Asian Waves maps today’s Asia and its ties with the world. Rapid global shifts on every front – from culture and technology to commerce and politics – mean Asia’s cities are at the forefront of redefining what it means to be modern.
Besides well-loved numbers like Mononoke Medley by Joe Hisaishi and Slumdog Millionaire Medley by A R Rahman, look forward to original compositions Cityscape and Kansalesa’s Bones by Dr Robert Casteels and Balraj Gopal respectively. Cityscape is a collaboration with sound designer Gao Yang to recreate a city skyline at night, depicting technology’s integral role in our daily interactions, especially Asian’s thriving cities. Gopal’s Kansalesa’s Bones is a whimsical reflection on the role of dogs in Asian societies.
The versatile niibori guitar ensemble will also premiere young composer Chua Jon Lin’s Autumn Blues, a contemplative take on human relationships within contemporary urban life. Fusing elements of Chinese and blues music, this piece presents interesting dichotomies. Often viewed with ambivalence, Autumn brings a great sense of beauty with its rich collage of colour and promises of harvest, yet a melancholic mood, with the impending arrival of winter. |
