CLASSICAL MUSIC
Music I composed in the past years.
THE UNSEEN CAGE (2024.9)
for percussion solo, premiered by Riley Wendt
The Unseen Cage explores the tension between confinement and the desire for freedom. Through an arrangement of non-pitched percussion—kick drum, cans, temple blocks, flower pots, and
bongos—the piece brings to life the feeling of being trapped in an invisible prison, one that is both psychological and emotional.
DO NOT LET'EM STING U (2024.6)
Premiered by Mivos Quartet in Valencia Spain, July 2024
“Do not let'em sting u" is a musical declaration originally inspired by the relentless annoyance of mosquitoes, whose bites served as a metaphor for the draining presence of negative forces and
people in our lives. Just as these pesky insects seek to sap our vitality, so too do negative individuals attempt to diminish our creativity, individualism, and energy.
In this piece, the buzzing of the mosquitoes is represented by dissonant harmonies and restless rhythms, evoking a sense of agitation and intrusion.
Through pulsating rhythms and soaring melodies, “Do not let'em sting u" serves as a reminder to protect our inner flame from those who would extinguish it. Ultimately, this piece is a testament
to the power of self-preservation and the importance of guarding our energy and creativity against all who would seek to diminish it.
CONSTANT MOON (2024.3)
for organ, for piano, by Valentina Huang and Szuyu Su
"In the quiet night, a thread of moonlight lies scattered on the bed,” (举头望明月, 低头思故 乡) borrowed from the ancient Chinese poet Li Bai, resonates with melancholy. For five years, I lived in a bustling city surrounded by skyscrapers reflecting neon lights. Amidst this vibrant
existence, a silent whisper of homesickness tugged at my heart. The city's glamour often masked the universal truth - the longing for the warmth of home and family.
As moonlight spilled into the room, casting elongated shadows, the city slept while the heart stayed awake, finding unity in shared experiences of homesickness. I have spent the past few years studying in the United States while my family resides in China. As a result, there is a time difference of approximately 12 hours between the two countries.
When I communicate with them in my morning, they find solace under the moon's gentle glow, while I draw strength from its presence during my nighttime. The moon never sleeps that bridging the gap between our distant locations. Despite the physical distance that separates us, the moon serves as a constant reminder of our shared experiences and feelings. It's a comforting thought that even when we are oceans apart, we are all under the same moon, tied together by the
rhythm of its tides and the emotions it stirs within us.
Ultimately, the contrast between city life and the tranquility of home enriches the journey. We navigate the urban jungle, carrying home in our hearts and cherishing the moonlight that connects us all. This is a timeless story of unity, homesickness, and urban life.
WIND IN THE WOODS (2024.1)
for cello and fixed media
Deep in my memory, there is a lush bamboo forest by the river, just like a group of soldiers with swords, leaning forward and tall. That day, my sister and I took a walk in the bamboo forest, and we all started to run, perhaps related to the sloping bamboo forest. We couldn't stop running until... we fell on a pile of bamboo.
It was not an extraordinary place; However, whenever I think about it, I still live in that moment: my body was frozen, but everything I saw was full of green. Although I am not a fan of losing control, I dream to have a second experience of being carried away by the wind in the woods.
commissioned by James Alexander, Premiered in Michigan on Feb.24, 2024.
Recording by Sebastian Stöger, Houston premiered.
STORING ON THE CLOUD (2023.10~2024.2)
Mov.I uploading, reading by Ensemble Modern
Mov.II stuck, for viola solo
This is a project that keeps my curiosity about what kind of sound is the data making when they are being uploaded.
This piece has two movements, the first one is for a chamber orchestra piece, recorded by the reading from Ensemble Modern. The second movement is for a viola solo.
PIXEL WHEELS (2022.11)
for two marimbas and electronics
From pixel world to chaos, lastly to the void.
WORDS IN SEALED (2022.6)
for flute solo, performed by Alex Sopp
The idea of the piece has accumulated in my head for a long time. Many topics
can’t be mentioned in some venues or on social media nowadays. Once some words go public, there are risks to be banned.
In January 2022, a Chinese mother was found in FengXian County. She is a mother of eight children but is locked in chains. According to the news, she was
kidnapped a long time ago and was forced relentlessly to give birth to 7 sons in 9 years. Her mental health was unstable because she got bitten up all the time and barely was fed. Many volunteers went to investigate it but rare results got out… It is devastating news and needs to be reported, but somehow, words are in sealed.
TEARS IN RAIN (2022.3)
For Six Musicians (pierrot ensmeble)
“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.” This is a line
from the movie Blade Runner. I find this line inspiring and can relate to it. In
the beginning, the four-note motive resembles the old-style cuckoo clock. As the music progresses, this motive evolves into representing
teardrops and eventually blends into the rain.
The instrumentation is for Pierrot ensemble: flute, clarinet, marimba, piano,
violin, and violoncello.
Performance on Apr.24th, 2022
Flute: Alexa Letourneau
Clarinet: Taig Egan
Violin: See Wing Lam
Violoncello: Hannah Sohn
Percussion: Zoey Cobb
Piano: Yizhen Chen
Conductor: Julius Akira Mauldin
TIDE (2021.10)
for string quartet
I take delight in putting my hands into the water and stroking the sea as if I was stretching a wrinkled towel.
There are always children who will catch the tide.
I haven't been chasing it for a long time. Instead, I stand in the tide and felt its changes.
Does the tide bring the singing voices exchanged by mermaids or the wailing of fishes?
Tide is the messenger, conveying tidings, the good and the bad.
What does the sea want to say to me, I'm trying to listen.
We embrace it during the day, because it leads to endless whiteness, at that moment we are connected with the distance.
