Asia Society and World Music Institute
Present
INTERPRETATIONS

Music by Four Generations of Asian Composers
In Celebration of Chinary Ung's 65th birthday
Koji Nakano · Hi Kyung Kim · Kee-Yong Chong · Chou Wen-Chung

Performed by: Antares · Maya Beiser · Brentano String Quartet
Thomas Buckner · Steven Shick

Thursday, May 10, 2007 at 8:00 pm
Pre-concert panel discussion with composers at 6:30 pm
At Asia Society and Museum
725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street)

In celebration of world-renowned composer Chinary Ung's 65th birthday, leading performers of contemporary music and multimedia performance will gather at the Asia Society for an unprecedented event to showcase a large range of works by four generations of Asian composers. "It is not often that you see so many star performers and composers in one special program. However, these artists have come together to celebrate composer Chinary Ung's major contributions to contemporary music," said Rachel Cooper, Director of Cultural Programs, Asia Society.

The Composers
Works of Chinary Ung (Cambodia), one of the most important composers of the last quarter-century, will be performed alongside works of four other composers: Koji Nakano (Japan), whose recent works bridge Western and non-Western musical traditions, philosophies, and spiritualities; Hi Kyung Kim (Korea), who recently wrote works for Yo-Yo Ma, gayageum (zither) master Aeri Ji, and the Contemporary Music Ensemble of Korea; Kee-Yong Chong (Malaysia), one of Malaysia's leading contemporary music composers, known for his innovative and lyrical style; and Chou Wen-chung (China), a protégé of Edgard Varese who went on to become the mentor of contemporary Chinese music in the US.

The Performers
The performance features a stellar array of artists, including:
Antares—the 2002 Concert Artists Guild International Competition winner with Vesselin Gellev on violin, Rebecca Patterson on cello, Garrick Zoeter on clarinet, and Eric Huebner on piano. The group is recognized for its phenomenal concerts ranging from Classical and Romantic chamber masterpieces to modern works; Maya Beiser—"the queen of post-minimalist cello" (San Francisco Chronicle) who has created a new repertoire for cello; Brentano String Quartet—with performers Mark Steinberg on violin, Serena Canin on violin, Misha Amory on viola, and Nina Lee on cello, has been singled out for its technical brilliance, musical insight, and stylistic elegance; Thomas Buckner—a baritone and "pillar of the experimental music non-establishment" (New York Times), who has performed and produced the works of emerging and established composers for over three decades; and Steven Schick—a percussionist who has championed contemporary percussion music as a performer and teacher over the past 30 years.

The Program
The first part of the program will open with the world premiere of Koji Nakano's Time Song II: Howling Through Time for soprano, flute, and percussion, a work which reflects the composer's interests in gagaku music, bugaku, and noh theater. This will be followed by the New York premiere of Hi Kyung Kim's Two years with the Seine (2007) for clarinet and cello, a work influenced by Korean court music, sujecheon, and gagok vocal music; the New York premiere of Kee-Yong Chong's The Lost Psalm of the Abyss, for solo flute; and Chou Wen-chung's String Quartet No. 2, "Streams" with the Brentano Quartet. The second part will feature three works by Chinary Ung: Grand Alap: A Window in the Sky for amplified voices, cello, and percussion, Spiral VI for clarinet, violin, cello, and piano, and the world premiere of Spiral IX for amplified baritone, viola, and percussion.

This program is made possible in part with public support provided by the New York State Council on the Arts, a State agency. Additional support is provided by the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust.

This performance will take place at the Asia Society and Museum located on 725 Park Avenue at 70th Street, NYC. Ticket prices for the performance are $16 for Asia Society members/students with ID/seniors and $20 for nonmembers. For tickets and information, call (212) 517-ASIA or visit www.AsiaSociety.org. Members of the press interested in the performances should contact Asia Society's public relations department at 212-327-9271 or pr@asiasoc.org.

Asia Society
Asia Society is the leading global organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States. We seek to enhance dialogue, encourage creative expression, and generate new ideas across the fields of policy, business, education, arts, and culture.

Founded in 1956, Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution with offices in Hong Kong, Houston, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, and Washington, D.C.

#  #  #

Contact: Jennifer Suh at (212) 327-9273