Erhu Concerto "Rock-Paper-Scissors" World Premiere (6/10/2011)

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"Rock-Paper-Scissors" for erhu and chamber orchestra
Friday, June 10, 2011
St. Matthew's Chamber Orchestra
Thomas Neenan, conductor
Henry Wang, erhu
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
Pacific Palisades, California

Program notes by the composer:
I have a fond memory of a game that I often plated when I was a child: Rock-Paper-Scissors. It is a simple yet exciting game when it involves a group of children -- finding out who can be the ultimate winner of this game, which will be named "the king"! With a little bit of strategic thinking, some kids have advanced this game through observing patterns of players, eye contact, etc. I recalled that I may have named "the king" a handful of times, but the energy and atmosphere is what I intended to capture in this piece.

The role of erhu (a standard version of a two-string Chinese fiddle) in this piece is partly the narrator, partly as the source of interaction with the ensemble. The comic nature of the music is juxtaposed with a slightly melancholy timbre of erhu -- sometimes as a commentator and sometimes as a participant. A rain broke out towards the end, and the joy and laughter generated from the players give way to the sound of nature...
~ Alan Chan

"Rock-Paper-Scissors" is commissioned by the St. Matthew's Music Guild, with the support from the Los Angeles County Arts Commission.