Compositions by Carey Tan
Explore Carey Tan’s original music, from large-scale symphonies and a piano concerto to chamber music, piano, organ and vocal works.
Choral Symohony No. 7
Twd is a choral symphony centered on love, harmony, life, and the source of existence. Through its three movements—All Souls Together, All Souls Transcend, and All Souls Divine—the work traces a journey from connection and love to harmony, transcendence, and the search for ultimate truth, expressing the idea that all things are interconnected and that life continually seeks deeper meaning.
Symphony No. 6 Elevated
Elevated traces a journey from worldly ambition to spiritual awakening. Through ascent, collapse, freedom, paradox, and infinity, the protagonist learns that true elevation is not wealth, status, or power, but deeper perception, connection, love, and stillness. Movement 0 transforms the ending into a return, where infinity becomes a new beginning.
Symphony No. 5 Seven Doors to Eternity
Seven Doors to Eternity follows the journey of a Soul in search of Truth. Passing through seven symbolic worlds — Sky, Water, Mountains, Land, Life, Universe and Truth — the Soul first searches outward, discovering different forms of beauty, mystery and spirit in nature. Its journey then turns inward as it encounters human life, memory and the self. Throughout the symphony, a recurring “Eternity motif” quietly connects these experiences. Gradually, the Soul comes to understand that Truth is not a distant destination to be reached, but a presence that has existed within nature, life and ourselves from the very beginning.
Symphony No. 4 Journey Through the Universe
This symphony is conceived not only as a work of music, but also as a symbolic journey through questions of existence, memory, identity and renewal, embedded within a narrative that happens to take the form of music, using orchestration to express ideas, subheadings to convey them to the audience and most importantly the music itself to connect to the fascinating and unpredictable cosmos. The listener is invited into a musical journey that reflects on identity, one's place in the world, and the shape of a human life.
Symphony No.3 The Rise and Fall of AI Humanity
A five-movement symphonic narrative and an award-winning work in international professional composition competitions. It depicts the birth of artificial intelligence, technological expansion, ecological imbalance, and the collapse of civilisation. Rather than predicting the future, the work serves as a musical meditation on progress, responsibility, and the human condition.
Symphony No. 2 The Cries of War
This symphony reflects on conflict, loss, and the longing for peace, and has received multiple Gold Prizes in international composition competitions. The music begins in devastation and anguish, moves through deep reflection, and ultimately turns toward hope, asking whether humanity can preserve empathy and compassion even in the most extreme circumstances.
Piano Concerto No.1 The Explorers
Carey Tan’s First Piano Concerto has received multiple top prizes in international composition competitions and was performed in 2025 at both the Vienna Musikverein (Golden Hall) and the Berlin Philharmonie. The work portrays the spirit of modern human exploration — from the depths of the Pacific Ocean and the vastness of the Sahara Desert to an imagined journey to Mars — expressing humanity’s enduring drive to push beyond physical and intellectual boundaries.
Piano Suite No.1
Piano Suite No.1, composed by Carey Tan at age ten, is a three-movement work showcasing contrasting characters: dramatic, lyrical, and bright. It was included in the programme through which he earned the LLCM diploma with distinction from the University of West London at age eleven, demonstrating remarkable musical maturity.
Piano Trio Dystopia
Dystopia is scored for violin, cello, and piano. Through unstable changes of metre and dissonant harmonies, the work creates a tense atmosphere and portrays a world of social disorder and inner conflict. This piece helped Carey earn the University of West London Composition Diploma with Distinction, making him the youngest composer in the UK to receive this qualification.
Organ Solo: Little Dance
Little Dance is an organ work composed by Carey Tan at the age of ten, featuring a clear structure, varied rhythms, rich tonal colours, and grand harmonic sonorities.
