string quartet | 20’
Program Note:
Tunes from Home is a deeply personal musical letter to my father, who passed away in 2011. A composer himself, his music was steeped in the essence of Chinese traditional melodies and an imaginative world of his own. In this piece, I weave together fragments from three of his piano compositions, Zai Yong Gua Di Feng (再咏刮地风), Feng Che Yao (风车谣), and Wu (悟), transforming them into a string quartet that traces our shared musical roots. Each movement carries a distinct emotional and narrative arc, embodying a reflection of his world and mine.
I. The Wind Sings Once More
Inspired by Zai Yong Gua Di Feng , this movement pays homage to a Gansu folk tune from my father’s and my birthplace. Though its title, "Gua Di Feng" (meaning “Sweeping Wind”), is merely the name of a widely known melodic form rather than a reference to its lyrics, the music itself carries the spirit of our homeland. Born in Gansu, both my father and I have been shaped by the rich traditions of its folk music. This movement represents the origins of our story - the beginning of a life journey shaped by music passed down through generations.
II. Ballad of the Windmill
The second movement, drawing from Feng Che Yao, is a portrait of our family history. The windmill, though never a part of my own childhood in the city, was very familiar to my father, who grew up in a world far removed from mine - one shaped by poverty, yet filled with the purity and beauty of nature. This movement is a reflection on that contrast: his memories and mine, merging into a shared melody that speaks of both distance and connection.
III. The Sound of Awakening, A Goodbye
The final movement, influenced by Wu (悟, meaning "Awakening"), serves as a farewell. In this piece, I immerse myself in the textures and timbres of my father’s composition, embracing his musical language while introducing my own original melodic motif. This is a movement of reconciliation of looking back, understanding, and ultimately finding peace.
Tunes from Home is not only an exploration of memory and lineage but also a conversation across time, a tribute to my father’s legacy, a rediscovery of my own roots in Chinese traditional music, and a love letter to the past, carried forward in sound.
Duration: 20 minutes
Recording: Florestan Festival Recording on YouTube
Score and Parts: Available for rental or purchase directly from the composer.
Performance History:
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World Premiere: Florestan Festival, August 23, 2025 at Utah State University, Caine Performance Hall.
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3rd Movement Performances: Mercury Soul, October 16, 2025 at the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.
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Auréya Quartet, April 3, 2026 at Jordan Hall, Boston, MA.
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String Orchestra Version World Premiere: Philadelphia Civic Symphony, May 30, 2026 at Reformation Lutheran Church, Philadelphia.