2023 in Asian music explained

See also: Timeline of musical events.

Events

• January 27 – MLD Entertainment announce that South Korean girl band Momoland has left the label and the members' contracts have expired.^[1]
• January 22 – Tan Dun conducts the UK premiere of his work Buddha Passion at the Royal Festival Hall in London'sSouthbank Centre^[2]
• February 1 – Hong Kong Sinfonietta announces that German conductor Christoph Poppen will become its new music director for the 2023-2024 season.^[3]
• February 5 – At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, Chinese-born conductor Xian Zhang is co-recipient of two classical awards: Best Classical Instrumental Solo, for Time for Three's album Letters for the Future and Best Contemporary Classical Composition as conductor of Kevin Puts' Contact^[4]
• February 7 – The first season of Coke Studio Bharat appears on MTV India.^[5]
• February 15–October 30 – The Rui Shi Music Festival is held in Beijing, China.^[6]
• April – South Korean pianist Seong-Jin Cho wins the Ho-Am Prize in the Arts.^[7]
• April 29 – The Naon no Yaon Music Festival is held in Hibiya Park, Tokyo, Japan, with the customary all-female line-up, including Show-Ya, Chiaki and Rika Matsumoto^[8]
• May 26–28 – The Seoul Jazz Festival takes place in South Korea.
• June 30 – Viva Records takes over Ivory Music and Video, former distributors of Sony Music Entertainment in the Philippines.^[9]
• August 17 – Leaked audio clips from the show Sing! China are made public, supporting claims by the late Coco Lee about her treatment the production team during the recording of the show's final episode in October 2022.^[10]
• October 2 – The Sapporo Symphony Orchestra announces that Elias Grandy will take over as its chief conductor in April 2025.^[11]

Albums

• Babymetal – The Other One (March 24)^[12]
• Hiroyuki Sawano – V (January)^[13]
• Rossa – (February 6)^[14]
• 8Turn – 8Turnrise (EP; February 6)^[15]
• Joyce Cheng – Believe Us (March 16)
• MC Cheung Tin-fu – This is MC (March 15)^[16]
• Kayhan Kalhor & Toumani Diabate – The Sky is the Same colour Everywhere (May 5)^[17]

Classical works

• Ke-Chia Chen – Ebbs and Flows^[18]
• Amir ElSaffar – Dhikra^[19]
• Noriko Koide – Güiro Güiro^[20]
• Lei Liang – Silk and Bamboo Concerto^[21]
• Akira Nishimura – Triple Concerto (“Dream of Butterfly”) ^[22]
• Tan Dun – Requiem for Nature^[23]

Musical films

• Almost Pyaar with DJ Mohabbat (India), with score and songs by Amit Trivedi and lyrics by Shellee.^[24]
• Ballerina (South Korea), with music by Gray^[25]
• Gekijо̄ban Idolish7 LIVE 4bit BEYOND THE PERiOD (Japan), concert film based on the Idolish7 series.^[26]
• Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko (Philippines), biographical film about the life of Rey Valera.
• Maayakumari (India), with music by Bickram Ghosh^[27]
• Naam Katra Isai (Malaysia - Tamil), with original score by Boy Radge^[28]
• Priyotoma (Bangladesh), with soundtrack by Akassh, Prince Mahmud,^[29] and Sajid Sarker.
• Prohelika (Bangladesh), with music by Emon Saha and songs by Kishore Das and Asif Iqbal.^[30]
• Surga di Bawah Langit (Indonesia), with music by Elwin Hendrijanto^[31]

