Composition

For piano, 4 min.

For alto saxophone, 3 min.

(Video / Score available upon request)

For mixed chamber ensemble, 8 min.

Instrumentation: 1 1 1 1 - 1 0 0 0 - perc - hp - 1 1 1 1 0

For chamber orchestra, 8 min.

Instrumentation: 1 1 1 1 - 1 0 0 0 - perc - hp - pf - 3 3 2 1 1 

Interruption, isolation, languishing, reunion - joy renewed after two years of monotony.

Audio | Video | Score (ens) | Score (orch)

For piano, 3 min.

This piece was written specifically for my fourth-year recital because I want to bring an edge to the program. It is a celebration of my time at the University of Toronto, and it symbolizes my identity which lies between the old and the new, the East and the West, Classical and Pop, and between reminiscence and looking forward.

Audio | Video | Score

For soprano and piano, 4 min.

Text by Yi Nuo Cheng

Venus is known as the Roman goddess of love, a symbol of beauty that inspired the pursuit of elegance and perfection. It is also the name of a carnivorous plant, which may be a symbol of lust and desire to some people. Beginning with this name and an image of a flower, the song Venus explores the beauty aspect of femininity and dichotomies that women often encounter in the 21st century: Is she pretty or smart? Does elegance mean fragility? Can she be delicate and powerful at the same time? Is she being judged by her looks or her talent? There is, of course, not one mold that fits all, but one thing is for sure: she is the most beautiful when she is herself. 

Audio | Video | Score

For piano trio, 8 min.

The 21st century mind never stops. There is always more work to do, more goals to achieve, expectations to meet, and records to beat. With the advance of the internet, new information floods in constantly, overwhelming the mind so that it begins to lose its own identity. With the same repetition of driving schedules, days become monotonous and almost purposeless…is there a way to reclaim freedom from what the world portrays as desirable or successful? Is there a need to escape from this reality? Will there ever be true rest in today’s society? Or will one find themselves ultimately Caught in the System that never stops? 

Score | (Audio / Video available upon request)

For mezzo-soprano and piano, 10 min.

Distant was an internal dialogue I frequently had with myself in the heat of the Hong Kong protests that began in mid-2019, which were triggered by the introduction of the Fugitive Offenders amendment bill, and evolved into a continuation of the public appeal for democracy that has been ongoing since the early 2000s. As a Canadian immigrant who had spent her first 13 years in this city, I felt deeply connected to the issue, yet utterly powerless and physically detached from this place. However, I cannot deny that the Hong Kong government has been disregarding the millions of voices that has spoken and put many lives in danger. As I continue to search for my role amidst this conflict, I hope to share a piece of my identity with you and empathize with those who are involved in power struggles all over the world.  

Audio | Video | Score 

For SATB choir, 7 min.

Text by Yi Nuo Cheng

breathe explores the tensions this new generation is facing currently. Sometimes we are troubled by stress and problems around us. Sometimes we are kept awake by anxiety and we simply cannot rest. Sometimes we are so tired we just want to quit. It seems like our distress never goes away, as if it is a storm cloud that lingers and never dissipates…

But there is a place where we can find rest. Somewhere that we can forget our vexations and be at ease. This place is different for everyone, and how to get there is yet to be answered, but ultimately, we need to slow down and allow ourselves to breathe, to sleep just to find strength for taking on new challenges everyday.

Audio | Video | Score

For orchestra, 6 min. 30 sec.

Purge and Perseverance is written to comment on the persistence of goodness amidst the times of cruelty. This is contrasted between the two main sections of the work: one atmosphere nervous and volatile, the other serene but slowly flourishing into a renewed cognizance. In the end, the gospel of hope ultimately defeats the force of despair. The perseverance of love ultimately triumphs over the purge by hatred and war.

Score | (Audio / Video available upon request)

For concert wind band, 6 min.

Chroma Rhapsody was my first original composition, written and tailored for my high school concert band in my senior year. This work was inspired by synesthesia, and it was written to paint specific images evoked in my head as I hear music in different keys. Overall, this piece has three major sections, each depicting a specific color, image, and mood. The first section is in G minor, beginning with a clarinet ostinato and vibraphone bass line, slowly adding layers as the music approaches a climax, which paints the image of a mysterious forest with dark and smoky grey green. This foggy image clears up as the woodwinds resolve to a major chord, and a clarinet solo leads the music into a new section. The second section is in Eb major and introduces a new melody in 6/8 played by the woodwinds. This lyrical section illustrates a night sky that is an embracing deep blue, decorated by countless stars that is depicted by a glockenspiel melody. Following up, the brass section announces the third section through a majestic chorale in Bb major, which depicts the warm sunlight over a wheat field that is a warm Indian yellow. In general, Chroma Rhapsody was my first experiment in composition and conducting, which introduced me to my inner world of melodies and imagination.

(Audio / Video / Score available upon request)