Concerto for Pipa and Chamber Orchestra
Shih-Hui Chen
Instrumentation
Flute
Oboe
Clarinet in Bb/Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Horn in F
Trumpets in Bb
Trombone
Harp
Percussion (2 players)
Pipa soloist
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Contrabass
Duration: ca. 13 minutes
Composed after Fu I and Fu II, Concerto for Pipa and Chamber Orchestra was another piece written for pipa virtuoso Wu Man. The piece intersperses two different styles of pipa writing— the lyrical style of elegant and meditative music with the martial style of fast, scherzo- like and powerful music. Together, they suggest a rich, full range of musical expression and vitality. Working with Wu Man was the beginning of the exploration and integration of Eastern and Western music in my compositions. I am grateful for her valuable advice on the pipa’s technical and musical expression. I also admire Wu Man’s enormous contribution to and expansion of the modern pipa repertoire.
Concerto for Pipa and Chamber Orchestra was commissioned by the Barlow Endowment for Music Composition at Brigham Young University in 2001 and received its premiere by the Boston Modern Orchestra Project with Wu Man as soloist.