We stay away from it at night because it hides in the madness dark, and the distance becomes an unknown land.
This romance created by nature fermented gently on both ends of the earth.
Why do I feel at ease in such a sad mystery?
If I’m carried by the tide, can I be sent to the other side of the world?
Time and tide wait for no one, we’re always in the pull between balance, and never leave.
The duration is around 7 minutes. Recording by JACK quartet.
A TRUCE WITHIN (2021.6)
for orchestra
A Truth Within has five sections, which reflect the five stages that people experience after a trauma: denial, anger, surrender, depression, and acceptance.
The entire piece should be performed continuously. This piece is approximate 12 minutes.
ENDLESS NOTHINGNESS (2021.5)
for piano trio
The piece is inspired by an artwork of a friend of mine, Siyun Wang. Staring at this wonderful painting always draws my attention deeper and deeper, like it never ends, so I entitled the piece called Endless Nothingness.
Performance: 6/26/2021
by Mammoth Trio-Elly Toyoda, Ashley bathgate, and Lisa Moore
UNTIL IT GOES, UNTIL I'M GONE (2021.1)
for accordion solo
Until it goes, Until I’m gone is a piece dedicated to my friends who have lost contact in my life. It’s destined that some people in our life don’t talk so often gradually. Nevertheless, as long as the memory’s still there, the bond will never fade away.
GRAY ZONE (2020.11)
for string quartet
The entire piece has 3 sections and it is continuously performed. The first section is about the white zone, pure, simple, and still. The second section is about the black zone, dark, vague, and disturbing. The last section, the gray zone, blends the previous white and black elements together, which is about the coexistence and interaction of the two.
The Gray zone represents a good balance from my point of view.
The duration is around 9 minutes. Recording by JACK quartet.
SUMMER LOVING (2020.10)
for small chamber
This piece was influenced by a novel/movie called Call Me By Your Name. The story is set in 1983 in northern Italy and chronicles the romantic relationship between a 17-year-old, Elio, and Oliver, a 24-year-old graduate student assistant to Elio's father. Personally, I have a similar experience like this: a story about summer love. Flee but unforgettable and passionate. In the end, saying goodbye is inevitable, but still, memorable.
Mov.1: If not later, when?
Mov.2: In the Middle of June
Mov.3: Farewell
Performance on Apr.24th, 2022
Samantha Kochis, flute
Ian Egeberg, oboe
Haoru Liu, clarinet
Sanford Schwartz, bassoon
David Yechan Moon, horn
Shengjia Sherry Zhang, violin
Evan Howard, cello
John Tadlock, percussion
Linus Ip, conductor
AO/TU
凹/凸 (2020.4)
For solo Vibraphone
凹凸 (ao/tu), two Chinese logographic characters.
凹 (ao) means the core is low and the surrounding are higher.
凸 (tu) means the core is high and the surrounding are lower.
Two distinctively different individuals are tightly attracted to each other. They look like puzzles and connect themselves together. This can be taken further as the fusion of different emotions in an individual. Humans are born of complex and uneven structures but we have found balance in the imbalance.
The instrumentation is for solo vibraphone.
Thanks to percussionist Harrison Honor.
NIGHT SONGS (2020.3)
For Mezzo-soprano and small chamber ensemble
Text by Edith Södergran
I picked three of her poems. Evening, The Stars, and Low Shore.
Original text in Swedish, singing in Chinese translation.
The instrumentation is for Mezzo-soprano, flute, clarinet, violoncello, and piano.
Voice: Yue Chen
Flute: Jiyoung Yoon
Clarinet: Jimmy Tsi-Wai Abrahamson
Violoncello: Evan Howard
Piano: Wei Dai
Conductor: Linus Ip
CATCH THE LIGHT (2020.2)
For Clarinet Trio
In the beginning, there’s a place that has the light like a utopia. And then, it becomes darker and darker. It ends by questioning about is there any lights?
The light here is abstract about a faith inside of us and to catch it, don’t ever lose it.
Who would be the one to guide me through the dark?
WAVES (2019.10)
For Violoncello and Piano
This piece is inspired by the opening theme of the Cello Sonata op.69 by Beethoven.
The theme of the Beethoven sonata is like waves. Therefore, the pace of my piece is structured in a gradually slowing down and speeding up form, such as the tempo of section A equals 100,
section B equals 80, section C equals 60, section D equals 80, and section E equals 100.
The duration is around 7 minutes.
WANDERING ON HUANGSHA ROAD IN THE EVENING (2018.9)
For Choir, SSAATB
Lyricist: Qiji Xin, a famous poet from Song Dynasty (13 century)
The bright moon on the horizon rose to the treetops and stunned the magpies that perched on the branches. The breeze seemed to blow the roar of the distance. In the aroma of rice, people talk about the harvest year, and there are bursts of frogs as if they are talking about a bumper year.
The twinkling stars are looming, and there is a pattering rain in front of the mountain. I am eager to cross the stream from the small bridge to hide from the rain. In the past, where did the huts in the woods near the temple of the land go? Then, turned around and the hut suddenly appeared in front of me.
BACK IN CHILDHOOD (2018.10)
For Violin and Bassoon
Program note:
This suite has 3 short movements and was written for my two-year-old sister. The inspiration for the work occurred while I was babysitting her.
I. Bouncing a ball
II. Hide and seek
III. Lullaby
The duration is around 9 minutes.
ILLUSION IN FLAMES (2017.4)
For Violin and Piano
Illusions are based on reality. We imagine perfect and unrealistic illusions one after another just like blown bubbles, each of which may drift away. However, they are inevitably shattered. In the end, we would clean up the mess and move forward eventually.