By Andrew Hamlin
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Putting together a music program composed entirely of pieces written by Asian composers—many composed in languages other than English—made for quite a challenge, admits Freddie Coleman, artistic director of the Seattle Choral Company.
But the work was worth it, said Coleman, to complete the “Asian Voices” concert coming up on June 7.
“The ‘Asian Voices’ concert grew out of our current commitment to expose our audience to composers who have been overlooked by American audiences for too long. Our singers are really loving the process of bringing these composers to the forefront. A few years ago, our board approved some strategic plans that included some fairly specific program objectives. We agreed that each season would consist of more representation of women and non-white composers. For me, the process of looking beyond the usual ‘dead white male’ composers has been quite enjoyable, and, may I say, a revelation.
“Music today—just like our economies—is far more global, and interdependent. Today’s choral music is being strongly influenced by composers from the Pacific Rim and India. Indian composer Reena Esmail, for example, was recently a composer-in-residence for the Seattle Symphony. And speaking of the Seattle Symphony, the orchestra now has a new permanent conductor, a woman, from China! I think Seattle is reaching its potential as a true Pacific Rim city.”
The program consists of nine pieces. “Arirang (Korean Folk Song),” arranged by Chinese composer Chen Yi but sung in Korean, is sometimes called Korea’s unofficial national anthem, with more than 60 regional variations featuring one common chorus.
Two Chinese folk songs follow, again arranged by Chen Yi, sung in Mandarin Chinese. “Feng Yang Song,” aka “Fengyang Flower Drum,” traditionally sung by female street performers, hails from Fengyang County in China’s Anhui Province. “Mayila,” of Kazakh origin from Xinjiang province, features a young girl of that name, singing joyfully of life in the grasslands.
Chen Yi’s own composition, “Distance Can’t Keep Us Two Apart,” the first program selection sung in English, uses translated lyrics from the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Bo, about the power of friendship and holding someone dear in your heart. “Evocation,” written by Hye-Young Cho and sung in Korean, emphasizes enduring, through inner strength, the sorrows of life.
Coleman describes Wei-Pin Chen’s “Floating Moon on the Water,” as “a truly moving choral piece that beautifully blends Western classical harmony with the gentle spirit of Taiwanese music. The lyrics, written in Taiwanese by Chen himself, create a quiet, emotional landscape that mirrors the image in the title—a moon softly drifting on water.”
“Tule Lake Sketches,” by American composer Eric Tuan of Chinese, Japanese, and Filipino heritage, gives voice to Japanese Americans who were incarcerated at the Tule Lake Segregation Center during World War II. Located near the northern California border, Tule Lake was the largest and most controversial of the U.S. incarceration camps. The English-language lyrics consist of haiku, written by actual internees.
“Leron, Leron Sinta,” arranged by Saunder Choi and the only Tagalog song in the running order, “is one of those classic Filipino folk songs that almost every Filipino kid grows up singing,” said Coleman. “It’s fun, catchy, and full of playful charm, which is why it’s been passed down through generations—especially during games, school events, and even harvest time in the provinces.”
The program concludes with “Phoenix,” written by Japan’s Kentaro Sato but sung in Latin. Structured in four movements, the piece blends Japanese sounds and Western classical traditions, tackling the themes of destruction and rebirth in the ancient Greek myth of the Phoenix’s fiery death and triumphant rebirth.
“I hope our audience will come to appreciate that Europe (and by extension the U.S.) no longer holds the banner for choral music,” concluded Coleman. “For centuries, masterworks and contemporary compositions came out of Europe either directly or by influence. The Asian countries are now at an equivalent musical level with Europe and America. This pertains both to compositions and the quality of the performing groups.”
The Seattle Choral Company performs “Asian Voices” June 7 at Seattle First Baptist Church, 1111 Harvard Avenue in Seattle. For prices, showtime, and other information, visit https://www.seattlechoralcompany.org/portfolio/asian-voices.