Audio Samples & Notes: Jin Zhang
1. Excerpt 1 from Circling (2002) (19′)
Erhu, Pipa, Ruan, Zheng, Sitar, Tabla
2. Excerpt 2 from Circling (2002) (19′)
Composer’s Notes:
The idea of an inter-cultural orchestra brings to mind several strands of a personal philosophy that I wish to work out musically. The theme of my composition can be described as ‘the circle of music evolution’.
The circle will be completed in 4 sections: 1. Traditional music and instruments emphasizing simplicity and directness in form and content; 2. A more classical style (both Chinese and Western), with its attendant refinements and gentler statements; 3. A more modern sound, introducing greater complexity and technical mastery; 4. Finally, a return to the simpler and more traditional form. This circle is one that I believe has universal resonance, and can be witnessed in the art forms of all civilizations. It is an exploration of a very human cultural tendency.
In composing for the Vancouver Inter-Cultural Orchestra I am motivated by a personal principle: as artists, and as people, we are reaching out to learn from other cultures, eventually returning to our source, enriched by the inter-cultural experience. This then is the personal artistic circle that accompanies all inter-cultural work, and I believe it is a common ground for artists the world over.
3. Green Wind -(2007) (7′)
Danbau, Dulcimer, Zheng, Bawu
Composer’s Notes:
Green fields and fresh air, what beautiful nature and a great environment! The music of Green Wind is based on a Mongolian tonality, and is meant to bring you a feeling of relaxation and delight as you face the light wind and the greenery all around fills your eyes. The piece is in two sections, one slow and one fast.
Jin Zhang (b. 1958) received his musical education at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and at Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo, where he studied conducting with Prof. Morihiro Okabe. His teachers include maestro Kazuyoshi Akiyama and Seiji Ozawa. He has composed original works for concerts, radio, television, and recordings. In Canada since 1990, he has conducted and composed actively, and is presently Music Director and conductor for a number of orchestras including: the New Westminster Symphony Orchestra, the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra and the BC Chinese Music Association Ensemble.