Chinese-Canadian composer Dr. Roydon Tse creates music that speaks across cultures, drawing from shared human experiences and reflecting on the challenges of climate change, the depths of grief, and the ever-evolving cultural fabric of our world.

Roydon’s latest concerto, Restless World Anew, for the Dalí Quartet, was co-commissioned by the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra and the Gabriela Lena Frank Creative Academy of Music, exploring our relationship with nature. In August 2025, the Asian Youth Orchestra toured his Illuminate through nine cities in China, Taiwan and Japan, performing in venues such as Shanghai’s Oriental Arts Center and Tokyo’s Opera City Concert Hall, with subsequent RTHK broadcast recording. Following earlier performances at Lincoln Center and the Kimmel Center, the Philadelphia Orchestra and iSing! Suzhou, under Marin Alsop, presented Yellow Crane Tower at Beijing’s NCPA during their 2024 China tour.

These build on prior performances and commissions by the Brno Philharmonic, Brussels Philharmonic, Edmonton Symphony, Esprit Orchestra, Hamilton Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic, Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, Tafelmusik, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony, Victoria Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Verona Quartet, Cecilia String Quartet and musicians of the Minnesota, Paris Opera, and La Scala Orchestras. His foray into opera and art song led to collaborations with Atlanta Opera, Canadian Opera Company, City Opera Vancouver, Canadian Art Song Project, Tapestry Opera, and l’Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier Lyrique.

Roydon’s work has been recognized with numerous awards, including seven SOCAN Foundation Composer Awards, the Washington International Composition Prize, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta’s Emerging Artist Award, Sir James Lougheed Award of Distinction, the Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prizes, and named one of CBC Music’s Top “30 under 30” Canadian Classical musicians. His work has been supported by grants from the SOCAN Foundation, Toronto Arts Council, Calgary Arts Development, Ontario Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.

Born in Hong Kong, Roydon studied in the UK before earning degrees in composition from the University of British Columbia and University of Toronto. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of composition & theory at the University of Saskatchewan.