Meet Ty Xiong

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ty Xiong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ty, how do you think about risk?
This is my perspective on risk-taking. In terms of following my career and dreams, you have to do it alone. I am not trying to make this melodramatic, but based on my personal experience, every decision that I had to make was best to do it alone. Once I lay down all of the factors on my decision making, the ones who choose to take on the risks with me will stay.

In a professional setting, when it comes to doing things within a team, we all have to share the same vision. We must strive for the same results.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a composer and pianist. I compose music for the Classical concert halls. I compose for entertainment outlets. I perform piano and teach piano. My music, fundamentally has a sense of solitude. I have my fair shares of musical inspirations that influence my music, but essentially I always like to do things differently from what my peers are doing. If I am in a environment where a composer like’s to create peaceful music, I would create a dramatic piece of music. If someone wants to make a rhythmic driven piece, I would create a lyrical piece. If someone wants to make an electronic ambient piece, I would create a traditional orchestral piece. If someone would create a traditional orchestral piece, I would incorporate ethic instruments into my piece. Just like any other artist, If one person wants to create in one way, I’ll look the other way and do something the total opposite.

In my personal opinion, with today’s advance technology, music has become bland. Making has become more accessible. Anyone with a computer and a DAW can compose music. Music is made at a quicker pace. Nowadays, people do not need to master an instrument. There is beauty that this help music lovers create their music, but music is essentially turning into “Fast Food.” I want to try to bring to my brand that complexity and virtuosity can still exist in the modern world.

Finding my personal voice in my music is always a life mission. For now, I will let my art and the audience determine what my music sound to them.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When I have friends and family who are visiting the Los Angeles area, I have a few places that my friends has shown to me. I enjoyed these places. The go to places would be at Koreatown, Little Tokyo, and the San Gabriel Valley area. My friends and I went to karaoke bar in Koreatown called R-bar. The hotspots for K-BBQ in K-town is usually places like Hae Jang Chon, Quarters, and Moodaepo. There’s a couple of bars in Glendale and North Hollywood area that I’ve been to called Brewyard Beer Factory and The Roguelike Tavern. There is a place I go in Little Tokyo called Wolf and Crane that is very cool. Restaurants in the San Gabriel Valley are good for authentic Chinese northern and southern style food. I tried places like Alice Kitchen, Delicious Food Corner, Top Island Restaurant, and Longo Restaurant.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The main people I want to give my biggest shoutout is to my parents and my four sisters.

My sisters are the reason I am who I am and where I am at now. I have two older sisters, Polly Xiong and Mai Yang. I have two younger sisters, Kiab Phan and Lucky Xiong. I am right in the middle.

Growing up, I was always that annoying brother to them and of course they would annoy me back. My older sisters would have me surrounded with high quality people who were positive entrepreneurs, business owners, and go-getters. They are the type of people who always want to strive for the best. Their teachings were extremely universal. It left a big impact on me one who I am.

My sisters knew from the beginning what I wanted to become for myself. They knew way before the whole world knew what my dreams and goals were. My support system first came from them. We knew we weren’t given everything we wanted in life, but we kept reminding each another to never stop trying and to never settle for less. Even if we do not have the answers now, we will figure it out. Things will always fall into place. Even though we are now living our separate lives, I know they are amazing mothers and wives. They will still continue to strive for more success.

The next biggest shoutout I want to give to is my parents, Neng Xiong and Mee Cha. They are the complete foundation of who my sisters and I have become. I want to give them the entire world. I am a momma’s boy. In a playful manner, I remind my father that he’s really lucky to have someone like my mother. I tell him while laughing, “Mom, is too pretty for you.” I tell him that my partner has to be beautiful inside and out just like my mother. My father made his own music back in the 80’s. It’s funny how he never pushed music onto me, yet I found my own love for music and even took it professionally. I told him that I will one day arrange his music with my orchestral style and have the entire world hear it. Before I came out to Los Angeles, I told them that I am not messing around since I am out here on my own. Everything I’ve learned back at home was training to get me where I am now.

I would like to honor these last two people who left a big impact in my life. My late grandpa and grandma, Yia Xiong and Ker Vang Xiong. My grandpa was an extremely handsome man. He was not the perfect man, but he would give me a lot of wisdom during our late night drive conversations. Before his passing, I told him I want to make him extremely proud. My grandma was definitely the pillar to hold my entire family together. During 2023, I went to visit their burials quite frequently by myself. During Feb 2024, when I left my hometown of Charlotte, NC to move to Los Angeles, CA, I made sure to pay them a last visit.

Website: tyxiong.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ty_tzxiong/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TZXiong/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TyXiongMusic

Image Credits
Photo by Tracy Hang – https://hlubtray.myportfolio.com/