Zhengtao Pan, composer

Who or what are the most significant influences on your musical life and career as a composer?

Choosing just one composer is practically impossible for me—Toru Takemitsu and Takashi Yoshimatsu are both huge influences in my musical journey. And let’s not forget jazz! Maria Schneider and Miho Hazama introduced me to a whole new world of sound. Both are incredible musicians, and I consider myself lucky to be one of Miho’s students—very fortunate, indeed, especially when I get to learn from a jazz legend and not just a very inspiring meme.

What I’ve noticed about these composers is their honesty. They’re true to their art, and their music genuinely impacts human emotion. It’s engaging even if you don’t understand all the complex techniques behind it. You can enjoy the melodies, hum a fragment on your way to work, and still feel something meaningful. Basically, they’re the musical equivalent of a good story—you get the gist even if you’re not decoding every word.

And here’s a little gem from Miho: since most people only get one shot at hearing your music, you better make it captivating enough to grab them from the first note. No pressure, right? Just a little musical magic to keep their ears coming back for more!

What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far? 

I was about to dive into the financial side of things for composers — you know, how emerging composers struggle to get recordings and performances — but then I paused and looked a little deeper. Turns out, the real challenge isn’t money; it’s remembering why you started doing this in the first place.

During my four years in conservatory training, both in the composition and jazz departments, I sometimes felt like I was on an isloated island. Professors lecturing about fancy, modern techniques don’t necessarily make someone a good composer. And tossing those techniques into your piece? It doesn’t automatically turn you into a contemporary music maestro. The biggest challenge, I’ve realized, is staying true to myself. For a long time, I wasn’t even sure what I really wanted or what sound resonated with me. 

But luckily, I think I’ve found it. Now, I’m hard at work crafting my own sound, telling my own story through my music — because if you’re going to do it, might as well make it personal, right?

What are the special challenges/pleasures of working on a commissioned piece?

To me, every commission is a chance to express myself in a totally different way — a blank canvas with new tools and colors. Sometimes I even get unusual instrumentation, which keeps things exciting. Right now, I’m working on a commission for the incredible French horn player Giovanni Hoffer’s upcoming album. Honestly, writing for brass quintet is a whole new ballgame for me. I’ve never composed specifically for this ensemble before, and to make it even trickier, all of them can improvise.

Most commissions come with a general concept, which is a stark contrast to writing music just for myself. You have to blend your voice with someone else’s vision, which is actually pretty fun — like a collaborative musical dance. But it also means you need to have good communication before you even started, so everyone’s on the same page.

What are the special challenges/pleasures of working with particular musicians, singers, ensembles or orchestras?

When I first worked with the European Recording Orchestra and Budapest Scoring Orchestra, I had no idea how remote recording sessions actually work — I even forgot to prepare the Pro Tools session! But I learned from those mistakes. Now, for my upcoming EP “Birds In Dreamland,” the process is much smoother, and the result is incredibly satisfying.

One thing I’ve realized is that each musician has their own unique voice. I’m not a composer who strives for everything to be “perfect” — trying to control every detail, like whether it’s mezzo piano or mezzo forte, is pretty much impossible. Every performer brings their own interpretation to the table, which is what makes live performance so alive. I’ve learned this firsthand from countless film scoring sessions with both orchestras — you learn to embrace the surprises and trust that the music will find its own voice.

Of which works are you most proud?

In this upcoming EP, my favorite part is definitely the second movement of my woodwind quintet, “Bird Waltz.” I’ve been pondering how to incorporate extended techniques to mimic the sounds of birds, and I’m happy to say I pulled it off successfully. It’s like giving the instruments a little birdie makeover — and it really added that extra layer of magic to the piece!

How would you characterise your compositional language?

Melodic, intimate

How do you work?

Honestly, my work routine for my own pieces is pretty all over the place. Sometimes I can spend hours just refining four measures, and other times I blitz through two minutes of music in just 30 minutes. Writing fast doesn’t mean the quality is bad, and taking it slow doesn’t automatically make it better. I’m pretty flexible with my process — it all depends on what the music needs at the moment.

As a musician, what is your definition of success?

Be happy, stay healthy, get those 8 hours of sleep — live longer and happier! And honestly, it would be amazing if after a concert, a stranger came up and said, “I really enjoyed listening to your music.” As long as there’s at least one person on this planet who, completely unknown to you, genuinely likes your music — that’s a pretty great feeling.

What advice would you give to young/aspiring composers?

Be true to yourself—discover what you truly love doing. Sometimes, the things you learn in conservatories aren’t necessarily what sparks your passion or what you should pursue. And hey, you don’t need to go to music school to be a good composer. If you love composition, just open your notation software, DAW, or even grab pencil and paper. The important thing is to write something every day, even if it’s just a single whole note. Progress, after all, is built one note at a time.

What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’saudiences?

Giving more opportunities to newly commissioned pieces is always a relevant topic. Honestly, I don’t have anything particularly groundbreaking to add here—my personal experience is that the classical music audience is already quite receptive to new music. Many listeners love discovering fresh works and are open-minded. 

But of course, you can’t expect someone who only listens to Mahler to walk into a Helmut Lachenmann concert and instantly connect. That raises the real question: “What do we need to do to help grow the contemporary music scene?” I believe we need more composers “in between” — artists who can bridge the gap, making contemporary music more accessible and sparking greater interest among classical audiences. It’s about opening doors and inviting more people to explore new sonic worlds.

What’s the one thing in the music industry we’re not talking about but you think we should be?

I think I touched on part of this in my previous answer, but if I had to exaggerate a little — I believe composers should work on building a better relationship with performers. Performers aren’t just “servers” for the composer’s music; they have the right to interpret the piece themselves. As long as they’re not turning a quarter note into an eighth note or playing a forte as a piano, I think everything else is fair game. Honestly, I feel like giving performers more space to bring their own voice into the performance allows the music to really shine.

And here’s a little secret from my rehearsals and recording sessions: good food for lunch. It’s a small gesture, but it definitely helps performers perform better. 

What next – where would you like to be in 10 years?

Be happy, healthy, sleep 8 hours every day

Be true to my music and my self expression.

Zhengtao Pan’s EP Birds in Dreamland is released on 16 July by Pinch Records

https://www.zhengtaopan.com/