Deaths

• January 3 – Joseph Koo ("Moran"), 92, Hong Kong composer^[32]
• January 4 – Beeyar Prasad, 61, Indian Malayalam lyricist (complications of stroke)^[33]
• January 11 – Yukihiro Takahashi, 70, Japanese musician best known as a drummer and vocalist^[34]
• February 16 – Maon Kurosaki, 35, Japanese pop singer^{[35] [36]}
• February 4 – Vani Jairam, 77, Indian playback singer^[37]
• February 14 – Tohru Okada, 73, musician and creator of the PlayStation sound effect^[38]
• February 23 – Junnosuke Kuroda, 34, Japanese rock musician^[39]
• March 1 – Neela Ramgopal, 87, Indian Carnatic vocalist and teacher^[40]
• April 4 – Rockstar Ramani Ammal, Indian playback singer, 69^[41]
• April 19 – Moonbin, South Korean singer, 25^[42]
• April 20 – Pamela Chopra, Indian playback singer, 75^[43]
• May 4 – Karaikudi Mani, Indian mridangam player, 77^[44]
• June 7 – Banani Ghosh, Indian Rabindra Sangeet singer, age unknown^[45]
• June 18 – Nasrollah Nasehpour, Iranian-Azerbaijani radif player, 82^[46]
• June 25 – Tapas Das (Bapida), Indian rock singer, songwriter and guitarist, 68^[47]
• July 3 – Sudakshina Sarma, Indian Assamese language singer and musician, 88^[48]
• July 4 – Robin Tamang, Nepalese singer and actor, 60^[49]
• July 5 – Coco Lee, Chinese-American singer and songwriter, 48^[50]
• July 11 – Yuzo Toyama, Japanese composer, 92^[51]
• July 15 – Chen Mao-shuen, Taiwanese composer, 87^[52]
• July 21 – Mahabhashyam Chittaranjan, Indian author, Telugu musician and composer, 84^[53]
• August 12 – Vilayil Faseela, Indian singer of Mappila songs, 63^[54]
• September 4 – Sherali Joʻrayev, Uzbek singer, songwriter, poet and actor, 76^[55]
• September 6 – Malini Rajurkar, Indian Hindustani classical singer, 82^[56]
• September 7 – Akira Nishimura, Japanese composer, 69 (cancer)^[57]
• September 13 – Manik Bhide, Indian Hindustani classical singer, 88^[58]
• September 17 – Lies Adji Rachman, Indonesian pop musician, 78^[59]
• October 6 – Nadira Begum, Bangladeshi folk singer, age unknown^[60]
• October 27 – Swarup Nayak, Indian music director, composer, and actor, 76^[61]
• October 29 – Heath (Hiroshi Morie), Japanese bass guitarist, singer and songwriter, 55^[62]
• November 1 – Leela Omchery, Indian classical singer and musicologist, 94^[63]
• November 15 – P. K. Narayanan Nambiar, Indian Mizhavu musician, 96^[64]
  • • November 28 Queenzy Cheng, Malaysian actress and singer, 37 (brain aneurysm)^[65]
  • , Chinese singer, 76^[66]
• November 30 – Subbalakshmi, Indian Carnatic musician, composer and actress, 87^[67]
• December 30 – Pandit Bhavani Shankar, Indian pakhawaj drum player^[68]

By country

• 2023 in Chinese music
• 2023 in Japanese music
• 2023 in Philippine music
• 2023 in South Korean music

