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Daniel Yi Sun (1954-1996) : Associate Artist


Date of Birth: 17th November, 1954

Daniel Yi Sun learnt violin and piano as a child, and began to study composition at the age of fifteen. In 1983 he graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing with a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in composition with a minor study in piano. Between 1970 and 1987, Sun taught composition, violin, piano and musicianship both privately and in schools, as well as holding the post of first violinist in the Shandong Symphony Orchestra (1970-78, Sun was also music arranger for this orchestra) and the Central Conservatory Orchestra in Beijing (1978-83). Upon graduation from his B.A., he became a lecturer for music composition and music analysis at the Central Conservatory, as well as teaching violin and piano at the Youth Music School run by the Conservatory. In 1985, he left the Central Conservatory to take up a similar position at the Guangzhou Conservatory of Music, Guangzhou. Whilst still in China his music had been recorded for radio broadcast, and he had also composed and orchestrated for films and television programmes. He received two prizes for his composition: the Children's Piano Composition Prize in 1984, and the International 'Golden Box' Television Drama Composition Prize in 1988.

Sun came to Australia in 1988 and began to teach privately, gradually augmenting this with practical teaching at a number of schools in NSW. This teaching experience culminated in the establishment of Sun's Musical Instrument School in Burwood and Campelltown, NSW, of which he was Director, and where he taught violin, piano, musicianship and composition. He founded the New Continental Chamber Orchestra in Sydney, with which he held the position of music director and conductor, in 1990, following this with the establishment of an ensemble, Daniel and Friends, which was to perform mainly twentieth-century music, although their repertoire did include classical and romantic pieces. Sun was also the founder of the East-West Philharmonic Orchestra and composed and arranged a number of works for this ensemble.

In 1991 Sun graduated from a Master of Creative Arts degree from the University of Wollongong, where he had studied composition under Andrew Schultz. The same year he began to work at the same institution towards a Doctor of Creative Arts, which was awarded posthumously in October, 1996. He also studied with Barry Conyngham.

Daniel Sun was killed in an automobile accident in June, 1996, at the age of 42.