Contemporary China

Jan. 17, 2023

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This week we will hear the music of Contemporary China, including a string quartet work by Du Yun titled “i am my own achilles’ heel;” a work by Shuying Li inspired by an episode of the British TV series Black Mirror, and much more.

Composer Du Yun says that she has always been “fascinated by a fantastical world that lies in a reality, or liminal state, that is half fantasy and half hallucination,” and this fascination forms the basis of her work for string quartet titled “i am my own achilles’ heel.” It’s music that begins explosively, running through a variety of non-traditional – and somewhat unusual – string sounds, before subsiding into a subdued chorale. We’ll hear a performance of the work by Brooklyn Rider on this episode of Arizona Encore as we explore the music of Contemporary China. Plus: wind band works by Xi Wang and Shuying Li from the 2019 College Band Directors National Association Conference, and a solo piano piece by Zhang Zhao inspired by traditional Beijing Opera from pianist Zhu Wang’s performance at the Hayden’s Ferry Chamber Music Series.

Featured in this episode:

Featuring performances by Brooklyn Rider; University of Illinois Wind Symphony; Stephen Peterson, conductor; University of Hartford Foot in the Door Ensemble; Glen Adsit, conductor; Zhu Wang, piano.

Yun - My Own Achilles Heel - Brooklyn Rider
Wang - Winter Blossom - University of Illinois Wind Symphony; Stephen Peterson, conductor
I. First Movement
II. Second Movement
Li - The Last Hive Mind - University of Hartford Foot in the Door Ensemble; Glen Adsit, conductor
Zhao - Pi-Huang (Beijing Opera) - Zhu Wang, piano