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Xiang He Ge
Xiang He Ge (pronounced as shian-heg-geg, "Song of Consonance," for pipa, erhu, violin, cello, and piano) was written immediately after the tragedy of 9/11 in New York City. In this piece, Lu Pei tries to depict his ideas about a dream of peace. Xiang He Ge is written in an ancient Chinese form (called Xiang He Da Qiu) and combines the Western avant-garde spirit with the most traditional Confucian ideas of harmony or consonance, "He (peace)." Xiang He Da Qiu first appeared in the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD) as an unaccompanied folk song. Eventually, these folk songs were combined with dance and instrumental performance to complete the form's evolution. Xiang He Ge consists of three sections and a finale: Yan (prelude), Qiu (song), Qu (dance), and Luan (finale). The first section begins with a very quiet mood, the melodic lines mainly carried by the erhu and the pipa. After a struggle-like climax, the players begin to sing a melody in ancient Chinese musical style using vocal tones, and the whole piece ends in a quiet, peaceful, and hopeful mood.
Program Notes by: Cynthia Rogers
Composer...
Lu Pei
Lu Pei has written works for a variety of genres including concert music for orchestras,
chamber groups, chorus, as well as music for dance dramas, TV theaters, and motion pictures. He has received grants and won numerous prizes for
his compositions worldwide. In 1997, Mr. Lu won the Silver Prize of '97 Composition Competition in Beijing, for his Symphony No. 3. He also won
the first prize of the Sixth International Composition Competition of New York City in 1997, for Impression of Silk and Bamboo, which was
premiered by the Music from China Ensemble at Merkin Concert Hall in New York. Other notable prizes include the award of the Yeuh Fei
International Composition Competition in 2000 in Chicago, for his sonata for violin and piano, and Manjianghong: Legend of an Ancient Hero, which
was premiered in Chicago Museum of Contemporary Arts.
Dr. Lu had taught composition at Shanghai Conservatory of Music of China for more than six years, first as an assistant professor then later an associate professor, before he immigrated to the U.S. Today, he serves as the adjunct faculty member of the University of Louisville school of music. He was appointed as the guest professor by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, lecture professor by the Nanjing Normal University, and an honorary professor by the Guangxi Institute of Arts, China.
Performers...
Yang Wei & Betti Xiang
Upon their arrival to the United States in 1996, Betti Xiang and Yang Wei were immediately
recognized as virtuosos of extraordinary ability. They have had the unique experience of being embraced by not only the World Music genre, but by classical
audiences as well. This has led to numerous collaborations, notably the worldwide performances with Yang Wei, Betti Xiang and Yo-Yo Ma with the Silk Road
Ensemble. With this group, they have performed in Belgium, France, Malaysia, Japan, and throughout the United States.
Their versatility has lead to chamber music performances with groups such as the contemporary ensemble CUBE, and the Amelia Piano Trio, one of the up and coming young ensembles in the states. Their collaboration with the Amelia Piano Trio has lead to the formation of a new quintet, "East Meets West", which explores the cross-influences of Eastern and Western Music. They look forward to performing in the ensemble in Alaska, Indianapolis, and Maryland next season. In addition, performances with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, violinist Rachel Barton, and the Newberry Consort, an early music ensemble, have earned Betti and Wei a reputation as diverse and creative musicians.
They have performed throughout the United States at such venues as the Ravinia International Music Festival, Alice Tully Hall, Merkin Concert Hall, Carnegie Hall, and Tanglewood. They have served as artists-in-residence at the Chicago Art Institute's Taoism and the arts of China exhibit in Chicago, where they lead interactive musical lectures on the history of culture in China. In recognition of their outstanding musicianship, they have recently been awarded the Illinois Arts Council Artist Fellowship.
Devoted not only to the repertoire of ancient traditional music, Betti and Wei have been instrumental in commissioning and performing new works by living composers. These include works by Bright Sheng, Huang Ruo (recently featured in a solo concert in New York's Miller Theater), Chen Yi, and Lu Pei. Recent collaborations with Bright Sheng have lead to the performances of the Pipa concerto by Wei in Louisville and Germany.
Amelia Piano Trio
Formed six years ago, the Amelia Trio has already established an international reputation. Called "remarkable" by Strings and "exemplary" by Strad, the group almost immediately became one of the most sought after ensembles in the world. In its short history, the Amelia has been grand prize winner at the Yellow Springs National Competition and recipient of the prestigious ASCAP award for Adventurous Programming. The trio is also well known for its innovative projects, notably "East Meets West." Growing out of the trio's work with Yo Yo Ma's Silk Road Project (which has taken Amelia members from Carnegie Hall to Egypt and the steppes of Tajikistan), the trio adds traditional instrumentalists from India or China for concerts hailed by critics as "stunning."
Encompassing a wide variety of styles, the group performs traditional Asian melodies, classics of the Western canon, and contemporary fusion. The Amelia enjoys an active touring schedule which has brought them throughout North America as well as France, Italy, the French West Indies, and Panama. Highlights from this past season include performances in Maryland, Alaska, and New York, as well as Los Angeles, Chicago, and Indianapolis. The trio will embark on a collaborative project with the Sean Curran Dance Company next season, which will bring them to the Western States, including concerts in Seattle's Meany Hall.