Jason Kao Hwang

Who is Jason Kao Hwang?

Jason Kao Hwang is a Chinese American violinist and composer.

A versatile performer, Hwang focuses primarily on jazz and improvised musics, and has a particular interest in cross-cultural projects. He has been associated with the Asian American jazz movement and has performed with Anthony Braxton, David Murray, Pauline Oliveros and the Deep Listening Band, Butch Morris, William Parker, Fred Hopkins, Milford Graves, Billy Bang, Ushio Torikai, Henry Threadgill, Reggie Workman, Diedre Murray, Leroy Jenkins, and Makanda Ken McIntyre.

Hwang is a founding member of The Far East Side Band, an intercultural ensemble combining Chinese, Korean, Japanese, and American musical elements. He has composed the scores for numerous films and has also worked in the field of commercial music. He was in the original cast of the Broadway production of M. Butterfly, performing music he co-arranged for that production; he later toured with the national productions as a music director.