ABOUT
"...her work points to a future way to go"
The Independent
Sun Keting is a London-based China-born composer, researcher, and creative director. Her composition works focus on performing arts and instrumental sound exploration combining Eastern cultural, spiritual and philosophical elements. They have been described as “the future way to go” (the Independent) and “very attractive for its harmonic imagination, mastery of instrumentation” (the Bachtrack).
Keting's music has been performed in the U.K., U.S., Europe and Asia. She has composed music for the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Sinfonietta, the BBC Singers, the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, Ligeti Quartet, Riot Ensemble, Psappha Ensemble, Tangram, Nash Ensemble, The Silk Road Ensemble, the Chroma Ensemble, the IGF, Tangram, The Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and The National Chinese Orchestra Taiwan. Notably, she worked as a composer for Birmingham Royal Ballet's "Black Sabbath”.
Keting's music has been performed at prestigious venues and festivals around the globe, including the Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, King’s Place London, Aldeburgh Festival, Cheltenham Festival, LSO St. Luke’s, Britten Pears Arts, Shanghai International Dance Centre, Helsinki Concert Hall, Tête-à-Tête Festival, and the National Concert Hall Dublin. Upcoming highlights in 2024–2025 include new commissions for the London Sinfonietta and Sansara Choir (supported by the PRS Foundation), as well as the inclusion of her music in a new choreographic work by Wang Le at the 2025 Venice Biennale Danza.
Keting champions bold and innovative artistic visions as an RPS Composer for 2023-2024 and a co-director at Tangram. Past commissions highlight Keting's diverse range from chamber to orchestra to choir and stage/dance works. In 2024, she scored for the new contemporary dance treater piece BLUESHIFT|Infinite Cycle by Lico Li Kehua. As co-director of Tangram, Keting is the artistic lead for Nature Echo and the composer-director of Bound/Unbound, a groundbreaking new music stage work. With more exciting projects on the horizon, she continues to push the boundaries of contemporary music and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Previously, She contributed to celebrating 70 years of 4'33'' at LSO St. Luke's with Our Silence is Your Silence celebrating 70 years of 4'33''; presented a chamber opera, "New Genus," at Tête-à-Tête Festival 2022. Her involvement in the LPO Young Composers 20/21, a work for sitar and choir for BBC Radio 3 for BBC Singers and Riot Ensemble underscores her versatility. The Scent of Sound concert highlighted new music inspired by folk elements, cross-cultural influences, and diverse art forms. In 2020-2021, engagement with both the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) and the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) Young Composer's schemes provided valuable experiences. The participation in LSO's Soundhub Composer Scheme also played a significant role. Collaborating with a Rome-based Chinese choreographer/artist Huang Xiao resulted in premieres at LSO St. Lukes, including Ensō(2019) and Listen(2020), notable commissions included One Undivided(2019) with co-commissioning by CAN, LSO, and the Silk String quartet, and Erasure(2019) co-commissioned by Tangram and Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble. Additionally, participation in the Creative Dialogue 2019 in Finland, guided by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho and cellist Anssi Karttunen, provided valuable insights.
Keting holds both a Master’s and a Doctorate from the Royal Academy of Music, where she studied under the mentorship of Helen Grime, with supervision from Phil Cashian and David Gorton. She also benefited from the insights of RAM’s late composers in residence including Oliver Knussen, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, and Hans Abrahamsen. She previously earned her B.A. from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

"...her work points to a future way to go"
The Independent
"...Sun Keting’s brassy, filmic orchestration..."
Financial Times
“…the sound that emerges from the orchestra is rich, strange and beguiling…”
"...very attractive for its harmonic imagination, mastery of instrumentation...”
"…composer Sun Keting leads an orchestra through astonishing renditions and reinterpretations of classic Sabbath tracks..."
Louder Sound
"…with Sun Keting’s delicate orchestration.."