011)
• Aya Nishina – Flora (2013)
• Dan Weiss – Sixteen: Drummers Suite (2016)

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Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:American keyboardists

Category:American jazz singers

Category:American musicians of Taiwanese descent

Category:American people of East Timorese descent

Category:Musicians from Peoria, Illinois

Category:Pi Recordings artists

Category:Stanford University alumni

Category:Jazz musicians from Illinois

Category:21st-century American women singers

Category:21st-century American singers

Category:21st-century American women guitarists