[Wesleyan University]
   

 

Wesleyan University Holds "Echoes of the Earth: A Festival Celebrating the Musical Intersections of China and the West"

Release date: Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2002

Wesleyan University's Center for the Arts, in partnership with the Mansfield Center for East Asian Studies and the Music Department, presents "Echoes of the Earth: A Festival Celebrating the Musical Intersections of China and the West," Nov. 16-23.

This international festival will bring together major figures from the musical world of China with their Chinese-American and Western counterparts for a musical exchange that will explore both ancient traditions and modernity as well as musical hybridity and cultural identity. Participants include a conductor, a composer, and folk musicians from China; Chinese-American composers and musicians; a Spanish conductor; and Western musicians.

Echoes of the Earth will highlight two world premieres:

  • Five Elements, specially commissioned for the festival from Chinese-American composer Zhou Long.
  • The concert also features the world premiere of a piece by Chinese-American composer and recent recipient of the prestigious Charles Ives Living Award Chen Yi.
In addition the American premiere of Symphony Echo of Hakka Earth Buildings will be conducted by Zheng Xiao-ying, chief conductor and artistic director of the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra (Zheng, the first female conductor in China, is also the mother of one of the festival's coordinators, Su Zheng, a member of the music department faculty, chair of East Asian studies, and director of the Mansfield Center for East Asian Studies at Wesleyan). The piece recalls the beauty and history of the Hakka people after their migration from Northern to Southern China beginning in the early 4th century.

The festival also welcomes a host of prominent folk artists Li Tian-sheng, a 73-year-old mountain song vocalist, is known as the "King of Mountain Songs in Western Fujian," and leaf player Qiu Shao-chun is known for his exquisite technique, creating music from the leaves of banyan, lychee, dragon eye and pomelo trees. Music From China and Chinese Theater Works will be among the other performers.

For more information about Echoes of the Earth, please visit the CFA web site or contact the Wesleyan University Box Office at (860) 685-3355 Monday—Friday, 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Media Contacts:
Director of the Center for the Arts Pam Tatge at (860) 685-2693 or ptatge@wesleyan.edu

Director of the Mansfield Freeman Center for East Asian Studies Su Zheng at (860) 685-3772 or szheng@wesleyan.edu

Chair of the Music Department Eric Charry at (860) 685-2579 or echarry@wesleyan.edu

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