EMORY UNIVERSITY CONCERT

Taipei Chinese Orchestra with Wu Man

 ATLANTA— The ancient sounds of the pipa along with the dramatic arrangements of the Taipei Chinese Orchestra are showcased on Sunday, Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. at Emory University’s the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts. Wu Man, pipa virtuoso, joins the orchestra to perform on the two thousand-year-old plucked instrument. A 3 p.m. free concert lecture and demonstrations of traditional Chinese instruments will precede the performance for ticket holders. And, as part of Emory University’s incomporable commitment to serve the Atlanta community, Wu Man will give a pipa demonstration and lecture to DeKalb School of the Arts students on Monday, Feb. 14.

With acclaimed Yiu-Kwong Chung conducting, the Feb. 13 concert program blends traditional Chinese and Taiwanese folk music with a contemporary spirit. Using instrumentation, voices and visual effects, many pieces portray imaginative and dramatic scenes, such as the pipa concerto “The Yang’s Saga.” The three-movement concerto depicts a famous story beginning during the Northern Song Dynasty, as the Khitan Liao are attacking China from the North while generals from the Yang family (the Yang Warriors) provide their faithful service to the Northern Song Dynasty. Other concert pieces include: “Ceremonial Joyful Dance,” “Portrait of Taiwanese Opera,” “Quarreling Chickens and Ducks (Chinese percussion),” “Taiwanese Folk Song Suite,” and “Northwest Suite,” by legendary composer Tan Dun.

The Taipei Chinese Orchestra , the first professional Chinese orchestra in Taiwan, has long established a high reputation for its versatility and artistic excellence since its founding in 1979. TCO has experienced an era of unprecedented artistic growth, with a reputation for innovative and adventurous programming that has served to broaden the definition of traditional Chinese music.

Renowned internationally as a virtuosic pipa performer, Wu Man has also carved out a career creating and collaborating on projects that give this ancient Chinese instrument a new role in today’s music world, not only introducing the instrument to new audiences, but greatly enhancing and growing the core repertoire. 

More: www.arts.emory.edu