About the Concert Series
The Spirit of the Adventurers Concert Series celebrated the spirit of the heroes who trod the Silk Road – their courage, curiosity, and resilience, and brought forth reflections and new understanding of the Miles Upon Miles exhibition. The concert series was curated by violinist Patrick Yim.
The music included in the series was chosen from a wide spectrum of cultures and time periods, and was linked together by the story of the Silk Road and the themes of adventure, travel, nostalgia, and innovation. The varied repertoire included traditional Chinese folk songs played on Western instruments and traditional Chinese instruments, beloved works of Dvorak and Debussy, the American composer Steven Snowden’s “Long Distance,” and newly commissioned works by Austin Yip, Michael-Thomas Foumai, and Yao Chen.
Patrick Yim on the newly commissioned works (taken from concert programme):
“Much the same way that the heritage of all individuals and countries is inspired and informed by myriad traditions, both indigenous and imported, I wanted the composers through fusing traditions together to compose music that reflects the multi-faceted and unique nature of our identities. I was interested in having the composers explore the rich and varied musical traditions along the Silk Road and the cross-culturalization that resulted from the Silk Road. I asked the composers to include music from the countries along the Silk Road and to be inspired by the beautiful relics displayed at the exhibition. I wanted the composers to compose new, inspiring, innovative, and exciting music derived from old art.
I hope the audience will come away from the concerts with an appreciation for musical art as a medium for cultural synthesis and as an avenue for international cultural exchange, relics of the past serving as inspiration for new art, and the cultures of the Silk Road serving as an artistic oasis for the future.
I have also used the collaboration as an opportunity to investigate, reflect on, and illuminate the creative process between composer and performer. Beginning with the initial inspiration for the work, the process involves many subsequent steps, including setting parameters for the composition, interpreting the notes written on the page and further correspondence with the composer, before it finally concludes with bringing the work to life in concert. You may read about this process as it relates to these new works here.”
Concert Programme #1
28 January 2018, Lobby C, 15:00 – 16:00
絲竹《行街》、《漢宮秋月》
HKBU Chinese Ensemble dizi, erhu, pipa , yangqin, zhang
香港浸會大學中樂團 笛子, 二胡, 琵琶, 揚琴, 古箏
Long Distance Steven Snowden (b. 1981)
I. Atlanta, GA – 1972
IV. Panorama, VA – 1976
Matthew Lau percussion
劉語 敲擊樂
《萬里》(世界首演)
Miles Upon Miles (World première) Austin Yip (b. 1985)
I. Gilt Bronze 「鎏金銅」
II. Cameleer 「牽駝」
III. Sancai 「三彩」
Patrick Yim violin
嚴天成 小提琴
String Quartet No. 12 in F, Op. 96 “American” Antonín Dvořák (1841 – 1904)
IV. Finale: Vivace ma non troppo
HKBU String Quartet
香港浸會大學弦樂四重奏
Members of HKBU Chinese Ensemble香港浸會大學中樂團成員
CHUNG Sui Yi Ashley 鍾垂意
KUM Hei Ching甘晞晴
LEE Chun Ming 李淳銘
POON Ka Hei Joshua潘家希
TUNG Tsz Ching董芷菁
YUNG Sing Nga 翁聲雅
Members of HKBU String Quartet香港浸會大學弦樂四重奏成員
HO Wing Lok 何永樂
CHEUNG Chun Wang張俊泓
SUNG Ho Lam 宋灝霖
NG Cheuk Hin 吳卓軒
Programme Notes
“Miles Upon Miles” is inspired by an exhibition held at the Hong Kong Museum of History of the same title. The exhibition showcases artefacts discovered along the Routes Network of Chang’an-Tianshan Corridor of the Silk Road, including the North-Western side of China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The three movements, entitled “I. Gilt Bronze”, “II. Cameleer”, and “III. Sancai”, refer to the features of artefacts in this exhibition. “Gilt Bronze” refers to the materials used for a silkworm of the Han dynasty; “Cameleer” refers to a painting of a Tang dynasty cameleer, and “Sancai” refers to the colours that were used during the Tang Dynasty.
This work is written for amplified violin and electronics. Field recordings of the Xinjiang Uyghur Muqam, taken in Xinjiang 2015, is operated through granular synthesis and serve as an extra dimension to the work. “Miles Upon Miles” is commissioned by violinist Patrick Yim in 2018.