See also

• 2023 in music

Notes and References

1. Web site: 모모랜드 멤버 6인 전원 MLD엔터와 전속계약 종료[공식] ]. January 27, 2023 . n.news.naver.com . ko . February 19, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230219044942/https://n.news.naver.com/entertain/now/article/609/0000682461 . live .
2. Web site: Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion. Southbank Centre. 11 June 2023.
3. Hong Kong Sinfonietta appoints German conductor Christoph Poppen as Music Director from April 2023 . Hong Kong Sinfonietta . 1 February 2023 . 2023-02-22 . 2 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230202131537/https://hksl.org/press_release/hong-kong-sinfonietta-appoints-german-conductor-christoph-poppen-as-music-director-from-april-2023/ . live .
4. Web site: Grammys 2023 Winners: See the Full List Here. Pitchfork. Madison Bloom. 22 May 2023.
5. News: Mansvini Kaushik . 18 May 2023 . Coke Studio returns with a renewed approach to put India's musical prodigies in the limelight . Forbes India . 27 May 2023.
6. Web site: 2023 "Rui Shi Music Festival" will be launched in Beijing. 30 November 2022. zgmzyq.cn. 2 March 2023.
7. Web site: Ye-eun . Jie . 2023-04-05 . Ho-Am Foundation picks prize winners . 2023-08-21 . . en.
8. Web site: 千秋／松本梨香／Lonesome_Blue、SHOW-YAプロデュース【NAONのYAON 2023】に初出演決定 . . Japanese . 2023-02-17 . 2023-02-18.
9. News: Viva buys Ivory . Manila Bulletin . June 30, 2023 . October 14, 2023.
10. News: Lim . Ruey Yan . 2023-08-18 . Late singer Coco Lee claimed she was mistreated on Sing! China: New video . en . The Straits Times . 2023-08-23 . 0585-3923 . 2023-09-03 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230903184926/https://www.straitstimes.com/life/entertainment/late-singer-coco-lee-claimed-she-was-mistreated-on-sing-china-new-video . live.
11. Change in our conductors from fiscal 2024 . Sapporo Symphony Orchestra . 2 October 2023 . 2023-10-30.
12. Web site: DiVita . Joe . Babymetal's Track-by-Track Breakdown of Epic Concept Album The Other One . 2023-03-26 . . March 24, 2023 . en.
13. Web site: SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] 5th Album「V」発売決定＆新曲「LEMONADE」が映画『七つの大罪 怨嗟のエジンバラ 前編』主題歌に決定！ SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] ソニーミュージックオフィシャルサイト ]. 2022-12-19 . SawanoHiroyuki[nZk] Sony Music . ja.
14. News: Tandai 25 Tahun Berkarya, Rossa Rilis Album 'Another Journey : The Beginning'. Marking 25 Years In Music Industry, Rossa Release Album "Another Journey : The Beginning". Proakbar. id. Proakbar. Indonesia. 23 February 2023. 23 February 2023.
15. Web site: 에잇턴, 이달 30일 '에잇턴라이즈'로 데뷔…"내 가치는 나 자신". Newsis. ko. January 4, 2023. January 4, 2023.
16. News: MC Cheung Tinfu released new physical album "This is MC", wishing to be a singer-songwriter . am730 newspaper . 16 March 2023.
17. Web site: The Sky Is the Same Colour Everywhere. Real World Records. 20 July 2024.
18. Web site: Amid worries, Taiwan Philharmonic makes strong showing in historic D.C. visit . Washington Classical Review . Charles T. Downey . 2023-04-20 . 2023-05-08.
19. News: Review: At Mostly Mozart, the Sense of an Ending . The New York Times . Seth Colter Walls . 2023-07-26 . 22 December 2023.
20. Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra Premieres Noriko Koide's Güiro Güiro . Schott/EAM . 21 September 2023 . 2023-10-04.
21. Lei Liang's Silk and Bamboo Concerto premiered in China and Launch of LEI LAB . Schott/EAM . 25 May 2023 . 2023-10-04.
22. World Premiere of Akira Nishimura’s Triple Concerto "Dream of Butterfly" in Osaka . Schott/EAM . 2 August 2023 . 2023-10-04.
