A concerto for orchestra, conductor, audience, overtone singing and zhongruan
為交響樂團, 指揮, 觀眾, 泛音詠唱及中阮而作

12 min.

Instrumentation: conductor-audience, 2.picc.2.corA.2.bcl.2.dbn-4.2.3.1-timp.perc-pft-celesta-hp-strings-zhongruan-overtone singer

World premiere: HKAPA Academy Symphony Orchestra; Hippocrates Cheng, overtone singing soloist; Teddy Yeung, zhongruan; Prof. Sharon Choa, conductor, 5 January 2018, HKAPA Concert Hall, HK
世界首演: 香港演藝學院演藝交響樂團; 鄭靖楠, 泛音詠唱; 楊家樑, 中阮; 蔡敏德, 指揮, 2018年1月5日, 香港演藝學院音樂廳, 香港

Performance: City University Philharmonic Orchestra; Hippocrates Cheng, overtone singing soloist; Teddy Yeung, zhongruan; Chiu Kai Keung, conductor, 22 April 2018, Tsuen Wan Town Hall Auditorium, HK
演出: 香港城市大學管弦樂團; 鄭靖楠, 泛音詠唱; 楊家樑, 中阮; 趙啟強, 指揮, 2018年4月22日, 荃灣大會堂演奏廳, 香港

Programme note

I often question myself: Who am I? What is my role in society? What could I do for the world? Those questions focus on the present, but how about ‘What could I leave for the World?’ This question comes to my mind when I am imagining my last moment of being alive. I always dream to leave a legacy which could be devoting and inspiring to society. Therefore, I named this piece as ‘What could I leave for the world’ to answer the previous question.

This piece summarizes my two-year master study at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts. This piece is inspired by the aesthetics and features on Harmonic Series, Resonance and Flowing Time, Nanyin, Gongs & Drums in Cantonese Opera and etc. At the same time, I incorporate both Eastern and Western music elements into the piece and try to create a unique soundscape which could resonate with our past, present and future soundcloud.

Furthermore, this Concerto for Orchestra demands highly collaborative efforts from every orchestra member. Many musical materials are fragmented and distributed to different sections. Therefore, the integrity of the piece requires a high level of virtuosity and musicianship from each member.

There are several interactive sections for conductor and orchestra featuring a new effect called ‘Orchestra Panning’. It is a multi-perspective sound panning effect led by the conductor’s hand gestures. Therefore, the conductor could contribute his or her own voice into the piece.

At last, I also incorporate overtone singing and zhongruan as a colour for the music and a surprise for the audience.

樂曲介紹

我常常問我自己：我是誰？我在社會擔任什麼角色？我究竟可以為這個世界做什麼？這些問題都是著重於現在的自己。但當我想像自己面向人生完結的最後一刻，我會問：我可以為這世界留下什麼？我常常希望可以留下一些貢獻社會和觸動人心的音樂。所以，這次我想用這首作品回答以上的問題。

我以香港演藝學院所學習和接觸到的知識和概念：泛音列、共鳴與時間的流動、南音、粵劇鑼鼓等等作靈感寫下此曲。我亦在作品融合了中西音樂元素，希望可以建立一個與過去、現在、未來的聲音共鳴的聲音世界。

在這樂隊協奏曲裡，大部份的音樂素材都被碎片化並被分配到每一個樂手的演奏部份，這大大考驗了每位樂手的個人能力和合奏能力。

我在此曲中安排了數個指揮和整個樂團的互動環節。指揮可以以獨有的手勢帶領樂隊作一些聲效，例如環迴立體聲，從而可以在音樂注入指揮自己獨一無二的聲音。

最後，我亦加入了呼麥演唱和中阮為此曲帶來一點色彩和為觀眾帶一些驚喜。