EAST MEETS PIPES
A multidisciplinary project that aims to promote young East Asian voices on the organ and increase the awareness of our cultural heritage
Summary
East Meets Pipes dedicates to promote new music on the organ that is driven by Chinese culture. Two commissioned organ works that are inspired by Asian art and poetry are scheduled to be previewed and to be premiered at the Alta Arts and the St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in May, 2024.
The project initiator Valentina Huang seeks to deepen her personal connections with the organ by performing music that is related to her cultural heritage. Moreover, she strives to bring the organ closer to communities where people feel unfamiliar and distant with the instrument.
The Moon and the Horse are the two inspirations for the new music “Constant Moon” and “Toccata Equestralis”, composed by Katy Li and Victor Cui respectively.
This project will contributes to expanding and illuminating the organ repertoire with Asian voices, as well as strengthening our cultural awareness. In addition, the “secular” side of organ gets shown in a church setting where the instrument itself has been strongly connected to liturgical use.
NEW MUSIC PREVIEW
East Meets Pipes Preview presents two newly-composed organ works inspired by Asian art and poetry, with the aim to promote cultural heritage awareness and musical expansion. Three students from the Shepherd School of Music (Valentina Huang, Victor Cui, and Katy Li) are sharing their musical journeys as international students and as performers/composers who fuse their backgrounds in both Chinese and American cultures. Collaborating with Chinese artist Yixiao Yao, this concert is surrounded by visual memories of landscape, land in motion, constantly changing. Sitting under the foliage, the audience can experience the magic of piano four hands from compositions originally written for organ. A light show will be accompanied with the music. This event seeks to express our unique and culturally informed musical voices, and visual speculations to enrich the organ literature.
Premiere Recital
A curated 45-minute lecture recital is programed to reflects Valentina Huang’s musical journey, along with the premiere of two new organ works. The program seeks to fuse her dual identity (Chinese and American), to echo with many other international students who further their educations in foreign countries. Different elements that represent Chinese culture are gathered to showcase the new musical voices on the organ.
In the meantime, a variety of music from different countries and time periods is presented to offer a different and interesting way of interpretations on similar topics.