Programme Note by the composer:
Decaptych Epiphany is composed in response to David Clarke’s water colour series Colour in Space, which features ten rectangular paintings. The work comprises ten short episodes, some lasting no more than a minute, presented in a loosely defined theme-and-variations format. The “theme,” or essence, is a structured arrangement of pitches, centered around one of the four violin strings for each episode. From this foundation, musical elements such as harmony, melody, and texture are crafted as reflections of each painting. The English title Decaptych Epiphany literally means “an illuminating discovery through ten paintings,” effectively capturing the creative process described above. While the Chinese title shifeng yinian(ten directions but one thought) has its roots in Buddhist texts, it also playfully suggests “a work made from ten rectangular paintings and one idea.”
十方一念 – 為小提琴及笙而作《十方一念》是對祈大衛水彩系列《色彩空間》的回應，該系列包含十幅矩形畫作。《十方一念》由十個短小的篇章組成，其中一些長度不超過一分鐘，以較寬鬆的「主題與變奏」形式呈現。《十方一念》的「主題」（或本質）是一種音高的結構安排，每一篇章圍繞小提琴其中一根弦展開，從而建構出和聲、旋律、肌理等音樂素材，作為對每幅畫作的詮釋。英語標題Decaptych Epiphany直譯即「十幅畫的頓悟」，很好地捕捉了以上所說的創作過程。中文標題「十方一念」雖來自佛經，這裡則語帶相關解作「據十幅方形畫作與一個意念寫成的作品」。
Biography:
Chan Hing-yan is currently James Chen and Yuen-Han Chan Professor in Music at the University of Hong Kong. Lauded for their subtle mediation between Chinese elements and Western idioms, Professor Chan’s compositions have been heard around the world at prestigious festivals. Recent works include five chamber operas (2023, 2023, 2018, 2015, 2013). The first two were commissioned by the Hong Kong Arts Festival, who also entrusted Chan as the composer and Music Director of an extravaganza staged cantata to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Hong Kong’s handover in 2017.
Chan Hing-yan served as Artist Associate 2016-18 of the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. Over the years, the orchestra has commissioned and presented his works at home and abroad in Europe (2005), South America (2010), Canada and New York (2012), Taiwan (2016), Beijing (2010), and Shanghai (2007).
Chan Hing-yan received the “Best Artist Award (Music)” at the Hong Kong Arts Development Awards in 2013. His three collaborations with the City Contemporary Dance Company (2009, 2007, 2005) won him much acclaim as well as a Hong Kong Dance Award in 2008, when he also received commendation for “Persons with Outstanding Contributions to the Development of Arts and Culture” in the Secretary for Home Affairs’ Commendation Scheme.
At HKU, Chan Hing-yan was conferred the Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award (2013-14), in recognition of his guidance to postgraduate students in the pursuit of research excellence. In addition, he has been an advisor to HKU’s Cultural Management Office since its inception, and has been instrumental in planning and delivering a number of innovative programmes for its MUSE series.
Patrick Yim, violinist 