As a composer, Lan Tung creates a new voice that draws inspiration from her background in Chinese music and, at the same time, incorporates influences from various genres: from western contemporary music to various ethnic styles, such as Indian, Flamenco and Central Asian, to creative improvisation. She uses elements of traditional music as bridges to connect between Asian and western ears, while experimenting with contradictions by taking culturally specific materials outside their context and fusing them with other genres. Incorporating improvisation and graphic notations with Asian traditions, she explores a new territory to discover fresh sounds.
Lan’s composition credits range from chamber, improvisational, world and fusion, theater, dance, choral to film music. She is the main composer of the Orchid Ensemble, and also composes regularly for Birds of Paradox, Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra, and Tandava. Lan's compositions and arrangements can be heard on a number of CDs: Life Death Tears Dream, Birds of Paradox, Road to Kashgar, Heartland and Tandava, winning multiple nominations by the JUNO Awards, Independent Music Awards, Canadian Independent Music Awards, and Western Canadian Music Awards.
Lan has studied graphic scores with Barry Guy in Switzerland in 2009, improvisation with Mary Oliver in Amsterdam in 2008, Hindustani music with Kala Ramnath in India between 2004 and 2008, improvisation at Vancouver Creative Music Institute from 2007-2009. She received a Bachelor of Music Therapy degree from Capilano College in 2000, Music Diploma from Capilano College in1997, and she attended the Chinese Music Program at the Chinese Cultural University in Taiwan from 1992 to 1994. Lan started to learn the erhu at the age of ten in Taiwan, and had continued her studies in China, Canada and the US.
Original Compositions
Dancing Moon - Lan Tung (2009)
erhu/voice, zheng, percussion
《月舞》
月夜江行，寄崔員外宗之 － 李白
月隨碧山轉 Moon circles the green mountains
水和青天流 Water (rivers) flows into the clear sky
緲如星河上 As if on the Rivers of Stars (Milky Way)
但覺雲林悠 in the forest of clouds
The fast 5/4 melody is inspired by a folk song from south west China. To contrast with its constant motion, a number of gestures for improvisation are inserted, taking inspiration from a Chinese classical poem praising the moon hanging high over the mountains. The piece ends in a fast 9 beat cycle and a series of modulations, inspired by Balkan music.
Ba Ban Variations- Lan Tung (2009)
《八板變奏曲》
Inspired by Ba Ban or Eight Phrases, the root of hundreds of pieces in traditional Chinese repertoire, this original work written for improvising musicians explores the contrasts between tonalities and genres. It embodies the paradox of many opposite characters: chromatic and pentatonic passages, composed and improvised materials, contemporary and traditional forms, with sudden shifts between surreal or mysterious quality and an exciting fast 3+2+3 rhythmic cycle. Ba Ban Variations was premiered by the Vancouver Creative Music Institute at 2009 Vancouver International Jazz Festival, and has since then been performed by a number of ensembles. It is released by Birds of Paradox on its 2009 debut CD.
2 versions: erhu, vocal, zheng, percussion or erhu & percussion
《風想雲》
風想雲，雲想飛 風想雲，雲想飛
風起了，雲知道雲倦了，風知道
你像雲， 自由飛 你像風， 盡情吹
只要風， 不停吹 心就像， 亂雲飛
你像雲， 自由飛 你像風， 盡情吹
飛過了， 萬千水 尋不到， 你的美
The original version for erhu and 2-3 percussionists was written as the theme song for a short film Chinatown. The simple haunting melodic line is contrasted by the polyrhythmics in the zheng and percussion parts.
The wind desires the clouds; the clouds desire to fly.
When the wind starts to blow; the clouds know;
When the clouds get tired; the wind knows.
You are like the clouds, free to fly anywhere;
Your are like the winds, blow your heart out.
As long as the wind blows; the clouds will fly.
You are like the clouds, free to fly anywhere;
Your are like the winds, blow your heart out.
I have flown over thousands of rivers, to seek your beauty.
