Joan Huang (CN/US) – A flowing brook in Yunnan
Joan Huang about her piano piece “A flowing brook in Yunnan”
“About a year ago, Susanne Kessel came to our home mentioned about her “Beethoven” project, I was inspired by her enthusiasm. The theme of the second movement “Scene au bord du ruisseau” of Beethoven’s Pastorale Symphony was the initial “water source” of my little piano piece. Then Beethoven’s theme gradually becomes “A Flowing Brook in Yunnan”, a well-known Chinese folk song. The continuation of Beethoven’s “brook” to China’s “brook” symbolizes Beethoven’s spirit is immortal and the water is universal.”
Sheet Music Edition Vol. 1 – available here: SHOP
Piano piece “A flowing brook in Yunnan” – in concert:
28. Oktober 2014 – world premiere – Post Tower, Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
About Joan Huang (1957*)
After the Cultural Revolution, Huang was one of the very few applicants to be selected from a gigantic pool of candidates at the time of reopening of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music; the closing of which during the so-called “Cultural Revolution” had denied ten precious years of musical education to many talented musicians. After receiving her BA in 1983, Huang was the only student to be chosen to study a “Master of Arts” under the guidance of Mr. Sang Tong, the President of the Shanghai Conservatory then. She was the first female student to receive the MA degree in Composition in the 59-year history of the conservatory. In 1986 Huang came to the United States to continue her education at the University of California at Los Angeles where she studied with Elaine Barkin, William Kraft, and Roger Bourland. She became very interested in creating a style of fusion of Chinese traditional musical language with Western contemporary compositional techniques. She has received several awards, including two from Phi Beta for international students, one Tanglewood Music Festival fellowship and two Aspen Music Festival Scholarships. She received her Ph.D. from UCLA in 1991. As a composer, Huang has had commissions and performances from outstanding organizations and performers. Huang’s The Legend of Chang-e won the first prize of 1994 Marimolin’s International Composition Contest. Other recently premiered works are: Along the River During the Qingming Festival (for Chinese Traditional Ensemble and Western Ensemble, cocommission by “Melody of China” and “Earplay”) in San Francisco for the “2012 San Francisco International Festival” and Lunar Jamboree (for orchestra, commissioned by Harvard-Westlake Orchestra) in Los Angles in 2013. Website Joan Huang