Originaire de Séoul, Whan Ri-Ahn s'est installé aux États-Unis et est entré, dès l'âge de 14 ans, à l'Interlochen Arts Academy pour poursuivre ses études de composition.
Il a, par la suite, travaillé avec Kenneth Hesketh au Royal College of Music de Londres, puis avec Michael Jarrell, Luis Naón et Gilbert Nouno à la Haute école de musique de Genève. Parmi ses mentors, il a eu le privilège de bénéficier des précieux conseils d'Unsuk Chin.
Il s'impose rapidement comme l'un des compositeurs les plus prometteurs de sa génération. En 2023, sa composition L'Oiseau dans le Temps II est créée au Festival « Présences 2023 » de Radio France, où il se distingue comme le plus jeune compositeur du festival. Ses œuvres ont été interprétées, notamment, par l'Ensemble Contrechamps, l'Ensemble Modern, l'Ensemble TIMF, l'Ensemble Proton Bern, Johannes Kalitzke et Pierre Bleuse.
Basé à Paris, Whan Ri-Ahn termine actuellement son master au Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris (CNSMDP) dans la classe de composition de Frédéric Durieux et dans la classe de musique électronique de Yan Maresz, Luis Naón, et Grégoire Lorieux.
À l'automne 2023, Whan Ri-Ahn est entré au King's College de Londres pour commencer ses études de doctorat auprès de Sir George Benjamin.
Parole sparse (the title is in Italian, and means Scattered words) is a musical composition that delves into the exploration of language and non-language, interweaving verbal and non-verbal dimensions of human expression. Drawing inspiration from my experiences in filmmaking and building upon the artistic concepts of my previous works, Rituel au tombeau d'Isang Yun and Suicidal Impulse, this piece was further inspired by Alda Merini's words "Spazio, io voglio tanto spazio," as it unravels the dynamic interplay between linguistic elements and their intriguing absence.
In “Rituel au tombeau d'Isang Yun”, I embarked on a transformative journey, translating Korean funeral ritual chants, texts and scenes into a musical narrative. This endeavour allowed me to convey profound emotions and stories solely through the language of sound. Similarly, in the electroacoustic composition Suicidal Impulse I transformed recorded voices and texts to blur the boundaries of identity, creating a narrative figure in a perpetual state of metamorphosis.
Derived from the same root as Rituel au tombeau d'Isang Yun and Suicidal Impulse, Parole sparse approaches its exploration of language and non-language differently, forging a unique path while retaining a connection to its artistic origins. With Parole sparse the instrumental ensemble itself assumes a central role as a unified yet enigmatic entity, seeking to embody language in a verbal manner. Each instrument becomes a vessel for linguistic expression, with phrases and patterns seamlessly conversing in their musical dialogue.
Moreover, the composition scatters and recollects consonants and vowels throughout the musical fabric, drawing inspiration from Alda Merini's "Io voglio tanto spazio." This intentional fragmentation and dispersion of linguistic elements echo the complexities of both spoken and unspoken aspects of the human experience. The resulting sonic tapestry becomes a canvas where meaning, emotion, and sound are woven together, challenging conventional communication and inviting listeners to embrace a more profound level of understanding.
Seong-Hwan Lee/Whan Ri-Ahn