MP3 link Recorded live at Western Front, Sonic Boom Festival, March 12, 2004
Lan Tung - erhu, Jonathan Bernard - percussion,
Ron Samworth - electric guitar, and Ya-wen Wang - accordion
" a structured improvisation ... The theoretical - and theatrical -
considerations behind the piece are complex... Lan's attempt to
harness the power of intuition paid off in a piece that showered listeners vivid blocks of tonal colour." Georgia straight, March 2004
We have all experienced this: without looking, we know that someone is staring at us. Do we really know? Or are we imaging it? Maybe when it does happen, we do not feel it at all. If we do know when someone is watching, then what does it make us know? Is the energy that we received from the other person? Are we capable of conveying this energy? Or is it some other mysterious reasons? This piece is an exploration of these questions.
Eye contact has been an important part in music making. However, it is avoided intentionally in this piece to test our sixth sense. In the format of a musical game, the musicians will take on different roles randomly throughout the piece: the Giver sends out energy by giving intense looks or reaching a hand into the physical space of the others, without giving any cues in sounds; the Receiver responds in improvisation without looking up; The Encounters are the ones who happen to look up at each other at the same time.
401 (excerpt)- Lan Tung, Mei Han, Jonathan Bernard (2002)
MP3 link Recorded live at The Roundhouse, September 16, 2005 Self Produced Multi Media Concert "Road to Kashgar" zheng performed by previous member Mei Han
Inspired by the infamous Canadian highway and composed during a trip between concerts, the piece reflects moments of anxiety and turmoil in contrast with those of peace and serenity. It features dynamic improvisation within a pre-composed structure, and symbolizes a modern route for travelers and traders of many ethnic origins.
Meeting in the Yurt - Lan Tung, Mei Han, Jonathan Bernard
《敖包隨想曲 》
Based on a folksong from Mongolia describing two lover's rendezvous at a yurt, the musicians borrowed the structure from standard Jazz and each took a improvised solo. This piece was recorded on the Orchid Ensemble's Heartland CD.
Bengalila - Prashant J. Michael, R. Raine-Reusch & Orchid Ensemble
Orchid’s interpretation of this Bengali folk song is a blend of Indian folk and classical elements within a contemporary framework, and embodies the cultural blend symbolized by the Silk Road.
or listen to the excerpt from the CD
selected from the Orchid Ensemble's CD Road to Kashgar; zheng performed by previous member Mei Han.
Arrangements
Xiao He Tang Shui (Little Streams)- Chinese folk song, arr.: Lan Tung (2010)
《小河淌水》
Under the moonlight by the foot of the mountains, she sings a haunting melody to her lover, who has gone logging in the deep forests. This is a famous folk song from southwestern China. Lan’s arrangement features a dialogue between the voice and the zheng, contrasting between lyrical and rhythmic phrasings, with room for improvisation.
The rising moon shines over the river
Seeing the moon reminds me of my love in the deep mountains
He is like the moon walking in the sky
My love, do you hear me?
Birds Singing in the Mountains- Tian-hua Liu (1928), arr.: Lan Tung (2011)
《空山鳥語》
Liu used a variety of sliding techniques to imitate birdcalls, inspired by the characteristic playing of the danxian (a folk Chinese fiddle). He was the most influential composer for Chinese instruments in the 20th century. His ten erhu compositions have become the classic repertoire. Kenneth’s soundscape brings the forest to the theatre.
Jiang He Shui (Flowing Rivers)- Hai-huai Huang (1962), arr.: Lan Tung (2010)
《江河水》
The root of the piece is from the folk music of northeastern China. In the 1950s, three Chinese composers composed the version for solo guan (double reed instrument), using a common technique in the development of traditional repertoire: “放慢加花” - slowing down the original melody and using it as the skeleton to create a new melody.
The piece reached its popularity with Huang’s erhu adaptation. To imitate the expressiveness of the guan, the bowing employs dramatic shifts in dynamics; the fingering applies different degrees of pressure on the strings, combined with different vibrato speeds.
