Han Yi Liang (梁瀚艺) is a performer and composer based in Sydney, known for his specialisation on the Japanese shō (笙) – a free-reed wind instrument consisting of seventeen bamboo pipes, integral to the Imperial Court music of Japan known as Gagaku. Developed in Japan from the 7th-century, Gagaku is one of the oldest forms of orchestral music and is recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Henry’s practice spans ancient traditions to contemporary and experimental music, utilising the shō to weave together disparate musical genres and promoting intercultural awareness and understanding. In 2015, Henry was selected by Columbia University (New York) for a seven-week residency in Japan, where he was immersed in traditional Japanese music under the guidance of world-renowned shō masters including Mayumi Miyata-sensei. Since then, he has cultivated strong relationships with gagaku instrumental masters and makers, composers, and performers across Japan, and remains committed to deepening these intercultural friendships for years to come. Extensive and eclectic collaborations have taken Henry to Japan, Germany, China, Vietnam, the USA, India, and France, where he has had the privilege of sharing the stage with many esteemed artists including Yo-Yo Ma. His performances have ranged from playing for two-million people lining the streets of India for President Narendra Modi, to a relaxed set aboard a yacht with Human Nature, to being a featured soloist with the Chamber Philharmonia of Cologne on a 34-date tour across Australia and Germany. One particularly memorable experience was a shō and didgeridoo performance in the small regional town of Gunning, where 150 children heard the shō for the first time. Henry’s music has premiered at national events such as the Australian Flute Festival and in venues including the National Opera Center (New York), Phoenix Central Park, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. His projects have received support from ABC Classic’s Composer Commissioning Fund (2022), the Country Arts Support Program (2023), and Creative Australia’s International Music Export Fund (2024). In 2025, Henry was named a finalist in the APRA/AMCOS Professional Development Awards.