Sherri Chung: Last News

Jon Burlingame editorWith the new series “Kung Fu,” Sherri Chung becomes the first Asian-American woman responsible for the music of an hour-long network drama — and the choice could not be more perfect.Chung has slowly moved through the ranks of television composers, working on numerous Greg Berlanti-produced series over the past four years including “Blindspot,” “Riverdale” and “Batwoman.”But with the CW’s reimagining of the 1970s classic “Kung Fu,” Chung not only takes the reins of a talked-about franchise but is rediscovering her own personal heritage as well. “I was equal parts excited and terrified,” she confesses. “This series is celebrating both Chinese culture and Chinese-American culture.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Composer Sherri Chung admits she was late to the “Gremlins” party — only because she was too young and found it too scary. But when she grew older and was reintroduced to the movie, she thought “it was the greatest thing ever.” The 1984 film, as well as Jerry Goldsmith’s score, became a key inspiration for her. So when she got the opportunity to score Max’s new animated series “Gremlins: Secret of the Mogwai,” directed by Tze Chun, she decided to “lean into the scary and the fear, but also the emotion” with her music. The series is an origin story that gives a partial explanation as to how Gizmo ends up in a Chinatown antique store at the beginning of 1984’s “Gremlins.” To add a Chinese element to the score, Chung used bamboo flutes, but the meat of the score came from the erhu, a two-stringed bowed musical instrument sometimes referred to as the “Chinese violin.”

Jon Burlingame editorThe Television Academy’s music branch is leading the way in awarding diversity. Forty-six percent of all of this year’s nominees in the music categories are women, people of color, or both.Nine of the 41 nominees, or 22 percent, are women; 13 of the 41, nearly a third, are people of color.