Across the Silk Road2015/10/22 19:30 New space Theater
Across the Silk Road
(1)Synopsis
Based on stories of the Silk Road and the paintings of the MoGau caves, Rituals is a performance that explores the connections between traditions: the traditions of contemporary music and electronics with traditional classical Chinese and classical western music. The mixing of modern technology and Taoist and Buddhist rituals and explores improvisation and carefully composed works of musical skill and musical storytelling. The effect is a layering of different styles which 'trade' ideas and musical energy across a 'Silk Road' that is both modern and ancient. East and West and creates a performance like a soundtrack without a film.
(2)Artist Profile
David Shea (Composer)
New York and now Melbourne based composer David Shea is closely associated with the New York Downtown experimental music scene. Shea is apt to move from probing electro-acoustics to Chinese traditional music, American pop, Latin jazz, and exotica in the space of a single piece. A practicing Buddhist, Shea's odd fusion of East and West (particularly on albums such as Hsi-Yu Chi and Tower of Mirrors) is partly a function of the expressive role in Eastern cultures. Shea's facility for fusing not only the spiritual but also the pop cultural elements of Eastern cultures (Hong Kong cinema, allegorical Chinese theater, etc.) is accomplished and critically renowned.
Shea has also found a growing audience in the more experimental strains of the post-industrial/post-rave ambient and electronic music set. Shea also continues to bridge gaps separating his various audiences by performing at events and contributing to projects which to engage both in equal measure.
Wang Meng
Wang Meng is a versatile musician, teacher and composer. She graduated from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne with a BA (Hons) in Music (2006). In 2008, she was awarded the “Hull Sinfonietta’s Young International artist of the year”. Meng performed widely around the world. In 2008 and 2009 she toured Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and France. She also performed in many significant festivals, shows and venues in London, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Bristol, Manchester and many other cities in the UK. Meng had been very active in Australia since 2011, She collaborated with Multicultural Arts Victoria on Various Projects including performing at: The Melbourne Town Hall and etc. She is now collaborating with an established American composer/musician David Shea on a commissioned piece by Adelaide Festival 2016. And she is also working on the recording with accomplished Melbourne based musician Cy Gorman and pianist Brenna Wee on various projects.