23. Tan Dun leidt Concertgebouworkest in wereldpremière Requiem for Nature . Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra . 13 June 2023 . 2023-07-02.
24. Web site: Amit Trivedi Spent Four Years Working On 'Almost Pyaar With DJ Mohabbat' Music . 2023-01-24 . Outlook .
25. Web site: 그레이, '발레리나' 음악감독 참여 "영화음악 작업 열망有..운명이라 생각" . Gray participates as music director for 'Ballerina' "I have a desire to work on film music... I think it's fate" . Herald POP . Naver . September 29, 2023. September 29, 2023. ko.
26. Web site: Saabedra . Humberto . IDOLiSH7 LIVE 4bit BEYOND THE PERiOD Anime Film Gets 2 Versions With Different Songlists . Crunchyroll . 4 June 2023.
27. Web site: 11 May 2020 . 'Maya Kumari' first song 'Madhumashey Phool Photey' out . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230430061719/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/music/maya-kumari-first-song-madhumashey-phool-photey-out-now/articleshow/75676102.cms?from=mdr . 30 April 2023 . 30 April 2023 . . en.
28. Web site: Naam Katra Isai. cinema.com. 21 November 2023.
29. Web site: bn. 'প্রিয়তমা' চলচ্চিত্রে প্রিন্স মাহমুদের গান!. 2023-06-24. 2023-06-25. Jugantor. 2023-06-25. https://web.archive.org/web/20230625011635/https://www.ittefaq.com.bd/649536/%E2%80%98%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A7%9F%E0%A6%A4%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E2%80%99-%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%9A%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%9A%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A4%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BF%E0%A6%A8%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%B8-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B9%E0%A6%AE%E0%A7%81%E0%A6%A6%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%97%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A8. live.
30. News: 'প্রহেলিকা'র গান মুক্তি. bn. 6 February 2023. 28 June 2023. Manab Zamin. 30 June 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230630214604/https://mzamin.com/news.php?news=41628. live.
31. Web site: "Surga di Bawah Langit", Film Musikal dan Inspiratif Saat Ramadan . Kompasiana. 20 November 2023.
32. Web site: 2023-01-03 . 香港殿堂級音樂家顧嘉煇離世 享年92歲 . 2023-01-04 . . zh-TW.
33. Web site: Lyricist, poet Beeyar Prasad passes away. Onmanorama. 5 January 2023.
34. News: YMO高橋幸宏さん死去 70歳 20年脳腫瘍摘出 懸命リハビリも . 14 January 2023 . Yahoo! News . 11 January 2023 . 15 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230115064310/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/05091066608a45c66fe19bfa314bb99969bc5e3f . dead .
35. Web site: ja:歌手・黒崎真音さん急死 持病が悪化、所属事務所「突然のことで深い悲しみに包まれております」. https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2269646/full/. Oricon. February 28, 2023. Japanese. February 28, 2023.
36. Web site: Hodgkins. Crystalyn. Singer Maon Kurosaki Passes Away. Anime News Network. February 28, 2023. February 28, 2023.
37. Web site: பிரபல பின்னணி பாடகி வாணி ஜெயராம் மரணம்...! . 4 February 2023 . 4 February 2023 . 4 February 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230204105826/https://www.dailythanthi.com/News/State/popular-playback-singer-vani-jayaram-dies-892597 . live .
38. Web site: Tohru Okada, creator of PlayStation's iconic logo sound, has died . Wales . Matt . . February 22, 2023 . February 23, 2023.
39. Web site: ja:sumika黒田隼之介さん死去 34歳 . https://www.oricon.co.jp/news/2269196/full/ . . February 24, 2023 . February 24, 2023 . Japanese.
40. Web site: Noted Carnatic vocalist and guru Neela Ramgopal passes away. 1 March 2023. The Hindu. 2 March 2023.
