I-Lly Cheng is a composer and performer working across instrumental music, live electronics, performance, and installation. Her interdisciplinary practice frequently incorporates video and light as compositional materials. Originally trained as a pianist, she develops custom touch- and gesture-responsive systems that extend beyond conventional instruments. Her work explores how individuality emerges through bodily motion—how the self becomes audible through movement, touch, and performance.

Currently pursuing a PhD in Music and Multimedia Composition at Brown University,  I-Lly holds graduate degrees from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the National Taiwan Normal University. Her work has been presented at Darmstädter Ferienkurse, ICMC, ISCM World Music Days, Gaudeamus Muziekweek, the Matsu Biennial, the National Concert Hall of Taiwan, and Weiwuying National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, with residencies at the National Taichung Theater and the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris.

full CV

Work List

2025

2024

  • Earth's Instruments (2024), Site-specific performance, with a space installation, Matsu, Xiju island

2022

  • Warer Memory (2022)15’, for water installation solo

  • Qualia (2022)60’, for two performers, music theatre

  • Yours Mine (2016-2022) 10’-20’, for open solo instrument/ performer, voice, and flexible tape, to present different performers’ playing in a website form.

2021

2020

  • Life is Floating Endlessly (2020)15', for organ, sheng ensemble, and 3 percussionists

  • Yong (2020)15', for sheng, synthesizer, and eight channels live electronics

  • Mikrokosmos No.1 (2020)5', for VR and Ambisonic system, present in Taiwan Sound Lab

2019

  • Trace (2019) , for flute, piano, violin, viola, cello, amplified watercolor paper

  • Misreading (2019) 12’, for 40 installed transducers under concert hall chairs and projection mapping on the ceiling

  • Dew (2019) 8’, for dizi and live electronics, will premiere in National Concert Hall of Taiwan, Innovation Series

2018 

  • Touch-Duo (2018) 6’, two water installations

  • Touch - solo (2018) 5’, for one water installation and a performer

  • Touch - Three (2018) 10’, for three sound/ video installations and three performers

  • Yours Mine (2016- ) 15', for open solo instrument/ performer, voice, and flexible tape, to present different performers’ playing in a website form.

2017

  • Mourning for Fukushima (2017) 15', three consecutive short piano pieces with transducer-installed piano

  • Touche Nature (2017) 10', for four percussionists with four loudspeakers and water bowls

  • Subtlety (2017) 10', for prepared Zheng, live electronics and light

2016

  • Kodama (2016) 9', for shakuhachi and live electronics

  • Within a Tranquil Space (2016) 7’, for shakuhachi, duduk, sho, sheng, guzheng, and guqin

  • Yours Mine (2016) 10’, for open solo instrument, voice, and flexible tape

  • Touch (2016) 10’, for four water installations/percussionists, try out in Darmstadt, Lichentberg Schule, by We Spoke percussion group

  • Ceasing Time (2016) 10’, for cello and live electronics

  • The Sensation of Reality (2016) 20’, a double concerto for sho, recorder, and live electronics

  • Waves (2016) 6’, for four open instruments

  • Piano Etude I - V (2015- 2016), for piano solo and live electronics

2015

  • UNTITLED (2015)  9', for soprano saxophone, live electronics, and tape

  •  ._. (2015) 9', for Harpsichord and Live electronics

  • UNI- (2015)  15', for Sho, Recorder, Live electronics and Image

  • ECHO-Sand (2015) Sound Installation work with Piano and Live electronics

  • ECHO-Light (2015) Sound Installation work with Objects, Violin, Soprano, and Live electronics

  • Personal piano recital at Cité internationale des Arts. http://citedesarts.pagesperso-orange.fr/Concerts/002014/21-07-14-concert-kocamangil-cheng.htm

  • Nix (2013) 5', for piano, live electronics

  • Submerged in Silence (2013) 9', for piano, electronics, and image

2012

  • Shan (2012) 7'30, for four traditional Chinese instruments

  • Melt (2012) 10', for Guzheng and Electronics

2011

  • Heterochromatic Dream (2011) 5', for soprano, piano, and electronics

  •  Into Strings (2009) 5', electronics

  • SDINGUHOTS (2011), video

  • Dark, Light (2010)10', for string quartet

  • Kaleidoscope Project(1) (2011), interactive sound/optics installation

2009

  • Superimpose (2009)7', for soprano, percussion, and electronics

  • Interpenetration (2009) 10', for solo piano

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