Hujia- Cai Wenji (b.177 AD), arr.: Lan Tung 《胡笳》
This autobiographical piece was written by Lady Cai of the late Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD). Lady Cai was captured by the Huns in northwest China and forced to marry the Hun king. After 12 years of marriage and bearing two children to the king, the Han negotiated for her release. Although overjoyed with the news that she could finally go home, she was also deeply troubled with the knowledge that she would have to leave her children behind. This piece was recorded on the Orchid Ensemble's Road to Kashgar CD.
music from the Orchid Ensemble's CD Road to Kashgar; zheng performed by previous member Mei Han, media arts by Aleksandra Dulic & Kenneth Newby
Harvest Season- Ming Kao, Arr.: Lan Tung (1998)
《豐收鑼鼓》
This piece is a modern portrayal of farmers dancing and singing at a harvest celebration in rural China. In Lan Tung's arrangement, an additional percussion section has been added.
Three Variations of Plum Blossom- Huan Yi (appr. 350 AD), Arr. Lan Tung (2006)
《梅花三弄》
The most famous composition for the scholarly instrument qin or 7-string zither, however, it was first played on dizi/Chinese bamboo flute during the East Jin Dynasty (317-420). The earliest known qin score is from the Miraculous Secret Qin Handbook, compiled in 1425. In Chinese philosophy, the plum blossom is personified as human nobility.
Tune of Mulberry- Zhou Yanjia (1979), Arr. Lan Tung
《秦桑曲》
This piece is an interpretation of a poem, by the same name, of the great poet Li Bai (Li Po) of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A. D.), describing a woman’s longing for her beloved’s safe return from the western frontier. The music is composed in the wanwan qiang style, a form of regional opera of Shaanxi, the capital region of the Chinese Tang Dynasty.
New Year’s Eve- Tian-hua Liu, Arr.: Lan Tung (1998)
《良宵》
Tian-hua Liu is a renowned contemporary Chinese composer who made great contributions to erhu music in the 20th Century. This piece is one of his ten famous erhu compositions, originally written for solo erhu in 1928 while he celebrated Chinese New Year's Eve. This piece was recorded on the Orchid Ensemble's Heartland CD.
Ting Song- Huan Yan-jun (1890-1950), Arr. Lan Tung (2004)
for the Orchid Ensemble and a choir (different versions for different voices)
《聽送》
During the Song Dynasty (960AD -1279AD) there were many wars between the Han in central China and the invading northern Jin (Jurchen). One account from this period describes a battle where the forces of Yue Fei, the famous Han general,routed the Jin army, which then fled in panic to the foot of a mountain. There the Jin waited anxiously, listening to the sound of the approaching Han troops by putting their ears to stones known as pine stones. This piece was inspired by that event. Hua Yan-Jun, also know as A Bing, was a wandering blind folk musician who left a rich legacy of compositions that have become “classics” in Chinese music. This new arrangement uses the choir in an orchestral manner to both support and contrast the solo erhu.
Taiwanese Folk Song Medley- Arr. Lan Tung (2005)
for the Orchid Ensemble and a choir (different versions for different voices)
《臺灣民謠組曲》
This is a collection of three famous Taiwanese folk songs: Peach Blossom describes the courting of young Taiwanese people in a fishing village. Dark Sky describes the quarrel between an old couple about how to cook the fish. Their argument ended when they broke the wok, followed by a big storm. Rooster and Grasshopper describes their funny match. Although much smaller in size, the grasshopper was too fast and smart for the very frustrated rooster to catch. In this medley, the choir members will also play Chinese percussion instruments.
Three Treasures- Traditional, Arr. Lan Tung
《三寶佛》
Buddhism was introduced to China from India as early as the 1st century BC and became established throughout China in the 4th century AD. Buddhist music in China was initially derived from Chinese folk melodies and developed into its own specific genre. The influences of these folk melodies can still be heard in this piece. There are two widely accepted interpretations for this piece: one refers to the three treasures of Buddhism - the Buddha, Buddhist teaching, and the High Monks; while the other refers to the three most representative Gods honoured in Buddhism.
