I am a violinist/composer working on extended technique Subharmonics and interactive computer systems, sometime with robots, and most recently, with sensors. I aim to document my activities as much as possible, since I maybe leading quite a different career path than other classically trained violinists.
As I mentioned yesterday, I decided to jot down what I'm doing preparing for my April 10th concert.
However, that is not the only thing I am doing--I usually have several kind of projects in parallel, but that is the same with any artist. In my case, as a "performer/composer", I have tasks that belong to different compartments of my life.
Aside from my major two upcoming works; one as the performer/composer (Poly-Monologue) and as Michael Gatonska's interpreter premiering his new work, "Shin rin Yoku" (Forest bathing), the most immediate task I have is as a violinist for next week in Japan, recording Japanese composer Takayuki Rai's composition written for me entitled "Active Figurations" for Fontec Japan label. I know this piece, I premiered in 2009 at Music from Japan Festival 2009 which I curated, but this week I have to really be good (no wrong notes LOL!) for the recording. and I must keep my chops up to sound clean (scales, scales, believe or not! :) I also have a few other creative projects (commissions actually) that's not even on the back burner, but kind of on a side burner. More on that later.
Kyoko Kitamura and I actually did one experimental concert back in December, and I'm deriving my ideas a lot from that experience. The picture above is from that concert, held at the Spectrum in downtown NYC. I'm imagining her voice follows herself, lingering thoughts, but not just a simple delay... then I imagine what harmony, what pitches she should choose, or let her choose... etc. etc. then which MaxMSP objects I should use, then how I should construct the patch. I'm sending her some Max patches that she needs to calibrate for her own voice, which she can only do, and she doesn't need me beside her (IF my Max patch is clean, and it is NOT so when I make patches for myself - Max users know what I mean :)
For Michael Gatonska, I have his score, his visuals and his electronic sounds that we are going to combine together. Guessing from his score, he has very clear ideas to what the electronics and the general sound world he has in mind, which is helpful as I act as his programmer as well. The electronics are going to be in two layers: one which provides the background, another is the interactive processing I will do using various methods including "Augmented Violin", my bowing motion sensor from IRCAM. He is coming over on Friday, so I'm trying to organize myself and my thoughts about all this, which is like a puzzle. I love puzzles, my father loved puzzles and I did marry someone who loves puzzles :)
Going back to the 'multitasking' I need to order some maroon-colored sweatpants for my daughter... like that's the major priority!! :)
I cannot believe my last blog entry is July 2012... I have been quite busy with various projects, and while doing so possibly neglected to document or share the process. I just came back from a Symposium held at U.C. Irvine, entitled "New Direction in Graduate Music Programs", organized by ICIT (Integrated Composition Improvisation and Technology program at UC Irvine). There I had the fortune to perform with Jazz pianist Vijay Iyer and get to know his amazing projects, and his wonderfully socially-conscious thought processes.
In the previous post, I hinted about the 'announcement' I will be making; it is official now, that I will be inaugurating a summer program this year, which will be 'officially' announced to the press by the end of this month. It is designed for performers of highest caliber who use/want to use interactive system to perform as well as compose. So, a bit more patience :)
Not just because of the summer program, but I decided that it is time I must start to share and to include people witness my own creative processes, or to 'pop the hood' so to speak. My interactive systems are very simple, but very user-specific. I probably have one of the most useful ways to track the violin pitches, and to handle oneself on stage, that might be helpful to others.
I also decided to share more my compositional process in interactive works. On Wednesday, April 10th, I have a performance at Roulette in Brooklyn. The show is entitled "Poly-Monologue", premiering a work written for Kyoko Kitamura, a trilingual avant-garde and experimental singer (English, Japanese and French). "Poly-Monologue" is an interactive audio/visual work, a part of the larger-scale work entitled "ONE" which I will premiere in June 2013 (more on that later). The visuals of this work is done by Japanese movie maker and graphic artist, Tomoyuki Kato, who also created the visuals for my previous work "Eigenspace". Both "Poly-Monologue" and "Eigenspace" are parts of "ONE", which just received a generous support from Commissioning USA grant. At this very moment, I'm very much hard at work with "Poly-Monologue".
