HANG SU COMPOSER

CV+WORKS

CV

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The China-born, Germany-based composer Hang Su works at the intersection of music, performance, photography and critical theory. His works are not only shaped by advanced compositional techniques but also by an in-depth engagement with postcolonial narratives, identity questions, and sociopolitical processes. His compositions challenge listening habits by merging conceptual structures with delicate, often fragmented layers of sound.

His work is characterized by an interdisciplinary practice that integrates elements of theater, electroacoustic music, and documentary sound art. He critically explores sociopolitical themes—ranging from migration and diaspora experiences to body politics and the reconstruction of marginalized voices.

From 2002 to 2006, he studied for a BA in Music Composition at Minzu University in Beijing. From 2009 to 2012 he studied at the University of Music and Theater in Leipzig and received his diploma in music composition. From 2012 to 2016 he completed the master class (Meisterklasse) composition with summa cum laude. He was a scholarship holder of the Heinrich Böll Foundation from 2010 to 2015.

During his studies and various of international festivals and similar occasions, he received personal lessons from Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf, Pierluigi Billone, Steven Takasugi, Brian Ferneyhough, Mark Andre, Hans Tuschku, Hector Parra, Francesco Felidei, Klaus Lang, Nomi Epstein, Milica Djordjevic, Isabel Mundry, Rebecca Saunders, David Helbich, Younghi Pagh-Paan.

He was a founding member of association Contemporary Insights and forma Leipzig - association for contemporary music and literature in Leipzig, as well as the member of ZMB (Zeitgenössisches Musiktheater Berlin | Contemporary Musik Theatre Berlin) and LAFT (Landesverband freie darstellende Künste Berlin e.V.). His works have been performed in Germany, Great Britain and Austria by Ensemble Handwerk, Trio Sostenuto, Ensemble forma Leipzig, Ensemble MaM (Berlin), Ensemble Mocrep (Chicago), Ensemble SNIM (Vienna), etc. His works were performed also in Lofft - Das Theater in Leipzig, Museum of Fine Arts Leipzig, Berlin Festival of contemporary music theatre (BAM!), Göttingen evenings of contemporary music, Berlin Klangwerkstatt, Musiktheatertage Wien, Darmstädter Ferienkurs, BallHausOst Berlin.

Since 2023, he has been working with communication designer and filmmaker Silvan Hagenbrock as LÍNGSĀNLÍNG, an artist duo focused on performance in urban spaces. He is the founder of the Lab of Asian Diaspora, a laboratory for Asian artists dedicated to community building and performance in collaboration with political and democratic initiatives for and by the Asian diaspora. Together with Lara Bräucker, he co-organises and curates the working group Decoloniality in Music Theatre within the framework of the Netzwerk Freies Musiktheater.

Art Residency:

  • 2025 PACT Residency (Performing Arts Choreographisches Zentrum NRW)

  • 2021 TakeCareResidenz at the LOFFT - DAS THEATER in cooperation with Flausen networks of performance arts and Fonds darstellender Künste

  • 2019 Scholarship holder of the art residence in the Künstlerhaus Lukas, the art residency of state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.

  • 2018 Schloss Wiepersdorf, the art residency of state Brandenburg

Scholarship:

  • 2023 Research Funding of Performing Arts Fund (Fonds der darstellenden Künste)

  • 2022 - 23 Scholarship of Musikfonds e.V.

  • 2021 Working Fellow of Cultur Office, City Leipzig, Saxony Germany

  • 2021 - 22 Scholarship of GEMA (German performing rights society)

  • 2020 - 21 Scholarship of Musikfonds e.V.

  • 2020 Working Fellow of Denkzeit scholarship of cultural foundation of the Free State of Saxony

  • 2017 Working Scholarship holder of the Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony

  • 2010 - 2015 Scholarship of the Heinrich-Böll Foundation

Project Funding:

  • 2025 Project Funding of Musikfonds e.V.

