Wenbin Lyu

Wenbin Lyu (he/him) is a Chinese composer and guitarist based in Cincinnati. His compositions blend contemporary Western techniques with ancient Oriental culture, drawing inspiration from nature, science, and video games. His music is normally fast, loud, and rhythmic.

In the 2024 season, Eighth Blackbird will perform his Galactic Playground at the Barlow 40th Anniversary Concert. Upcoming commissions include pieces for the Sandbox Percussion and Akropolis Quintet.

Lyu has received fellowships from prestigious institutions and festivals, including the Britten Pears Young Artist Programme, Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music, Tanglewood Music Center, Blackbird Creative Lab, Atlantic Center for the Arts, Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, Ohio Arts Council, and China National Symphony Orchestra. His works have been featured at over 70 music festivals and conferences, such as the SCI, RED NOTE, NMG, Alba, MATA, ICMC, NYCEMF, EMM, MOXsonic, SPLICE, SEAMUS, and IRCAM. He has collaborated with acclaimed ensembles, including the Buffalo Philharmonic, Albany Symphony, Beijing Symphony, Tianjin Symphony, Fifth House Ensemble, Akropolis Quintet, Sandbox Percussion, International Contemporary Ensemble, Capitol Quartet, Sinta Quartet, Del Sol Quartet, Icarus Quartet, Society for New Music, Tacet(i), Hub New Music, Transient Canvas, Hypercube, and Eighth Blackbird.
 
In recognition of his academic achievements, Lyu was awarded the China National Scholarship in 2016 and the Donald Martino Award for Excellence in Composition in 2020. He is also the recipient of an ASCAP Young Composer Award and five The American Prize awards. Additionally, two VR movies he composed premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival in 2016. Lyu serves as a composer-in-residence at HAcappella, based at Harvard University since 2018. 

DMA: Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music 2023 (Composition)

MM: New England Conservatory of Music 2020 (Composition)

BA: China Conservatory of Music 2017 (Composition and Music Theory)