Rain Water

In the traditional Chinese calendar, the lunar year is divided in 24 solar terms. This piece was first performed, in California, during the term called Rain Water. As music composed on the Pacific Rim, I wanted to link Asia and America in various manners. The pitch scale used in Rain Water is derived from a previous piece composed in 2012 for the Chinese 21- string guzheng and first performed in Beijing.

The piece is divided in three sections, a structure found in many Western classical compositions as well as in some music of Asia, such as in the Japanese Noh theater music.

The solar period, rainwater, is also divided in three moments, leading from germination to growth. The structure of the piece reflects those three phases.

Rain Water was composed for the Azusa Pacific University symphony orchestra conducted by Christopher Russell, on the occasion of my visit as 2014 World music scholar in residence. It is dedicated to Professor Kimasi Browne.

The same year, it was performed at the First Asia-Europe New Music Festival in Hanoi, Vietnam, by the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Tetsuji Honna.

In 2017, Rain Water was presented in Paris at the Sorbonne Grand Amphitheatre by the COSU (Chœur et Orchestre de la Sorbonne) under the baton of Corinne Niemeyer.