Bright Sheng is a Chinese-American composer known for mixing traditional Chinese music with western classical. An accomplished piano player at 15, the Chinese government moved him from Shanghai to a village near Tibet, where he spent seven years essentially serving as a resident musician. After graduating the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1982, he moved to NYC, where he became composer-in-residence for the New York City Ballet.

Sheng served three terms as composer-in-residence for the La Jolla Music Society's SummerFest. The San Diego Symphony still includes several of his compositions in its repertory.