The ListN Up playlists are curated by the American Composers Discussion board, with artist alternatives made by the ACF workforce, which incorporates representatives from I CARE IF YOU LISTEN and innova Recordings.
Clae Lu (吕皎), a vibrant and imaginative particular person, is a proud second-generation Shanghainese American, raised in Flushing, Queens (an space that lies on the unceded territory of the Lenni-Lenape). Clae cherishes moments spent with chosen household and pals, delights in scrumptious meals, enjoys doodling, and expresses creativity via the 古筝 (guzheng). Amongst their notable achievements are launching an occasion titled Our Sonic Love, recording the soundtrack titled Playroom Meditations with Ben Florencio, and serving as a resident artist at The Worldwide Studio & Curatorial Program (ISCP) for 2022-23, courtesy of The New York Neighborhood Belief’s Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund.
A Word from Clae:
The guzheng has lengthy represented a distinct segment facet of Chinese language classical music, symbolizing custom and historical past, with a way of being considerably disconnected from modern tradition. Due to this fact, witnessing artists who bridge these classical parts with right now’s music deeply evokes me!
I think about myself lucky to have grown up in a neighborhood wealthy within the Chinese language immigrant group. There was a neighborhood store run by a girl who supplied a variety of Chinese language folks devices and held lessons. With my mom’s encouragement, I started attending, and virtually instantly, I found an expansive world that I had beforehand ignored. Regardless of my early publicity to the piano and Western music idea (largely at my dad and mom’ insistence), my coronary heart naturally resonated with Chinese language folks music. Though I confronted challenges in studying songs from a language I couldn’t learn—greedy solely fragments of their tales from my trainer—I discovered a way of belonging once I performed these musical items.
Clae Lu — Photograph by Vincent Chong
Music represents sound, and sound carries political weight. I mirror on the myriad sounds—songs, noises—that formed my upbringing, from the music performed by caregivers to the ambient sounds of our streets, every evoking a way of place and identification. My journey of reconnecting with my roots has been intricately woven with the guzheng and Chinese language folks music. I really feel compelled by the spirit of music, and I hope that the alternatives on this playlist resonate with you and information you in direction of your personal heritage.
“[By] believing in ancestors that we don’t know, working via us, we retain reminiscence. Our schooling teaches us to dismiss all kinds of issues which can be indigenous to our roots, our histories. Discredit our methods of figuring out, folks…That’s the place the data was, that’s the place the language, the colour, tales, folktales…” – Toni Morrison
梁祝 (Butterfly Lovers) Concerto by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang, Carried out by Solar Huang, Yan Huichang, and the Hsinchu Metropolis Youth Chinese language Orchestra
This piece is my ABSOLUTE favourite inside the realm of Chinese language music and storytelling. It traces its roots again to historic China, weaving a story of kinship, chosen household, and queer love. I usually cite it as proof that queer narratives have existed all through historical past—not a current phenomenon—demonstrating that such tales have been woven into the material of historic China. Composed in 1959 by He Zhanhao (何占豪) and Chen Gang (陈钢), this work is rooted within the 5-note pentatonic scale and attracts from Shaoxing Opera melodies.
雪山春晓 (Spring on Snowy Mountains) Carried out by Ying Xiao
This fascinating guzheng piece, composed in 1981, is among the earliest to include parts from Tibetan and Xinjiang music. Whereas it’s technically superior, I distinctly bear in mind being captivated by its eclectic beats and the number of musical kinds when my guzheng trainer launched it to me. The composition evokes imagery of rhythmic dances amongst villagers, celebrations, and even the mild stream of water.
Want by Hwang Gina
Hwang Gina, an completed geomungo (Korean conventional instrument) participant and composer, crafts music that displays the huge potential of up to date compositions rooted in East Asian folklore. I had the pleasure of witnessing her efficiency at Lincoln Middle, the place I used to be struck by how she layers sounds to create immersive auditory experiences that resonate with the aesthetics of the guzheng, really inspiring me.
“Ever New” by Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Just lately, I had the distinction of attending a dwell efficiency by Beverly Glenn-Copeland and his spouse. It was a magical expertise to see a trans elder share such profound love and creativity with a full home of queer and trans people. His music serves as a poignant reminder of the wonder and significance of trans elderhood.
“Magic” by Treya Lam
Treya Lam is an immensely proficient good friend and musician, who excels in a number of devices. Their music radiates heat and love! I respect the considerate intention behind their lyrics, the natural layering of their compositions, and the best way they invite group participation into their performances. Their collaboration with the Resistance Revival Refrain is especially uplifting.
“Tried by 12” by The East Flatbush Undertaking, feat. Des
Sampling is integral to hip hop, and I used to be excited to find this monitor, courting again to 1996, which creatively incorporates a plucked string instrument harking back to the guzheng. Composed by the long-lasting East Flatbush Undertaking, this monitor has enormously impressed me, reminding me of the bridges music can create throughout genres and cultures.
我的新衣 (“My New Swag”) by VaVa, that includes Ty. & Nina Wang (王倩倩)
When this track was launched, it utterly blew my thoughts. VaVa gained fame via The Rap of China. Whereas I ponder the complexities of cultural appropriation associated to those artists, I acknowledge the nuances current. VaVa showcases native tradition by mixing Chinese language opera, rapping in Mandarin and Sichuan dialects, and celebrating the multifaceted nature of Chinese language cultural heritage.
“a spell for the current second,” by adrienne maree brown, Carried out by Beverly Glenn-Copeland
Conceived and penned by adrienne maree brown and carried out by Beverly Glenn-Copeland, this piece is at the moment in growth, workshopped by Troy Anthony and Charlotte Brathwaite for choral efficiency. Not way back, I attended a Hearth Ensemble rehearsal led by Troy Anthony. The introduction of this poem/spell/track was a deeply fulfilling expertise for my soul. As somebody who enjoys singing within the bathe and infrequently at karaoke, sharing this second amongst a group of largely QTBIPOC people was really empowering.
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