Shueh-li Ong explained

Shueh-li Ong
Background:non_vocal_instrumentalist
Origin:Melbourne Australia
Genre:Electronic, jazz fusion, synthpop, progressive rock, classical, singer-songwriter, soundtrack
Occupation:synthesist, thereminist, composer, producer
Instrument:Theremin, synthesizers, tin-whistle, guqin, voice

Shueh-li Ong (Mandarin Chinese 王雪莉) is an Australian born composer, producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist (thereminist, synthesizer, sound designer, performer and vocalist[1]) residing in the United States since 2005.

Ong is regarded as a world-renown thereminist[2] [3] whose playing features on “Hurry Up and Smell the Roses”[4] [5] the 2012 solo album by Tom Brislin, and on album La Conquista del Espacio by Fito Páez which won the 2021 Grammy for Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album, and the 2020 Latin Grammy for Best Pop/Rock Album.[6]

Education

Ong was a student of piano with Stefan Ammer and of electronic music with Tristram Cary while enrolled in a Bachelor of Music degree at the Elder Conservatorium of Music, University of Adelaide in Australia.[7] [8] She also acquired a Graduate Diploma in Contemporary Music Technology from La Trobe University, Australia,[9] before undertaking postgraduate research under the mentorship of Dr Jeff Pressing;[10] musician, academic, psychologist and The Age music critic.[11] Her area of research was in interactive multimedia techniques,[12] which involved 2D-3D computer animation, generative music and extended synth techniques in live virtuosic performance.[13]

Music career and the theremin

Ong considered the theremin after reaching a juncture in her development as a musician. She had left a position as head of marketing and game development lead with a Singapore company, to direct a music and technology show design company, Electric Muse. She wanted to incorporate other languages and musics into her work.[14] She picked the theremin to represent the history of electronic musical instruments; and to complement other instruments that represented the different facets of her musical and cultural heritage.[15]

Electric Muse was formed in Singapore with friend and associate, Michael Spicer; Ong as business development manager/composer and Spicer as consultant.[16] In 1999, Electric Muse produced its first full-length performance, A Tale Of Metal And Music, in the Singapore Arts Festival Fringe's Late Night Series. This was followed by its sequel, Timega Theory, performed at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Australia in 2000, then in Singapore in 2001.[17] During this period, Ong also composed for theatre companies; Theatreworks’ production On Mercury’s Wings,[18] [19] and The Necessary Stage’s production Spoilt.[20] [21] Ong performed with Spicer for the former production, and solo in the latter.

After a few years working in theatrical productions and staged concerts, Ong was confronted by requests for her music on CD. So she assembled Shueh-li's Xenovibes; a collection of her eclectic compositions in this first album.[22] Xenovibes mingled Ong’s Asian and Western musical influences in a personal style shaped by her classical and electronic music training in studio and live performance.[23] [24] Ong was joined by Dallas-based drummer John Martinez, Australian keyboardist Michael Spicer, and Singaporean guitarist Jeff Long, at the premier of Shueh-li’s Xenovibes the Show in Singapore on 8 May 2004. Singaporean daily English-language newspaper, The Straits Times, proclaimed Ong as Singapore's first and only diva of the theremin; and a producer, performer, concert administrator and artist all rolled into one.[25] Xenovibes officially became an electronic group thereafter.

Move to America

In 2005, Ong moved to the U.S.A. on a special visa awarded to an Alien of extraordinary ability with the specific purpose of creating new music, working on shows and touring.[26] Martinez joined as core member of Xenovibes U.S.A.Xenovibes made its US debut at the Dallas Museum of Art’s 102nd birthday production. Ong was accompanied by Martinez, Mike McKinney (The_Jacksons_Live!), and Shelley Carrol (Duke Ellington Orchestra) in an ensemble of six.[27]

With Martinez, Ong also co-directed a music academy in the United States.

Ong moved from Dallas to Nashville in 2010 to take in new sights and sound, and to retreat to record new music.[28]

Ong has been interviewed about her work as a record producer, and as a performer, and how she designs from a macro perspective, modulating the theremin with distortion, flanging and heavy delay.[1] Her four albums have received praise around the world for their production value, along with her contributions in the development of new theremin performances.[1] [29] [30] Musicians who have appeared on her albums include Dean Parks, Curtis Randall, and Tom Brislin.

Ong is possibly the first thereminist to have performed at the Dallas Museum of Art (2005), Grapevine Opry (2008), State Fair of Texas (2007), NJProghouse (2013), and the Steinway Piano Gallery Nashville (2012),[31] and the second at Moogfest (2007).

