Professor Xinyan Li from the faculty of the Bard Conservatory of Music offers a two-week workshop open to musicians of any age and nationality who are interested in composing original works in Chinese music styles
During six two-hour long classes, students will be taught how to compose for Chinese instruments in various Chinese music styles such as Mongolian Long Song, Miao Flying Song, Beijing Opera, Northern Shaanxi Xin Tian You, Dong Grand Choir, and Chinese ancient music. They will also be taught how to orchestrate a piano work for Chinese ensembles and mixed ensembles of Chinese and Western instruments.
Through the repertoire listening and score analysis, students will learn the introduction of Chinese traditional harmony and counterpoint, as well as instrumentation and orchestration of Chinese ensembles. During the final class, students’ original works will be performed by pipa/guqin virtuoso Zhou Yi and dizi/xiao virtuoso Yimin Miao, from the Ba Ban Chinese Music Society of New York.
This course will be taught entirely in English. Knowledge of Chinese is not required.
NOTE: Applications were due by June 14. The course is now full and applications are closed.
Course Details
Dates:
Monday, June 28, 2021
Wednesday, June 30, 2021
Friday, July 2, 2021
Monday, July 5, 2021
Wednesday, July 7, 2021
Friday, July 9, 2021
Time:
8:00pm to 10:00pm Eastern Time (US)
Location: Zoom (remote online)
Fee: $200 (Financial Aid available.)
overview
Compose in Chinese Music Styles and Genres
Mongolian Long Song
Miao Flying Song
Beijing Opera
Northern Shaanxi Xin Tian You
Dong Grand Choir
Chinese ancient music
Compose for Chinese Instruments
Pipa
Dizi
Guqin
Xiao
Guzheng
Erhu
Orchestrate a Piano Work
For Chinese ensembles
For mixed ensembles of Chinese and Western instruments
Complete Two Final Projects
One original work (duet or solo) to be performed by virtuosos Zhou Yi and Yimin Miao
One orchestration score for submission
Class Full! Applications are Now Closed
The Chinese Music Styles Composition Workshop is appropriate for musicians who have some previous experience with music composition. You do not need to be a registered Bard student to apply.
Class size is limited to 12 students. Applicants will be selected by Professor Li based on the materials submitted in the application form, including your resume or bio as well as your composition score or a completed evaluation form.
About the Professor
Dr. Xinyan Li is a Visiting Professor of Music in US-China Music Institute at Bard College Conservatory of Music. She received her doctoral degree in composition at University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music and Dance. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at China Conservatory of Music in composition and music theory. Dr. Li has conducted field research on Chinese folk songs, folk chorus, and ethnic instrumental music of various minorities such as Dong, Miao, and Mongolian. She has also extensively studied roles, singing styles, and instrumental music of Beijing Opera. As a pianist, she has 12 years’ experience in playing improvisation piano accompaniment.
Acclaimed as “a rare and very special talent” by Prof. Ezra Laderman, the former President of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, Dr. Li’s music works have been featured at Aspen Music Festival, Carnegie Hall, National Opera Center, Composers Now Festival, Music Mountain Festival, Beijing International Chamber Music Festival, IDRS Annual Conference, Thailand International Composition Festival, and China’s National Center for the Performing Arts. She was invited twice as a visiting composer by Aspen Music Festival; her interview and six works have been broadcasted by Sweden’s national radio—Sveriges Radio. Her wind quintet Mo Suo’s Burial Ceremony was released by Albany Records. Her music has been performed by members of Eighth Blackbird, PRISM Quartet, American Composers Orchestra, Bergen Woodwind Quintet, Cassatt String Quartet, as well as principal musicians of Philadelphia, Baltimore, Detroit, St. Louis, Montreal, Bergen Orchestras and Danish Chamber Orchestra. Her awards include ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, American Composers Orchestra New Music Readings, Tsang-Houei Hsu International Music Composition Award, IDRS Conference 2016 Schwob Prize in Composition, and LunArt Festival Call for Scores.
Rooted in Chinese music and culture, Dr. Li composes music not only for western instruments, but also for Chinese instruments and mixed ensembles. Her works have been performed by virtuosos Zhihou Hu, Zhang Qiang, Zhou Yi, Shenshen Zhang, Guowei Wang, Chen Yue, Huang Mei, as well as Beijing Opera actress Zhu Hong and actor Qingxian Liu.
Dr. Li has taught composition and music theory at New York Philharmonic Orchestra’s Very Young Composers Program, University of Missouri-Kansas City, and China Conservatory of Music. Her composition students have been accepted by the Pre-College Division of The Juilliard School, Mannes School of Music, and Berklee College of Music.
Questions? Contact the Institute for more information.