41. News: Palanichamy . Saravanan . Ramani Ammal Passes Away At The Age Of 69: The Astonishing Voice Of 'Thandatti Karuppayi' Song Is No More! . 4 April 2023 . Filmi Beat . 4 April 2023.
42. Web site: [단독] 아이돌 그룹 아스트로 멤버 문빈 자택서 숨진채 발견]. [Exclusive] Idol group Astro member Moonbin found dead at home. Yonhap News. ko. April 20, 2023. April 20, 2023. April 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230419170302/https://www.yonhapnewstv.co.kr/news/AKR20230420001700640?currentURI=tvscript%2FAKR20230420001700640%2F. live.
43. Web site: 20 April 2023 . Pamela Chopra dies at 74 . 20 April 2023 . Masala!.
44. Web site: Karaikudi Mani, who revolutionised role of mridangam in concerts,no more . . Pushpa Narayan . 4 May 2023 . 6 May 2023.
45. Web site: Celebrated singer Banani Ghosh passes away. Times of India. 11 June 2023.
46. News: نصرالله ناصح‌پور خواننده پیشکسوت موسیقی درگذشت . 21 June 2023 . YJC.
47. Web site: Bapi-da of Mohiner Ghoraguli loses battle to cancer . 2023-06-26 . www.telegraphindia.com.
48. News: 2023-07-04 . Assam's nightingale Sudakshina Sarma passes away at 89 . The Times of India . 2023-07-04 . 0971-8257 . 2023-07-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230704181006/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/guwahati/assams-nightingale-sudakshina-sarma-passes-away-at-89/articleshow/101471121.cms?from=mdr . live .
49. News: Ojha . Anup . Singer and actor Robin Tamang passes away . 5 July 2023 . . 5 July 2023 . English.
50. News: Pop diva Coco Lee, who has been battling depression, dies at age 48. 5 July 2023. The Straits Times. Singapore.
51. News: 指揮者・作曲家の外山雄三さん死去　92歳、日本クラシック界率いる . 13 July 2023 . Asahi.com . 13 July 2023.
52. Web site: 作曲家、音樂教育家陳茂萱逝世. 17 July 2023. Muzikair. 19 July 2023.
53. Web site: లలిత సంగీత శిఖరం చిత్తరంజన్‌ కన్నుమూత –]. te. 22 July 2023.
54. Web site: Vilayil Faseela, most distinctive voice in Mappilapattu, dies. 12 August 2023. The Hindu. 12 August 2023.
55. Web site: O‘zbekiston xalq hofizi Sherali Jo‘rayev vafot etdi . Kun.uz . 4 September 2023 . 4 September 2023 . Uzbek .
56. Web site: Malini Rajurkar, Hindustani Vocalist Whose 'Tappa' Renditions Were Epic, Passes Away At 82. Times of India. September 7, 2023.
57. News: 作曲家の西村朗さん死去　現代音楽で世界的活躍、N響アワー司会も . 11 September 2023 . Asahi Digital . 11 September 2023.
58. Web site: अनेक गायक-गायिकांना घडवणारा गुरु हरपला; शास्त्रीय गायिका माणिक भिडे यांचं निधन. mr. September 14, 2023.
59. Web site: Lies AR Meninggal karena Komplikasi dan Punya Riwayat Penyakit Gula. 18 September 2023. Kompas.com. 18 September 2023.
60. Web site: 2023-11-07 . Eminent folk singer Nadira Begum no more . 2023-11-07 . The Daily Star . en.
61. https://odishatv.in/videos/entertainment/ollywood/odia-music-director-swarup-nayak-passes-away-after-prolonged-battle-with-cancer-218615 Odia Music Director Swarup Nayak Passes Away After Prolonged Battle With Cancer
62. Web site: 【哀悼の意を込めて】HEATHは、孤高のベース職人でした. Barks. ja. 2023-11-07.
63. Web site: Leela Omchery, classical music pioneer dies aged 94. Keralakaumudi. 9 November 2023.
64. Web site: PK Narayanan Nambiar passed away: കൂടിയാട്ടം ആചാര്യൻ പി കെ നാരായണൻ നമ്പ്യാർ അന്തരിച്ചു. 16 November 2023.
65. Web site: Webber . Anndrea . 29 November 2023 . Malaysian singer Queenzy Cheng passes away at 37 . 30 November 2023 . The Star.
66. Web site: Renowned Chinese singer dies at 76. China Daily. 29 November 2023.
67. Web site: Actor R Subbalakshmi dies at 87. onmanorama.
68. Web site: Pakhawaj maestro Pandit Bhavani Shankar passes away due to cardiac arrest. December 30, 2023. Times of India. December 30, 2023.