Imee Ooi
Huáng Huìyīn (黃慧音)
Background information
Born (1964-03-21) 21 March 1964
Taiping, Perak, Malaysia[1]
GenresBuddhist music
Occupation(s)Composer, record producer, singer
Instrument(s)Piano
Years active1999–present
LabelsI.M.M. Musicworks
Websiteimmmusic.com
Imee Ooi
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese黃慧音
Hanyu PinyinHuáng Huìyīn
JyutpingWong4 Wai6 Jam1
Hokkien POJÛiⁿ Hūi-im
Tâi-lôUînn Huī-im

Imee Ooi FRSA (/ˈiːmiː ˈwuːi/ EE-mee WOO-ee; Chinese: 黃慧音; pinyin: Huáng Huìyīn; Jyutping: Wong4 Wai6 Jam1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Ûiⁿ Hūi-im) is a Chinese-Malaysian record producer, composer, and singer who composes and arranges music for classic Buddhist chant, mantra and dharani. She performs her compositions in Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan and Mandarin. In 1997 she founded a record label, I.M.M. Musicworks, to publish her music. She has released more than 50 albums (55 between 1998 and 2020[2]).

Ooi also composed and directed three highly acclaimed stage musicals: Siddhartha, Above Full Moon, and Princess Wen Cheng (aka Jewel of Tibet).

Biography

Early life

Ooi was born in Taiping, Malaysia to a musically-inclined Hoklo family. Her grandfather, who was a writer and dramatist, emigrated to Malaysia from Guangdong, China. Ooi's mother was a piano teacher; Imee and her four siblings all learned piano. Ooi continued her study of piano and trained as a classical pianist.[3]

Career

In the early 1990s, after training as a classical pianist, she followed her mother's example and in turn became a piano teacher, before moving into composition, creating film music for cinema or television series.[4]

Buddhist vegetarian,[5] she decided to specialize in Buddhist music[4] · ,[3] creating from sacred texts (dharanis, mantras, sutras) which she performs in Sanskrit, Pali, Tibetan and mandarin,[6] some are translated into English. She also composes musicals and performs in concerts · .[4]

In 1997 she founded a record label, I.M.M. Musicworks, to publish her music.[7][4]

In 2015, she formed the male vocal group (8 singers aged between 25 and 38), named the Jing Shi Jin Gang which means Guardians of the Dharma with whom she toured internationally in Malaysia, Hong Kong and Shanghai.[4]

Imee is a discreet person. Her private life never comes up in the interviews she gives, preferring to talk only about her art and her spiritual path:

The power of music is very strong. We are trying to use music to convey positive messages. I’m a person who don’t plan ahead. It is very much like Buddhist teaching — live for now, don’t let the future tie you down, don’t let the past trouble you and things will turn out well[3]

Filmography

Musicals

YearTitleNotes
1999[5][8]Siddhartha (or 'Prince Siddhartha')Music producer, arranger, composer, music director[9][10]
2004[11][5]Above Full MoonComposer, music director[10]
2005–2006[5]The Perfect CircleComposer, music director[10][12][13]
2007[14]The Perfect Circle IIComposer, music director
2008[15][5]Princess Wen Cheng (alternative title: Jewel of Tibet)Composer, music director[16][10]
2010[17]KITAComposer, music director, music arranger[18]
2013The Perfect Circle III: Earth Epilogue – The Call Out of NaimisayanaComposer, music director, arranger

Discography

All songs composed, produced, and some performed by Imee Ooi arranged by Praveen maddhali