Inverted volume antenna customised by Bob Moog

Ong plays her Etherwave and Epro theremins that were customized by Bob Moog to have the volume antenna inverted. During a photoshoot the E-Pro toppled leading to its volume antenna being damaged. As Bob Moog did not leave any blueprints, Moog Music had to reverse engineer it with hopes they could fix it.[32]

Journalistic Activities

Ong has been a contributor to the Singapore Arts Magazine,[33] and South-east Asian music blog, Sonicfreakz.[34] She is host of youtube livestream “Music and Chat” sharing the behind-the-scenes work of inventors, concept artists, VFX supervisors, composers, synthesists, magazine editors, hit writers and more. “Music and Chat” aired its 1st episode in May 2020 with its initial goal to stay in touch with friends and fans during the pandemic.[35]

Peter Zinovieff, Trevor Pinch, Herb Deustch and Beegie Adair each made one of their last public appearances on this livestream.[36]

Personal life

Ong was born in Australia and is a Singapore permanent resident. Ong is currently based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States since 2005.

Discography

Singles

Albums

Other Recordings

Original Shows/Live Performance Credits

Original Music (and Performance)

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Shueh-li Ong: Music From Another Land. Valerio. Saggini. 23 May 2007.
  2. Web site: Thereminist & synthesist, Shueh-li Ong; with guest Tony Gerber.. Nashville Scene. 12 July 2007.
  3. Web site: The digits behind the digital music. Black Mountain News =9 August 2017.
  4. Web site: Hurry Up and Smell the Roses. Progarchives.com. 2012.
  5. Web site: Hurry Up and Smell the Roses. DisCogs.com. 2012.
  6. Web site: La Conquista Del Espacio. DisCogs.com. 2020.
  7. News: Chia . Adeline . 19 June 2008 . Shriek and sing . 3 . The Straits Times.
  8. Web site: Chew . David . 21 June 2005 . How about a hand for hands-free electronic music? . 2022-11-10 . . 33 . en-SG . NewspaperSG.
  9. Web site: Profile: Shueh-Li Ong News SP . 18 May 2022 . www.sp.edu.sg.
  10. Web site: An Echo from Closed Doors. David. Hirst. April 2001.
  11. Web site: Jeff Pressing dies at 55. The Age. 30 April 2002.
  12. Web site: 9 July 2013 . simakDialog w/ Shueh-li Ong (September 5, 2013) . NJProghouse Progressive Music Series.
  13. Web site: Shueh-li Ong . Now Playing Nashville.
  14. Web site: Shueh-li Ong. theremin30.com. Rick. Reed. May 2021.
  15. Web site: Shueh-li Ong. theremin.today. Peter. Theremin. 8 August 2013.
  16. News: Oon . Clarissa . 29 May 1999 . Not happy? They just make their own instruments . L7 . The Straits Times.
  17. Web site: Timega Theory: An Electronic Opera by Electric Muse. eresources.nlb.gov.sg. 6 February 2011.
  18. Web site: On Mercury’s Wings programme details. archive-tworks.org. 23 September 1999.
  19. Web site: On Mercury’s Wings production programme. archive-tworks.org. 23 September 1999.
  20. Web site: Spoilt. tnsarchives.com. 19 May 2022.
  21. Web site: Spoilt programme. tnsarchives.com. 19 May 2022.
  22. Web site: Shueh-li’s Xenovibes album on BandCamp. bandcamp.com. 8 May 2004.
  23. Web site: The digits behind the digital music. Black Mountain News.
  24. News: Lim . Christopher . 7 March 2008 . Going High Tech . 31–32 . The Business Times.
  25. Web site: Builder and Maker of Sound. eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Shzr Ee. Tan. 6 May 2004.
  26. Web site: Moog and Theremin Artist Shueh-li Ong, Singapore Esplanade 7-10 June . madaboutasia.blogspot.com. Ted. Ollikkala. 3 June 2010 .
  27. Web site: simakDialog w/ Shueh-li Ong. njproghouse.com. 4 September 2013.
  28. Web site: Shueh-li Ong. theremin30.com. Rick. Reed. May 2021.
  29. Web site: Studio Sessions with Shueh-Li Ong. bandwagon.asia. 9 March 2016.
  30. Web site: Local theremin virtuoso blazes new ground. eresources.nlb.gov.sg/Business Times. Christopher. Lim. 1 May 2009.
  31. Web site: Shueh-li Ong member page on All About Jazz . 18 May 2022 . All About Jazz . en.
  32. Web site: Shueh-li Ong. theremin30.com. Rick. Reed. May 2021.
  33. Web site: Shueh-li Ong. theremin.today. Peter. Theremin. 8 August 2013.
  34. Web site: Bob Moog Birthday Bash. Birthday Bash event site.
  35. Web site: Shueh-li Ong. theremin30.com. Rick. Reed. May 2021.
  36. Web site: Music & Chat with Shueh-li Ong livestream podcast. youtube.com/Oceanachine. May 2020.

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