《萬里》是受香港歷史博物館的「綿亙萬里 ─ 世界遺產絲綢之路」展覽啟發而創作，以音樂描寫幾件展出的漢朝及唐朝文物。第一樂章「鎏金銅」乃漢朝時所用的金屬；第二樂章「牽駝」為唐朝壁畫常見的主題；第三樂章「三彩」是唐代陶器上常用的釉色。《萬里》為擴音小提琴及電子音效而寫，樂曲中用到的電子部份取材於2015年，作曲家在新疆錄音的維吾尔木卡姆，透過顆粒合成法給作品帶來新疆的色彩。《萬里》由小提琴家嚴天成於2018年委約而寫。
Concert Programme #2
10 February 2018, Special Exhibition Gallery, 12:00 – 13:00
《天山風情》 王建民
LO Chiu Yan erhu
盧潮欣 二胡
Relics (World première) Michael-Thomas Foumai (b. 1987)
1. Beastily Treasures
2. Jeweled Loops
3. Wooden Scrolls
4. Wooden Leaves
5. Galloping Jade
6. Tomb Costume
7. Jump Dancer
8. Buddha Rock
Patrick Yim violin
嚴天成 小提琴
Chinese Folk Songs Zhou Long (b. 1953)
1. Lan Hua Hua
2. Driving the Mule Team
3. The Flowing Stream
4. Jasmine Flower
5. A Horseherd’s Mountain Song
6. When Will The Acacia Bloom
7. A Single Bamboo Can Easily Bend
8. Leaving Home
HKBU String Quartet
香港浸會大學弦樂四重奏
Members of HKBU String Quartet香港浸會大學弦樂四重奏成員
TANG Yu Hang 鄧宇衡
YIM Tsz Kwan 嚴梓鈞
WAT Tsing Hei Joshua 屈正熙
FONG Ho Man方浩文
Programme Notes
“Relics” was commissioned by violinist Patrick Yim as companion pieces that could be performed at the Hong Kong Museum of History’s special exhibition Miles upon Miles: World Heritage along the Silk Road. The exhibition is one of the highlight programmes of the Hong Kong Government to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region showcasing the cultural relics from China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. The work is a suite of eight movements inspired by an artefacts featured at the exhibition.
1. BEASTILY TREASURES (Inspired by: Gold Mythical Beast)
2. JEWELED LOOPS (Inspired by: Necklaces)
3. WOODEN SCROLLS (Inspired by: Wooden-Slip Document Recording the Diplomatic Visit of a Sogdian Envoy)
4. WOOLEN LEAVES (Inspired by: Woolen Saddle Pad with Leaf Motif)
5. GALLOPING JADE (Inspired by: Galloping Jade Stallion and Winged Rider)
6. TOMB COSTUME (Inspired by: Costume of an Aristocrat from a Tomb at Yingpan)
7. JUMP DANCER (Inspired by: Gilt Bronze Leap Dancer)
8. BUDDHA ROCK (Inspired by: Buddhist Stone Carving)
* Movements can be performed extracted, separately or performed in different order.
《文物》是由小提琴家嚴天成委約而寫的作品，為了香港歷史博物館的專題展覽「綿亙萬里 ─ 世界遺產絲綢之路」而創作的演奏樂曲。是次展覽為香港政府慶祝香港特別行政區成立二十周年的重點項目之一，展覽透過來自中國四省、哈薩克斯坦和吉爾吉斯斯坦的珍貴文物，展現絲綢之路的歷史及文化價值。
這首套曲由八個樂章組成，創作靈感來自展覽中的珍貴文物。
1. BEASTILY TREASURES (創作靈感來自戰國時代「金神獸」)
2. JEWELED LOOPS (創作靈感來自公元前5至前3世紀「項鍊」)
3. WOODEN SCROLLS (創作靈感來自漢朝「康居王使者冊」)
4. WOOLEN LEAVES (創作靈感來自漢朝「樹葉紋毛鞍毯」)
5. GALLOPING JADE (創作靈感來自西漢「圓雕玉羽人奔馬」)
6. TOMB COSTUME (創作靈感來自漢晉「營盤墓貴族服飾」)
7. JUMP DANCER (創作靈感來自唐朝「鎏金銅胡騰舞俑」)
8. BUDDHA ROCK (創作靈感來自公元8至10世紀「佛像石雕」)
*各樂章可依其他次序作選段或獨立演奏。
Concert Programme #3
25 February 2018, Lobby C, 15:00 – 16:00
瀛州古調《小月兒高》 沈其昌 (b. 1939)
《送我一枝玫瑰花》 王範地(改編) (1933-2017)
KUM Hei Ching pipa
甘晞晴 琵琶
Miles Upon Miles (World première) Yao Chen (b. 1976)
Patrick Yim violin
嚴天成 小提琴
《幻想曲》 王建民
YAN Yuen Ling zheng
甄苑伶 古箏
String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
II. Assez vif et bien rythmé
HKBU String Quartet
香港浸會大學弦樂四重奏
Members of HKBU String Quartet
YIM Tin Sing Patrick 嚴天成
TANG Choi Yi Joyce 鄧采兒
CHEUNG Young Two張恩圖
FONG Ho Man 方浩文
Patrick Yim, violinist 