Solo albums

Title Language(s) Year of release Catalog number
The Chant of MettaPali, English1999IMM 1000
The Chant of MettaPali, Mandarin1999IMM 1000C
JayamangalagathaPali1999IMM 1001
Heart SutraMandarin2009IMM 1002
Nilakantha Dharani [The Great Compassionate Mantra]Sanskrit2000IMM 1003
The Great Mercy Mantra (alt. The Great Compassionate Mantra)Tibetan2000IMM 1004
Om Mani Padme HumTibetan2001IMM 1023
The Guan Yin MantraMandarin2002IMM 1008
Ratana SuttaPali, English2003IMM 1010
Mantras of the Sanskrit[19] (alt. Mantras in Sanskrit)[20]Sanskrit2003IMM 1011
Heart SutraCantonese2003IMM 1012
Mantra of the Green TaraTibetan2003IMM 1013
TisaranaPali2004IMM 1014
Namo AmitabhaMandarin2004IMM 1017
The Diamond Sutra: Vijracchedika Prajna Paramita SutraMandarin2005IMM 1018
The Wisdom of Manjusri BodhisattvaSanskrit2005IMM 1019
Medicine Buddha Dharani[21]Sanskrit2005IMM 1020
Arya Ekadasa: Mukha DharaniSanskrit2006IMM 1021
The Series of Ten Short Mantras, Volume 1Sanskrit2006IMM 1022
Karaniya Metta SuttaPali2007IMM 1024
The Series of Ten Short Mantras, Volume 2Sanskrit2007IMM 1025
The Mantra of Guru RinpocheTibetan2007IMM 1026
The Series of Ten Short Mantras, Volume 3Sanskrit2007IMM 1027
The Series of Ten Short Mantras, Volume 4Sanskrit2008IMM 1028
Chants from Heart to Heart: The Heart of Prajna Paramita and Hannya ShingyoPali2008IMM 1030
Ksitigarbha: Mantra of the Earth StoreSanskrit2008IMM 1031
Message in Music, Volume 1?2008IMM 2000
Sakyamuni Buddha Mantra?2009IMM 1032
Message in Music, Volume 2?2009IMM 2001
Heart of Repentance?2009IMM 1033
Hymns of the Pureland?2009IMM 1034
The Shore Beyond: Prajna Paramaita Hrdaya SutramSanskrit2009IMM 1035
Universal Door Chapter: The Lotus Sutra?2009IMM 1036
The Mantra of Vajrasattva: Om Benza Sato Hum?2009IMM 1037
Message in Music, Volume 3?2009IMM 2002
Shurangama Mantra?2009IMM 1039
Maitreya: The Buddha of Loving-Kindness?2011IMM 1041
The Sounds of Protection (alt. Mantras in Tibetan)Tibetan2011IMM 1042
Message in Music, Volume 4?2012IMM 2003
In Metta, A collaboration with Dewa BudjanaEnglish2017IMM 2017

Soundtracks

Year of Release Released Title(s) Date of Release (if applicable) Notes
2002 Siddhartha: The Musical[9] May 2002[9] in Mandarin, 2 CD'S[9]
2004 Above Full Moon The Musical[22] N/A 2004 version
2009 Siddhartha: The Musical[22] N/A 10th Anniversary Special Edition, 2009 version
2010 KITA The Musical June 2010 Limited (did not have a widespread distribution)
2011 Princess Wen Cheng: The Musical'[22] N/A 2011 version[22]

References

  1. ↑ "宇宙就是佛樂的殿堂—訪馬來西亞佛教音樂人黃慧音－－學佛網". Big5.xuefo.net. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  2. ↑ "'Imee Ooi's Musical Works & Dharma Concert Production', 2020". www.immmusic.com. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Noel Achariam (18 December 2017). "Meet Imee the mantra musician". buddhistchannel.tv. Retrieved 4 December 2023..
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Dennis Chua (2015). "Musician Imee Ooi prepares her first major showcase". www.nst.com.my. Retrieved 4 December 2023., published in the New Straits Times, Kuala Lumpur, article of the 27 July 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Soaring scores". Ecentral.my. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  6. ↑ Stanford University. The Ho Center for Buddhist Studies. "Imee Ooi". buddhiststudies.stanford.edu. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  7. ↑ "'Imee Ooi's Musical Works & Dharma Concert Production, 2020". www.immmusic.com. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  8. ↑ Yoke, Yip (13 May 2009). "Archives | The Star Online". Thestar.com.my. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Products (CDs, Tapes) – Siddhartha The Musical (in Mandarin)". Alyta.com. Archived from the original on 2 January 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Creative Team – Imee Ooi 黃慧音". Asia Musical Productions. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  11. ↑ "(Timeline) – 2004: 'Above Full Moon the Musical' Original Cast – Lead Actress – Kuala Lumpur & Singapore". Paulway Chew. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  12. ↑ "THE PERFECT CIRCLE 2013 – EARTH EPILOGUE (Musical) (12th – 21st Apr)". KLPAC. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 4 July 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  13. ↑ May, Sarah (4 April 2013). "THE PERFECT CIRCLE 2013 EARTH EPILOGUE in KL, MALAYSIA, posted on Thursday, April 4, 2013". Sarahlow.net. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  14. ↑ "Lending voice to Mother Nature". Fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  15. ↑ "Jewel of the Tibet, The musical, posted on Thursday, March 13, 2008". Violetvoon.info. 13 March 2008. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  16. ↑ "(Timeline) – 2008: 'Jewel of Tibet the Musical' (Princess Wen Cheng) Original Cast – Leading Role – Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia". Paulway Chew. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  17. ↑ "'Chinese musical Princess Wen Cheng takes centrestage again', written by (author unknown). Posted on September 8, 2012 (Saturday). Published by The Star". Thestar.com.my. 8 September 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  18. ↑ Chua, Dennis (23 May 2010). "Akademi Fantasia 7's versatile champion will add musical theatre to his list of accomplishments when Kita opens next month". New Straits Times. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  19. ↑ "Mantras of the Sanskrit". I.M.M. Musicworks. Archived from the original on 8 September 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  20. ↑ "Mantras in Sanskrit". iTunes Store. 8 January 2013. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "Medicine Buddha Dharani". I.M.M. Musicworks. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "Shopping – Soundtrack". Asia Musical Productions. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
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