Yenhsing Chen & Dooree Kang
Fl, Cl, Bsn, Vn, Vla, Vc, Cb, 2 Percs
We delve into moments of organic dialogue among different cultures, where established identities blur and transformation brings profound ambiguity. This effort to connect inevitably creates a challenging gray zone, an uncertainty that sparks true understanding—especially when our communication in a foreign language doesn’t quite meet our intention.
Dooree’s work reimagines a traditional canvas as a sculptural installation where painting, video, and space converge. By projecting fragments of her daily life in the U.S. onto creased canvas and mesh screens, she investigates the “gray zone” between cultures—an ambiguous, fluid space where misunderstanding, humor, and moments of dissonance coexist and evolve.
Yenhsing’s composition explores the interplay between two domains: language and music. The composer first recreates spoken language through meticulous instrumental writing, orchestrating the pitch contour, formants, and consonants of the speaking voice using the ensemble. Subsequently, this rendered speech is developed and transformed into musical material, thereby questioning the precise boundary between language and music.