Aside for my own works, we just decided that I will be premiering a work written for me entitled "Shin Rin Yoku" (forest bathing) by American/Polish composer and painter, Michael Gatonska. Both works will use interactive graphics and IRCAM's motion sensor, "Augmented Violin".
This Friday, Michael is coming over and we will have some composition, visuals and strategy-making session. I will upload or even video tape some of our meetings to share what we will discuss.
From now until the concert, I will try to document our creative processes to share with you; please mark your calender for April 10th at 8PM!
As most of you who know about my work is aware, I haven't spent my energy trying to be "famous" in the traditional sense, performing all over the world. Early on, after I got a big push in New York Times about my NYC debut recital, I made a decision that it is not the kind of life I want to have; win a competition (or a winning review like this), get a manager who would book me to perform Ravel's Tzigane (for example) 10,000 times a year in small colleges in small towns all over the world. That model: competition->manager->concert career still exists, but to me it presented a life too ordinary, too common, and too boring. Why would I want to do the same thing and follow the same paths which others have done for ages? Why would I want to drag myself in dirty airports constantly, just to make money for a manager? For crying out loud, it's the age of internet! But that's just me. I chose to have a family, children, and relative peace and quiet in my personal life.
Of course, there are many ways of building a career, or starting a career: some starlets maybe desperate enough taking off their clothes playing Bach (!) but sure, you get the attention you need to stand out from those who don't take off their clothes (LOL!) You can have strange hair-do's, wearing strange clothing or whatever works, whatever makes people buy that 10,000th Bach album you want to sell. I would say, if that suits you, by all means go ahead and do so! :)
My work using "Subharmonics" and interactive systems I have been working with and describing in my blog, aren't these kind of "attention-getting" efforts. Sure I did get some press and notoriety because of "Subharmonics", but my true aim is not to "become famous" because of it. As history proves (for example, Tchaikovsky'sViolin Concerto was deemed "un-performable" when it was first written) when you do something new, those who are afraid, or those who can't do it, would brush it aside and criticize it. In fact "Subharmonics" is quite a difficult technique to master, probably as artificial harmonics must have been back in the times of Paganini. When unsuccessful, it sounds simply horrible!! :) But mark my words, as I am preparing a text-book and a possible events on "Subharmonics" in the near future, this will become a standard extended technique in the coming decades, as more and more composers will feel comfortable writing it in.
I will announce shortly, that I am starting a summer program in a music festival next year, for "future strings", in collaboration with the Real Time Musical Interaction Team at IRCAM and others. My aim is to open up the new sound world to violinists and other musicians, easily and ready to go forward with their creative projects. This maybe easier to embrace for younger violinists and musicians who grew up with digital media, but I am getting plenty of interests and inquiries from established composers and performers which made me think of opening up, sharing and pushing forward.
So, leave the "old models" to those who want to do it the "old way" constantly dragging themselves around the world doing the same-old same-old :) And let's step forward, onward and upward! This post maybe a bit cryptic :) but in the coming days and months, I intend to follow up on the specifics, and I will keep you posted!
It has been 4+ months I have written my blog. Things were quite hectic, but I have to report something today.
But first I would like to share with you that I recently composed and premiered a new work for Soprano, piano and electronics, entitled "My Life in Fukusima". The text was written by a Japanese (half Dutch) mother of a 6-years old daughter, Marika Yoshida. Marika works as a mental health therapist and manager at a clinic in Fukushima. I found her text in her Facebook "Note", contacted her and asked if I could set a music to it. It was done very fast and I might need to do some revisions, but an occasion presented itself that I could present it, so I did. It was performed by Japanese artists Kyoko OGAWA, soprano and Yumi SUEHIRO, piano at "Japan Perspectives: Composer's Voice Series" concert, organized by composer Douglas DaSilva at Jan Hus Church, NYC. on April 8th.
