The Wise Traveler, for Orchestra (2019) [2’26”] Commission for “Kids Compose Project” by IU Jacobs School of Music
10:00 a.m., Feb 5, 2019, premiere │ IU JSoM Kids Compose Session Musical Arts Center, Indiana University JSoM, Bloomington, IN, United States Sponsored by the IU JSoM; funding from the Bloomington Community Arts Commission and the Community Chamber Music Association Sound Recording Copyright 2019, Trustees of Indiana University
IU JSoM Concert Orchestra │ Prof. conductor
Program Note
This work is written based on the two beautiful melodies composed by the two students from the Fairview Elementary School, Bloomington, Indiana. Although these two melodies are not strictly relevant, I still properly combine them into a new piece. The first section brings the one tune out. The second section, which is in a faster tempo, introduces the other theme. Both the melodies are divided into fragments and go throughout the piece in the development section. Then, the energy and intensity go higher, but in the end, a Jazz fragment interrupts the atmosphere, ending up this work in a humorous way.
Two Songs, for Tenor, Clarinet, Horn, Piano, Viola, and Contrabass (2019) [5’30”]
Event: IU JSoM Composition Recital Date: 20:00, Dec 3, 2019 Location: Auer Hall, IU JSoM, Bloomington, IN, United States
Performers: Ramson Issa, tenor Mia Tomposen, clarinet Tyler Taylor, horn Matthew Schultheis, piano Wennie Wei, viola Broner McCoy, contrabass Caio Guimarães, conductor
Two Songs, for Tenor, Clarinet, Horn, Piano, Viola, and Contrabass (2019) [5’30”]
Event: IU JSoM Composition Recital Date: 19:00, Mar 19, 2019, premiere Location: Recital Hall, IU JSoM, Bloomington, United States
Performers: Issa Ransom, tenor Lucille Berk, clarinet Tyler Taylor, horn Yuseok Seol, piano Hippocrates Cheng, viola William Kline, contrabass Lang Chen, conductor
Program Note
This work consists of two songs, which are composed based on the two poems, “My Voice” and “Tædium Vitæ,” by the Irish poet Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900).
I. My Voice by Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)
Within this restless, hurried, modern world We took our hearts’ full pleasure – You and I, And now the white sails of our ship are furled, And spent the lading of our argosy.
But all this crowded life has been to thee No more than lyre, or lute, or subtle spell Of viols, or the music of the sea That sleeps, a mimic echo, in the shell.
II. Tædium Vitæ by Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)
To stab my youth with desperate knives, to wear This paltry age’s gaudy livery, To let each base hand filch my treasury, To mesh my soul within a woman’s hair, And be mere Fortune’s lackeyed groom,—I swear
I love it not! these things are less to me Than the thin foam that frets upon the sea, Less than the thistle-down of summer air Which hath no seed: better to stand aloof Far from these slanderous fools who mock my life
Knowing me not, better the lowliest roof Fit for the meanest hind to sojourn in, Than to go back to that hoarse cave of strife Where my white soul first kissed the mouth of sin.
