A symphony orchestra inspired by Chinese paintings and ancient poetry
Pianist and composer Gong Tianpeng and the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra will join hands for a concert, in which Gong's original compositions inspired by Chinese paintings and ancient poetry will be performed.
Under the baton of conductor Zhang Liang, the concert on July 9 will start with a Tang-Song Suite, Op.65 which premiered last year.
The suit was composed based on four poems by famous Tang and Song Dynasty poets Li Bai, Du Fu, Li Qingzhao and Su Shi.
Pianist and composer Gong Tianpeng
"The four poems represent the four styles of romanticism, realism, gracefulness and unrestraint in China's ancient poetry," said Gong. "These varied styles provided rich inspiration and emotion for my creation."
The next program "Late Bells – concertante for piano and orchestra" is inspired by Gong's personal experience when he unexpectedly spent a night in Suzhou's Luxiang village.
A Symphony of Chinese Painting, Op.66 will be performed during the second half of the concert.
The symphony is inspired by famous ancient Chinese paintings including Wang Ximeng's (1096-1119) "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains" and Zhang Zeduan's (1085-1145) masterpiece "Along the River During the Qingming Festival."
A poster for the concert
Gong applied multimedia sounds to live orchestra performance, to create a connection between tradition and modernity.
Gong said he has been constantly thinking of how to merge China's traditional art and culture into his creations.
"They have been my food for thought especially after I went abroad to study," said Gong. "These poems and paintings feature strong musicality and storytelling qualities, informing us of the personal experience and rich inner world of the great authors.
"I hope my compositions are converting these great works into symphonic language, which can be reached and understood by global audiences," Gong said.
Performance info
Date: July 9, 7:30pm
Tickets: 80-480 yuan
Venue: Shanghai Oriental Art Center 上海东方艺术中心
Address: 425 Dingxiang Rd, Pudong New Area 丁香路425号
