World Premiere of Rightist Mushrooms (2019) in Kulturpalast Dresden by AuditivVokal (Nov. 9, 2019)
Information
Kingyo Obsession (2017)
日本語:金魚オブセッション
for four voices or choir (SATB)
Commissioned by Soundstreams (Canada)
ca. 5 min.
Interviews, Talks, and Press
Interviews, Talks, and Press
Interviews, Talks, and Press
composer | sound artist
Xiexie Raccoon
Information
Xiexie Raccoon (2024)
日本語:謝謝ラクーン
繁体字:謝謝浣熊
for guzheng, percussion, and electronics
ca. 11 min.
Program Note
A romance between two people is, at its core, a perplexing and intricate drug. While many portray it as ecstatic and blissful (and I can totally agree with that portrayal as well in countless ways), it can also be a dangerous game. There is no instruction manual or guidebook - only the need for each person to navigate their own path towards each other, and with each other. When we truly "accept" one another into our lives, all our stories become intertwined in one way or another. It is precisely this uncertain fragility of such a connection that gives it its addictive yet ephemeral beauty.
On Composition
During the Darmstädter Ferienkurse 2023, I had the privilege of interviewing Chaya Czernowin for the Talking Darmstadt podcast, where we discussed her opera Heart Chamber (2019). In our conversation, she spoke about the beauty, but also the risks, of falling in love. She explained, "I realized that when you really fall in love in a deep way, you are about to change because you are putting another person in the ecology of your life, and you are taking that person in a way as a tool to change, and is a resonance to your problems, wishes, subconscious structures and so on".
Every person has their own unique story, a life that cannot be replicated by anyone else. As such, Czernowin's words may resonate differently for each listener. Inspired by these reflections, I sought to create a work that captures the ecstatic yet complex nature of love.
Xiexie Raccoon was composed in Taipei, Taiwan and Kamikawa, Hokkaido, Japan during the later half of 2024. The work was commissioned by TimeArts Studio, and was composed as a site-specific work to be performed in the Wu Wei Tea House in Taichung City, Taiwan.
Past Performances
November 2, 2024 (World Premiere)
瘋台灣
Wu Wei Tea House
Ross Aftel (Perc.) and Hsin-Fang Hsu (Guzheng)