Chinese composer Tan Dun has been named a goodwill ambassador for UNESCO.
Best known for his scores for the films Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero, Dun has a musical repertoire which combines Eastern and Western traditions, and spans across different musical genres.
Tan has previously been awarded a Grammy Award, Academy Award, Grawemeyer Award for Classical Composition and Musical America's Composer of The Year for his work. He has also conducted orchestras including the Royal Concertgebouw, London Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, BBC Symphony.
UNESCO director Irina Bokova announced that Tan was chosen for his ‘efforts to promote intercultural dialogue through music, consciousness of the scarcity of natural resources such as water, and the diversity of languages, as well as for his dedication to the ideals and aims of the organisation.’
Maya Dudok de Wit