Our last concert approaches with lightening speed! This Thursday, we perform Asian Music Now (click here for ticket and concert information), a concert of new works by our Asian friends, this time featuring music by Xiao-Ou, Huang Ruo, Zhou Long (recently awarded the Pulitzer Prize in music), and the world premiere of Vedenas by Narong Prangcharoen. The concert completes our 2010-11 season, and sets us up nicely for our forthcoming trip to the Thailand International Composition Festival this summer.
Hu 
Xiao-Ou
The program begins with Dynamical Daily, a beautiful, short work for solo vibraphone and tape, and performed by Matthew McKay. The composer, Xiao-Ou, describes the piece:
Dynamical Daily was inspired by the sounds of our baby’s quickening, which reminded me to look for our memory when we were in mother’s body. Although we could not remember these magical experiences, we may have a few special feelings when we hear the quickening sounds, and watch the x-ray pictures of babies, or see some baby documentaries (or the MTV, TEARS DROP, by Massive Attack). I was delighted when I heard my baby’s “voices”, which included very simple rhythmical patterns and electronic style sound colors. It took me back to a very strong and familiar situation immediately. I believed the sounds has awakened my potential memories.
In this minimalism style piece, I hope I can express my personal feelings about lives, which include the most complicated and the simplest secrets. I think music is the best way to describe the abstract memories that we have lost.
Sound samples of the baby’s heartbeat come from Sonia Yi-yin Hu, my daughter, who was born in Jun, 8th, 2010 in Vancouver. This piece is dedicated to her and it’s her first birthday gift as well.
Click the play button to hear an excerpt from Dynamic Daily
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Zhou Long
Our program continues with two string quartets by our dear friend, Zhou Long, master composer, husband of Chen Yi, beautiful human being, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize this spring for his opera Madam White Snake. On Thursday we will perform Chinese Folk Songs, an elegant arrangement of beautiful tunes, and the exquisite Song of the Ch’in, a sumptuous tone poem….
Click the play button to hear an excerpt from Song of the Ch’in:
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Huang Ruo
Our program continues with The Flag Project by Huang Ruo, a vivid evocation of Tibetan prayer flags blowing in the wind. You can ‘see’ the flags being tossed in the breeze in this recorded excerpt:
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Narang Prangcharoen
Our concert concludes with the world premiere of Vedana, by Thai composer Narong Prangcharoen. (Oregon Symphony fans may remember our performance of Phenomenon last year.) A year ago, we received an invitation from Narong to be in residence at the 2011 Thailand International Composition Festival. It was my ridiculous idea to perform a program of horn trios, including the Brahms and Ligeti trios. Thank god we have Joe Berger, ace horn player, to cover the treacherously difficult horn parts. It was also our good fortune to have Narong offer to compose this new piece for us, an exciting opportunity to bring a new piece into the world…..
2011-12 Season preview
Lastly…..we will be announcing our 2011-12 season this Thursday. While you’ll need to check back on this blog and on our website for more details, I’m happy to give a peek at what we have in mind:
October 21, 2011 – One Mississippi – We welcome back Eve Beglarian for this evening of Mississippi inspired music
January 20, 2012 – Hearing Voices - The next installment in our music and literature series, featuring Paradises Lost, a chamber opera by Stephen Taylor, based on the novella by Ursula K. Le Guin.
March 10, 2012 – Rothko Chapel – The life and legacy of Portland native Mark Rothko is celebrated with this special performance of Morton Feldman’s modern musical masterpiece. This program will coincide with Portland Art Museum’s Rothko exhibit and Portland Center Stage’s production of Red.
April 26 & 27, 2012 – Third Angle/Russell New Ideas in Music Competition – a major undertaking, with regional/national/international prizes. Huge thanks to Betsy Russell for making this possible.
