Interventions in the Exhibition Hall

An ensemble of Chinese and western instruments presents a programme contrasting traditional Chinese art music with new works by Asian and European composers.

In the 20th century, western art music became the standard across the globe. Other traditions of art music, like that of the Chinese, remained closely tied to their roots. Only in the past few years have composers began to approach Chinese music tradition with different ears. In addition to traditional Chinese works, this concert presents new works by Asian and European composers for an ensemble of Chinese and western instruments.

Wu Wei: Sheng

Yeh Jiuan-Reng: Zheng

Wolfgang Suppan, Christian Utz: Live-Electronics

ensemble on_line vienna

Directed by: Simeon Pironkoff

Introductory talk: Sandeep Bhagwati, Christian Utz

With the kind support of: AsianCultureLink and ensemble on_line vienna

"Music traditions, once someone has discovered that they are political or economically useful, soon lose their dignity and degenerate into catchy clichés - which are, unfortunately, generally more suitable for almost all kinds of cultural exchanges than a tradition with a rich internal structure. Hence, the much-practised intercultural improvisation all too often resembles one of those non-committal pub chats that are only really interesting for those who are directly involved. But what about when one writes and - thinks on behalf of the sounds of a different culture, and if one has to explore familiar sounds through the aesthetic milk glass of a different culture. In other words, composing as an act of transcultural self-experimentation done neither to find the 'unheard-of' in a historicising gesture, nor to 'conquer' aesthetic 'new territory' by taking an exotic detour, but to understand how a different way of listening and feeling can subtly change our musical priorities, our perception, the effects produced by the sounds of our instruments, and even our bodies." (Sandeep Bhagwati)