Today, Marika shared an entry by her friend named Akira Tamagawa, who just visited Fukushima site today. He wrote this note in Japanese, but I had to translate this to share with my English speaking friends. (please excuse my non-professional translation) I couldn't post this in my Facebook page (too long) so I am happy to share with you here. This is the most frightening, but realistic situation today in Japan.
"Status update" from Mr. Akira Tamagawa's Facebook page, from Fukushima:
Today, I entered into the Fukushima Dai-ichi (no.1) nuclear plant. I am restricted not to give certain information, but I write what I can. We received the explanation at the "[Important] Vibration Prevention Ridge", and I got to see closely the No.3 and 4 reactors which is all but left with the skeletal iron frame works [from the explosions]. The highest radiation value today was 1,000sv/h. It is the world of unimaginable dimension.
My honest impression is that [the work] is progressing, and also not progressing. Inside the "Important Vibration Exempt Ridge", the dosage is lower, but if you go one step outside, the radiation dosage is high. In such an environment, it encouraged me enormously the fact that there are people at the forefront, such as Osamu [writer's friend], who are desperately trying to contain the situation doing their best as if that is their normal duty.
I can say with certainty, that if it weren't for the work and support [of the people of the Fukushima nuclear site], the eastern Japan would have been blown away without a doubt. There are still over 1000 Fuel Rods exposed in the fuel pool, and it is more dangerous than the "containment vessel".
The good news is this explosion only happened on the "surface". If the fuel itself reacted and dispersed, us, the team from Hachioji-shi [city of western Tokyo] would have become the immediately affected "party".
And it is important not to misunderstand, that this was not the worst accident. If the "[Important] Vibration Prevention Ridge" was not completed just in time 6 months before [MK: I am not sure if he means 6 mo. before the accident, or 6 mo. ago from today], it would have been impossible for the Fukushima nuclear site to be able to cope, and there is no doubt that today's Japan did not exist. It is important to realize and share the horrific fact, more than we do now, that we were fortunate to be able to escape the absolute worst case scenario.
I am telling you, that it was really close, “paper-thin line” [to the worst catastrophe]. Current situation is that we are discussing how to address each issue from now on, but we are able to get to this point because the worst was prevented with a “paper-thin” line. Sumida, Hachioji, Hitachi, the entire Tokyo, and possibly western Japan would have been at a “paper-thin” line. And if we don’t address this issue properly, it will continue to be a “paper-thin” line.
It is not the Fukushima’s issue; that is a very clear error. It is very clearly the all of Japan’s issue, although I could guess that it is hard to fully realize it. I might sound harsh, but I know that all of you must share this realization. Please remember the gravity [of the situation] in your heart.
Then, I would like all of you, affected parties [that is the entire Japan] to get involved, not as an outside supporter, and to re-examine your work and lifestyles. There is no choice but to re-think our lifestyle that depends on nuclear energy, consuming energy for work and lifestyle.
I painfully realized again, looking at the skeletal iron frames, the gravity of the situation. It is so different from looking at it on the TV. And there are people who are working there with nothing but their bodies; some workers are victims of the disaster themselves.
I realized that it is a mistake to “support” Fukushima. It is Fukushima which is supporting our “now”, today’s Japan. That is why, you all are the affected parties in this problem. You can’t understand this if you live in Tokyo. You can’t understand this if you live in the city of Fukushima. That is why, one must imagine the situation, rather than not understanding it.
Inside the No.1 reactor compound, I fatefully passed a crane truck of “Da-te Heavy Machinaries”, [the company] of Osamu. There are people who can’t escape. Because of these people, we are able to live a normal life. This fact hasn’t changed today.
Everyone, the Fukushima nuclear disaster is not solved, that is the fact. And let’s firmly co-own the fact that this is not Fukushima’s problem. Again I feel painfully that it is a mistake to think this is Fukushima’s problem.
This is my report today.
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The original Japanese post is below.
I couldn't sleep after reading this note, and just stayed up all night and finished translating it.
