Violin Performance to Express Chinese Heritage
Researcher:
Violin Performance to Express Chinese Heritage
Researcher:
Abstract / About the project
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This cross-cultural, cross-disciplinary research project sought to answer how to use the violin to cultivate an appreciation for important aspects of Chinese heritage - the Silk Road and poetry.
Yim invited composers to write music reframing and reflecting Chinese culture, fusing Western/Chinese traditions, and deriving inspiration from the Miles Upon Miles exhibition reflecting an understanding of Heritage as Innovation. Violin served as an intersectional medium linking new music and Western culture with Chinese heritage.
Concerts’ successes depended on Yim’s developing a meaningful context for the works: works were premiered at the Hong Kong Museum of History Spirit of the Adventurers Concert Series curated by Yim - programmed alongside those of Zhou and others engaging with Chinese culture. Relics performed adjacent to artifacts that inspired the composition for innovative spatial presentation.
Du and Li's poems explored with Chan in two compositions deriving material from Cantonese, a tonal language. Research fills the gap in solo violin repertoire related to Chinese heritage, redefines contexts for and designs of string performance, and reconsiders the collaborative potential between visual/sonic arts; acoustic/electronic music; and text and music.
Rehearsals/performances served as a laboratory of exploration. Yim’s input shaped performances/recording by redefining notational/performance indications unresolved at the immediate composition. The Body of Evidence contains: reflections on the collaborative process, correspondence with Yao, versions of scores, and concert programmes.
Effective sharing through performances at world-class museums (HK History Museum; Denmark National Museum), concert halls (Seoul Arts Center; Tai Kwun), and international music festivals (Seoul International Computer; NYC Electroacoustic; Flatirons Chamber) impacting academics, professionals, amateurs, educators, and cultural consumers.