LibGuides: A select list of music scores: CHEN Zhangyi

Biography

Zhangyi serves as Assistant Professor at Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, where he currently teaches Analysis and Composition. Through his module 'Text and Music', Zhangyi has co-curated (with Sara Florian) several projects in collaboration with the Asian Civilisations Museum: Waves and Waves (2020), Suite Ensemble (2021), and Zoomorphic Muses (2022). He was conferred the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council (Singapore) in 2014.

Nature is often a source of inspiration in Zhangyi's music. Orchestral works like the Rain Tree, Vanda (violin concerto), and of an ethereal symphony, offer soundscapes of the tropical environment, flora and fauna, and cosmic motion. The musical representation of Singaporean culture is another recurring theme within Zhangyi's music. For instance, the chamber operas Laksa Cantata, Window Shopping, and Kopi For One, forms A Singapore Trilogy (libretto by Jack Lin) that is inspired by the Singaporean pastimes of food, shopping and coffee.

Source

Music Scores

Clara-Luna : for solo violin
Clara-Luna was commissioned by the Singapore International Violin Competition (SIVC) as a set work for its 2018 competition. Zhangyi worked with Professor Qian Zhou while composing this piece, as she kindly read through the work-in-progress with much detail and demonstrated numerous excerpts of the Ysaÿe sonatas that involved idiomatic and virtuoso writing for the solo violin. The title of this work is dedicated to Chen's then baby daughter and his way of remembering the special baby moments and baby sounds.
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Constellations : for flute, violin, bassoon, harp and piano
Five Constellations for flute and harp was inspired by the celestial titles of the five movements. An over-arching musical architecture is created by a variety in which the motto permeates the whole suite. In the atmospheric opening movement, Vela, the ship's sail, incorporates the letters A - B - E - A - E from the names of musicians.
In the second movement, Columba, the dove, is personified by the solo flute capturing the glowing sense of freedom and flight in the upward-moving melodies. The centre-piece is Lyra, the harp, an uplifting solo that scintillates with brilliance.
The fourth movement, Coma Berenices, Berenice's hair, is portrayed with a flowing elegance. Five Constellations closes with Eridanus, the river. An ephemeral quality depicts the fleeting nature of flowing streams and meandering paths.
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Unending bridges
Unraveling : for orchestra