I have planned to post more "Beijing" stories and pictures, but again, my life as a mom and other things got in my way :) My family is visiting Boston for the New Years visiting family friends, so finally I have time to post some old pictures from October here. The first one is with the inventor of FM synthesis, John Chowning in Beijing, who was the featured guest composer at MusicaAcoustica Festival 2012 in Beijing which we were invited. It was French composer/organizer Benoit Granier who found me and contacted me to go to Beijing for the first time to perform and give lectures at the Beijing Central Conservatory.
While in Beijing I met very nice people, including an American journalist named James Tiscione, who wrote a feature article of me in Global Times, an English paper in Beijing. James, who is originally from Yonkers (I think he said), has lived in China for several years now and impressively speaks Chinese fluently. He took me around to Hutongs in Beijing, and we had a great time walking around. Here he is treating me to a sour apple candy which was yummy! Maybe not so yummy (?) since I didn't taste it, but here are some interesting culture merger :) "Tea Coffee" and "Mojito Milk Shake"!
My impression of Beijing was that there were so many cars which maybe driven by people who were on bicycles until recently, so it is pretty chaotic on the streets and you have to really watch out for yourself :) The country made me think of what it must have been like in the old "wild-wild West" in California, when everyone went for new opportunities. My father, who was born in former Manchuria as a son of Japanese pediatrician pre WWII, and have been invited to China many times as a specialist of solar energy, said that "In China, everything happens everywhere, all the time!" and I think that's pretty much correct :)
2011 was a very fruitful year for me in terms of work, and I have several projects that I am currently working on. The very immediate project is for Maestro Pierre-Yves Artaud, the great "Dean" of France's flute society. Prof. Artaud teaches at the Conservatoire in Paris, and the founder of Orchestre de Flûte Français. This is a piece for solo flute (Artaud), violin (me) and interactive computer using IRCAM's latest software OMAX, and my bowing motion sensor "Augmented Violin" also developed at IRCAM, and the flute ensemble.
My children, especially my daughter is distraught that there is NO SNOW anywhere this year :) Her Christmas present wish included "Let it snow, let it snow..." We shall see.... :)
I was in Beijing from October 23-31. Finally now I'm little more relaxed, I get to post some pictures and stories from there. My October was really hectic for me; As I wrote in my previous post, I had two premieres within a week: Eigenspace, my new interactive graphic collaboration, I-Quadrifoglio, my first string quartet premiere with the Cassatt String Quartet. Then I prepared a new composition written for me by French composer Marc Battier for violin and electronics entitled Double Suns, to be premiered at the Musicacoustica Festival held at Beijing Central Conservatory of Music. I had to learn Marc's piece within a week, since it was just finished :) which suited me as I had absolutely no time before the I-Quadrifoglio premiere!
On October 22, I left for Beijing from Newark, a 9-day trip leaving my two children with my husband. The day I was leaving, my daughter who is physically very fit and hardly ever sick, decided to come down with high fever. She usually goes down very deep like this, but comes out of in within a day, which fortunately she did according to my husband and she didn't miss any school. Nonetheless, it was a little unnerving to leave them in this state... The flight to Beijing was full, with the longest line for the first class and business class that I have ever seen. It looked almost as long as the economy line which I was in. The flight plan showed that we were flying straight up from New York through Canada, over the north pole, and down through Siberia to China. It was the first time I've done that.
As we were landing I took some pictures from the plane: a lot of blue and red roofs of factories (I assume) but these two colors symbolize China. Here I come! Then I was picked up along with a group from Lyon, GRAME. Here are composer/architect Pierre Jaffrennou, formidable percussionist living in Lyon Yi-Ping Yang, and composer Max Bruckert also from Lyon, waiting for the car at the airport. Not just because of these people from Lyon, but with others from France and Chinese professors who are Francophone, I think I spoke more French than English in China throughout my stay. From the airport, as we approached central Beijing, you are struck with avenues after avenues with gigantic new architecture. Just imagine twice the size of New York's Time Warner building, and that is standing next to each other on both sides for miles and miles, by streets twice the size of Park Avenue. That's Beijing!