  • 2025 Project Funding of City Leipzig

  • 2024 Project Funding of Bezirkskulturfonds Berlin Mitte (líng sān líng)

  • 2023 Project Funding of Berliner Projektfonds Urbane Praxis

  • 2023 Project Funding of Steglitz-Zehlendorf Berlin

  • 2022 Project Funding of Cultural Foundation of the Free State of Saxony

  • 2022 Project Funding of City Leipzig

  • 2022 Process Funding of Performing Arts Fund (Fonds der darstellenden Künste)

  • 2022 Project Funding of Capital Cultural Funds (Hauptstadtkulturfonds Berlin)

  • 2020 Project Funding of City Leipzig, in cooperation with Werkstattmacher e.V. / Lofft - Das Theater

  • 2019 Project Funding of City Leipzig, in cooperation with Werkstattmacher e.V. / Lofft - Das Theater

  • 2019 Project Funding of Initiative der Neue Musik Berlin e.V.

  • 2019 Project Funding of Musikfonds e.V.

  • 2018 Project Funding of the Culture Office of Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg in Berlin

Work Commission:

  • 2021 Composition Funding from Culture Office of Pankow, Berlin

  • 2020 Commission of Composition from the MDR-Rundfunk Klassik (Central German Radio)

  • 2018 Work commission of Musiktheatertage Vienna


 

2025

  • PACT Residency
    Performing Arts Choreographic Center NRW
    📍 September – October 2025
    With: LEE MUN WAI, Fang Sheng Chou, Nina DeLudemann

  • NUDEL_WERFT
    About Lübeck Ships, China, and Museum Objects
    Collaboration with Silvan Hagenbrock (lingsanling)
    📍 Kulturfunk*, Lübeck

  • Lab of Asian Diaspora 1 (yī)
    Concert and Diaspora Story
    Hang Su + Sabrina Ma
    📅 May 18, 2025
    📍 Kulturpilger Kleinliebenau (Schkeuditz)
    🎯 Supported by Musikfonds e.V. / BKM

  • Asian Social Care – The Asian Part in Me
    Workshop & Community Evening for the Asian Diaspora and Friends
    With: Korientation e.V., kjjabber (DJ), su dance110 (Performance)
    📅 May 2, 2025
    📍 Ost-Passage Theater Leipzig
    🎯 Funded by City of Leipzig

2024

  • Nudelbar500
    Pop-up Kitchen and Neighborhood Stories
    Collaboration with Silvan Hagenbrock
    🎯 Supported by the Cultural Office Berlin-Mitte

  • Procession of Slings (60’)
    A Performative Walk on German Colonialism in China
    Music: Hang Su | Direction & Audio: Hang Su & Silvan Hagenbrock
    Live Performance: su dance110

2023

  • Dusted Atlas (60’)
    A Performative Walk on German Colonialism in China
    Supported by Berliner Projektfond Urbane Praxis

  • The Gesture of Horizon (180’) — A Music Theatre
    📍 Museum of Fine Arts Leipzig
    📅 May 6–7, 2023
    🎯 Funded by Fonds Darstellende Künste, Musikfonds e.V., GEMA,
    Neustart Kultur und Take Care Residency (Flausen+,

2022

  • The Eating Show (60’) — A Political Music Theatre Piece
    📍 Ballhaus Ost, Berlin
    📅 October 14–16, 2022
    🎯 Commissioned by Pankow Cultural Office
    Funded by Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Cultural Office Leipzig & Cultural Foundation of Saxony

2021

  • New Work – GEMA Work Grant

  • Vocal Works – Commission: Pankow Cultural Office

  • Music for the Emancipation of Women – Leipzig City Grant

  • Soundgarden of a Biography – Residency at LOFFT, funded by Fonds Darstellende Künste + Flausen

2020

  • Image Music for Maria Reiche / Wang Zhen Yi
    🎯 Musikfonds Grant
    How to Describe a Rainbow (1’)
    🎻 Commission: MDR Symphony Orchestra

  • My Eating Show (50’)
    📍 LOFFT – Das Theater
    📅 October 12–14, 2020
    Music/Text/Video: Hang Su | Dramaturgy: Sören Zweiniger

  • 🎯 Denkzeit Stipendium – Cultural Foundation of Saxony

2019–2010 (Highlights)

  • The Body Memory (2019) – Ballhaus Ost, Berlin / LOFFT Leipzig

  • Redefinition (2018) – Klangwerkstatt Berlin

  • The Nude Frame (2018) – Musiktheatertage Wien

  • The Writing of Physical Heaven (2017) – Museum of Fine Arts, Leipzig

  • First / Second Appearances of Incessancy – Darmstadt Summer Course, HMT Leipzig

  • Calligraphy / 5 Songs for C.G. / Virtuelle Realität – Various ensembles, 2009–2010