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New Frontier is on the horizon for 22-year-old Woodlands Music Prodigy and New Media Artist

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Jordan Ong is walking the red carpet, attending screenings, hobnobbing with film industries heavies, producers, directors and stars at the glitzy events while attending the 68th Festival de Cannes.

A musical progeny since he was three years old, Jordan was born into a musical family and blessed with perfect pitch, and was placed in a Suzuki master class at an early age where he would transpose the piano pieces into any key that world renowned maestro Pagano requested on the spot, on television.

His composition at age six, titled the “Little World Travelers” won the Yamaha Young Composer’s award. He was featured by NBC and ABC as Best and Brightest Young Musician.

Trained at Rice University as a 14-year-old under Dr. Dariusz Pawlas, Jordan begun performing as a concert pianist at many concert halls in the U.S. Asia and Europe. He continued his studies at the University of Texas, Austin, under Greg Allen, recipient of the Arthur Rubenstein award. By age 21 he received three certificates upon graduation in 2014 – B.A. Music, Computer Science and Piano Performance.

SHSU offered the fusion master degree that Jordan had been looking for in Digital Media – a new frontier, and he was able to combine his classical training and technologies used for electronic composition, i.e.,Synapse, Cubase, FL Studio, MuseScore, Finale, Sybelius, etc. to create film and new media scores.

According to Jordan, “My spectrum of interests encompasses music performance,  electronic composition, and digital media. As a concert pianist, I have performed at many concert venues in the U.S. and Asia, and received many awards. I have been mentored by world renowned artists and currently I am coached by Van Cliburn international pianist, Dr. Sergey Kuznetsov.

Jordan Ong after having given a successful concert, shown with an adoring fan (left) and his mother (right)
Jordan’s concert in the Philippines with the Grace Christian College Chinese Orchestra, shown with mother, Dr. Josephine Shangkuan Ong-McBride (right)

But with Digital Media’s rapid popularity, it has brought a new frontier to music and entertainment. Music venues are no longer limited to performing in a concert hall with seating capacity for 500. With streaming and other technology, my performances can reach a much wider audience. This is what attracted me to attending Cannes beyond the premiere of the film I recently scored, but to continue to research the global media and entertainment business ”

Three big-wig Hollywood producers Adam Sutton, Tom Garrett, and Jordan Ong celebrate the success of their film's screening at Cannes 2015
Co-producers Adam Sutton, Tom Garrett, and Jordan Ong

With the expert tutelage and inspirational guidance from SHSU film professor Tom Garrett, Jordan began composing the film score for Garrett’s film the “Magic History of Cinema.” In March, they found it would be screened at the Cannes Film Festival’s Marche du Film.

The film is an international documentary exploring how the origins of cinema are closely linked to the conjurors and illusionists of the early 20th century and how those ties continue with today’s film makers and magicians” explained Garrett, who had interviews for the film, including director Martin Scorsese, author Brian Selznick, master magicians Lance Burton, Kevin James and many scores of filmmakers and magicians.

Jordan Ong with fellow film producer Tom Garrett basking in the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival 2015
Jordan Ong with film producer Tom Garrett on the red carpet in Cannes for the screening of their film, “Magic History of Cinema”

A magician of music! Today, Cannes. Tomorrow, the World

“Having a world class musician like Jordan only makes sense to join our team. Jordan is a ‘magician’ in his own right. A magician of music! I have always found that some of the best film and media makers have a strong music background. You cannot have any better background than Jordan’s. I am , honored to have him as a student, let alone contribute to our film,” Garrett said. “For a talent like Jordan – Today, Cannes. Tomorrow, the World and it will be able to appreciate his abilities in various multi-platform mediums from films, gaming, animation and beyond.”

Performer, composer, and classical concert pianist to perform at Lone Star College

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In case you missed it … The Woodlands’ own Jordan Ong will captivate his audience at Lone Star College – Montgomery, (on FM 242) with his interpretation of compositions from Chopin, Debussy, Liszt and others, Friday, September 13th, at 1 p.m.

Twenty-year-old Jordan Ong, classical concert pianist, a senior honor student at UT Austin, is a performer and composer who has studied with world-renowned pianists, including Dr. Dariusz Pawlas of Rice University who has been honored to play at Chopin’s house in Poland, and Gregory Allen, of UT Austin, a winner of the Arthur Rubenstein International Piano Competition.

In 2012 and 2013, Jordan was the featured pianist at Project Dream, touring over 15 concert venues in Asia alone. He was also the featured pianist at the Texas State First International Piano Festival in 2010. He has received various medals and awards from the International Chopin Youth Piano Competition, Houston Music Teacher Piano Competition, and the Arizona Young Artist award.

Jordan has been featured on NBC, ABC, Chinoy-TV stations, and at DZFE-FM, Philippines’ national classical music radio station. His CDs are available for the audience’s continuing enjoyment. Jordan has traveled extensively around the world, and his composition at age 7, titled the “Little World Traveler” won the Yamaha Corporation Young Composer award.

For his concert at Lone Star College, The Woodlands, titled: Around the World in 60 Minutes, he has chosen to highlight six composers from different parts of the world, ranging from Poland, France, Spain, Argentina, Hungary to China.

Around the World on a Grand Piano in 60 minutes

Jordon-Ong

Twenty-year-old Jordan Ong, classical concert pianist, a senior honor student at UT Austin, is a performer and composer who has studied with world-renowned pianists, including Dr. Dariusz Pawlas of Rice University who has been honored to play at Chopin’s house in Poland, and Gregory Allen, of UT Austin, a winner of the Arthur Rubenstein International Piano Competition.

In 2012 and 2013, Jordan was the featured pianist at Project Dream, touring over 15 concert venues in Asia alone. He was also the featured pianist at the Texas State First International Piano Festival in 2010. He has received various medals and awards from the International Chopin Youth Piano Competition, Houston Music Teacher Piano Competition, and the Arizona Young Artist award.

Jordan has been featured on NBC, ABC, Chinoy-TV stations, and at DZFE-FM, Philippines’ national classical music radio station. His CDs are available for the audience’s continuing enjoyment. Jordan has traveled extensively around the world, and his composition at age 7, titled the “Little World Traveler” won the Yamaha Corporation Young Composer award.

For his concert at Lone Star College, The Woodlands, titled: Around the World in 60 Minutes, he has chosen to highlight 6 composers from different parts of the world, ranging from Poland, France, Spain, Argentina, Hungary to China.