After hurriedly checked into the hotel, I was brought straight to the rehearsal to meet Marc Battier at the Beijing Central Conservatory. The new piece he wrote for me, Double Suns, was to be premiered the next evening at the Opening Concert of the Musicaoucstica Festival. The Opening Concert was entitled Voyage Apollonian, adopting my composition for interactive graphics I was performing in the concert (graphics by Ken Perlin, NYU). The next morning I staggered downstairs of my 3-star business hotel restaurant for breakfast: my first Chinese food buffet, which I ate too much and lasted for two-meals worth :)
Long hiatus since July. I just had a very busy fall season, constantly feeling like a hamster in a wheel :) Now I am finally having to sleep normally, regrouping, think and listen again, without constant crises and pressure one after another. It is a VERY welcome and much needed state of mind :)
I realize my last post was July, when I came back from Japan. The editor of STRINGS magazine, Greg Olwell, read my previous post about my visit to Japan, especially concerning teaching and meeting with Japanese students in the aftermath of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, and asked me to contribute to the STRINGS magazine blog, which they called "Music as Medicine".
In the fall, I had two big new works premieres. One is a commission from Harvestworks, an interactive audio video work with Japanese movie director and media artist, Tomoyuki Kato. I met him through his brother, Prof. Kazuhiko Kato, a renown computer science professor at Tsukuba University in Japan. He came to my lecture in July there, and over the internet, he introduced me to his brother. Mr. Tomoyuki Kato is widely known for his stunning visuals and designs expos, industrial presentations, and theme parks. My new work is called Eigenspace, using work that I did this summer with Nicolas Rasamimanana at IRCAM, using "eigenvalue" of the bowing movements. It is related to kind of inertia of the movements my bowing and musical expression generate. It is a new mode of interaction for me, which I am now exploring intensively. Mr. Kato also uploaded his "director's cut" version on YouTube; it shows a bit of rehearsal images of the project. Eigenspace was premiered at Roulette in Brooklyn, and we are planning on expanding it to an evening-long event in the future.
Another big project for me this fall was a commission from the Cassatt String Quartet (through the generous support of the Fromm Foundation Award), "I-Quadrifoglio" for string quartet and interactive computer. The picture here is the Cassatt Quartet rehearsing "I-Quadrifoglio". I so wished that I had chronicled my compositional process and progress. This is my first composition in recent years, which I was not involved as a performer myself; I had to notate my musical intentions very clearly, which I have become complacent with, since I have been writing for myself most of the time. For the four string players of Cassatt, I was conceited that I, a violinist myself, know what I wrote and what I mean. It was only when I was confronted with all kinds of musical questions regarding articulations and expressions (for example "what do you mean by an accent with a dot, is this stronger or shorter than the... " etc) I realized how much I didn't know. This was a going-back-to-school experience for me, which I am very grateful to have the most patient and generous teachers as the Cassatt Quartet! The premiere was at the Symphony Space, and there was a pre-concert cocktail/interview along with other composers on the program, venerable Judith Shatin and Sebastian Currier, both master composers. Although I felt a little intimidated :) I very much enjoyed that it was the very first time I could actually enjoy a glass of wine just before my performance, since I'm NOT playing! In this picture I'm setting their computer up just before the performance. It is a totally hands-free, no click-track or foot-pedal used, interactive composition, which fortunately didn't fail at the performance! I'm so humbled that this is my first string quartet ever, and I was fortunate enough to be given this opportunity.
A week after the "I-Quadrifoglio" premiere, I left for Beijing, China for the first time, to participate in Musicacoustica Festival, invited by French composer and organizer of TIMI Modern Music Ensemble's director, Benoit Granier. I returned on October 31st, followed by family obligations and some grant proposal deadlines. Now that I have a bit of breathing time, I am planning a "Beijing mega-post" and photos in the coming few days :) Or so I promise!
As I mentioned yesterday, I decided to jot down what I'm doing preparing for my April 10th concert. 
