Ziqing Gong Bridges Classical and Modern with "Fugue in C Minor"
- WOMCO
- May 15
- 3 min read
Ziqing Gong has been honored with multiple prestigious accolades across several categories in the 2025 Season 2 of the World Master Open Music Competition. He received Gold Prizes in both the Original Composition category for his piece Fugue in C Minor and the Film/Game Music category for his work Milestones Original Soundtracks. In addition, he was awarded the Excellent Creativity Special Award.
Biography
Ziqing Gong is a versatile music producer, composer, audio engineer, and music technologist. With a Master’s degree in Music Technology from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree in Music Technology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Ziqing has honed skills across a diverse range of musical practices.
Ziqing’s expertise encompasses contrapuntal music composition, ambient and algorithmic music, audio recording and engineering, as well as audio programming and coding. He scored the documentary Milestones (2020) by Mufei Xu, which earned a nomination at the prestigious Rhode Island International Film Festival.
Passionate about blending traditional music with cutting-edge technology, Ziqing continuously pushes the boundaries of creative expression through innovative musical projects.
Could you share the inspiration behind your music "Fugue in C Minor" and the message you hope to convey through it?
My musical journey began immersed in Bach's contrapuntal compositions, which profoundly shaped my artistic identity. Like many composers, I started at the keyboard, finding myself drawn to the mathematical precision and emotional depth of two-part inventions, three-part sinfonias, and fugues from the Well-Tempered Clavier.
My academic path through music technology exposed me to new possibilities for combining traditional composition with digital innovation. I've dedicated myself to bridging audio programming languages like SuperCollider and MaxMSP with classical counterpoint techniques, creating a dialogue between centuries-old compositional methods and modern digital tools.
"Fugue in C Minor" represents this intersection perfectly—it honors Bach's timeless influence while reimagining the form through electronic instrumentation. By transporting this classical structure into the digital realm, I hope to demonstrate how traditional forms can breathe in new contexts, inviting both classical purists and contemporary music enthusiasts to experience fugal composition through a fresh lens.
What was your creative process like while composing "Fugue in C Minor"? How did you approach the structure and dynamics of the piece?
I always start by writing everything out by hand on paper. There's something about working with a pencil and manuscript that helps me think through the counterpoint more clearly before I move to computer software. After finishing the handwritten score, I began working on the background sounds - the water bubble effects and vinyl noise that give the piece its atmosphere.
Working in SuperCollider was the toughest part. Unlike regular notation software, I had to manually code every note - setting up the attack, decay, dynamics, and sound characteristics individually. It was challenging but gave me complete control over the sound.
For this three-voice fugue, I wanted each voice to stand out clearly. I designed different synthesizer sounds for each voice and had them switch roles throughout the piece as the fugue developed. I also created a special synth that highlights the subject material whenever it appears, especially during the middle entries. This helps listeners follow the main theme as it moves through the different voices.
How do you feel about the response to your composition, and are there any particular emotions or reactions you'd like listeners to experience when they hear it performed?
I tried to make certain voices stand out at different points in the piece based on what was happening structurally. This was my way of making complex counterpoint more accessible to listeners who might not be familiar with this style of music.
I wanted to move beyond the traditional sound of keyboard fugues, which are typically played on harpsichord or piano. Adding different sound textures and ambient elements makes the piece more interesting to listen to, I think. My hope is that listeners can both follow the interweaving melodies and enjoy the changing sound textures throughout the piece. I'd love for this approach to maybe introduce more people to this style of composition who might not otherwise give it a chance.
Would you like to share your experience participating in our competition and anyone you'd like to thank?
Receiving the Excellent Creativity Special Award in this competition has been tremendously affirming. This recognition validates my ongoing exploration of the intersection between traditional compositional techniques and contemporary sound design/music production.
I'd like to thank Professor Erik Lund from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, who gave me helpful advice while I was writing this fugue. I also want to thank Patrick Liddell, my high school music teacher who has been a mentor to me for years. He's been a huge influence on my work as a composer and continues to inspire and guide me. I've always admired how he combines technical skill with creativity, and that's something I try to bring to my own music.
