APEX Express – 6.12.25 Obbligato cover art

APEX Express – 6.12.25 Obbligato

APEX Express – 6.12.25 Obbligato

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 A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Tonight on APEX Express, Host Isabel Li broadcasts her first show Obbligato, centered on music by contemporary classical composers who identify as Asian American Pacific Islander. Tonight’s show features music by Grammy nominated Chinese American composer Zhou Tian, who blends musical inspiration from different cultures and mixes them seamlessly into a musically satisfying combination for performers and audiences alike. The Wall Street Journal states that his works accomplish 2 important things. They remind us of how we got from there to here, and they refine that history by paying belated tribute to contributors who might otherwise be forgotten. Obbligato Transcript Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It’s time to get on board the Apex Express. Isabel Li [00:00:50 ] Good evening and thank you for tuning in to APEX Express on KPFA, 94.1 FM. We are bringing you an Asian and Asian American view from the Bay and around the world. Isabel Li [00:01:00] I’m your host, Isabel Li, and tonight is my first Apex Express show that I’ve named Obbligato, a show centered on music by contemporary classical composers who identify as Asian American Pacific Islander. Tonight’s show features music by Grammy nominated Chinese American composer Zhou Tian, who blends musical inspiration from different cultures and mixes them seamlessly into a musically satisfying combination for performers and audiences alike. The Wall Street Journal states that his works accomplish 2 important things. They remind us of how we got from there to here, and they refine that history by paying belated tribute to contributors who might otherwise be forgotten. Isabel Li [00:01:45] Before we get into the music of Zhou Tian, because this is my first time on Apex Express, I’ll briefly introduce myself. I’m Isabel Li, a second generation Chinese American violinist, writer, filmmaker and researcher, and I strive to amplify the works of AAPI artists and musicians, especially in relation to classical music. My senior thesis film in undergrad, for example, was a short narrative film about a Chinese American cellist who bridges intergenerational divides through music. I believe that Asian and Asian American identities in the world of classical music, which is usually associated with whiteness, European culture and elitism, are especially interesting to study. Isabel Li [00:02:28] Because there is a considerable proportion of classical musicians and composers who do identify as Asian American, there’s a great book that talks about this, actually called Musicians from a Different Shore: Asians and Asian Americans in Classical Music by author Mari Yoshihara, which I read while researching for my film. Through this show, I hope to highlight works by some of these AAPI identifying musicians and composers, and further discussions about this intersection of Asian identities and classical music. Isabel Li [00:02:59] I’m really excited to get into the music of composer Zhou Tian, described as a prime example of 21st century global multiculturalism. Born into a musical family in Hangzhou, China, Zhou moved to the US when he was 19. Trained at Curtis, Juilliard and USC, he studied with some of America’s finest composers, such as Jennifer Higdon, Christopher Rouse and Stephen Hartke. His music has been performed by leading performers and orchestras, Including to name a few, Jaap van Zweden, Yuja Wang, Manfred Honeck, Long Yu, Noah Bendix-Balgley, the New York Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony. Pittsburgh Symphony. The Dover Quartet, as well as the Shanghai Symphony, where he recently served as artist in residence. He is currently professor of composition at Michigan State University. 00:03:54 Isabel Li Starting off today’s show is an orchestral piece by Zhou Tian composed in 2019, that was commissioned by the Shanghai Symphony titled Gift or 《禮獻》 in Chinese gift pays tribute to traditional Chinese poetry and music, specifically inspired by a poem titled Music as a Gift of decency by Shen Yue, from the northern and Southern dynasties, circa the year 400. Here is Joe Tiene’s gift, performed by the Shanghai Symphony, conducted by Long Yu. 04:10 Comp Music – Gift 00:13:20 Isabel Li That was a resplendent orchestral piece to start off today’s show that was Zhou Tian’s Gift performed by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Long Yu. 00:13:31 Isabel Li I really appreciate how this orchestral piece enmeshes folk tune sounding melodies with more contemporary sounding frenzied rhythms, especially with ...

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