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Kui Dong (b. 1966, China)
Kui Dong
was born in Beijing, China, and received B.A. and M.A. degrees in theory and composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. In 1991 she moved to California, where she obtained a doctoral degree in composition from Stanford University. Since 2003 she has been associate professor of Music at Dartmouth College. Kui's compositions span diverse genres and styles and include ballet, chamber works, chorus, electro-acoustic/computer music, film scores, and multi-media art. Many of her compositions have incorporated traditional Chinese musical ideas into contemporary settings. Her works have been recognized by international competition prizes and fellowships, and have been performed by the Symphony Orchestra of the Central Ballet of China, Windsor Symphony Orchestra, The Symphony Orchestra of the Musical Theatre-studio, the New York New Music Ensemble, Alea III New Music Ensemble, Music from China, San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, Earplay New Music Ensemble, San Francisco Chamber Music Singers, Core Ensemble, Longy New Music Ensemble, the Beijing Dance Institute, Composer's Inc., pianist Sarah Cahill and others and have been presented in the festivals and concert in US, France, Finland, China, Argentina, Canada and Germany.
Kui Dong's notes on Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter (2006)
Written for string quartet, matouqin (horse-head fiddler), sheng (mouth- organ), suona (Chinese double-reed wind instrument), zheng (Chinese horizontal harp), yangqin (hammered dulcimer) and Chinese percussion.
The concept of this work is drawn from my fascination of two particular works, Vivaldi's The Four Seasons for string ensemble and John Cage's String Quartet in Four Parts. I am particularly attracted to the fact that the two pieces, written by two composers set apart by hundreds of years, are utterly different in style but yet project a similarity in musical spirit.
In my view, the sense of tranquility and harmony that are projected in the Chinese traditional music present an interesting contrast to the Western string quartet. In my piece, I intend to use the characteristic sound of each Chinese instrument to provide a distinctive color. For example: sheng and horse-head fiddler in summer; dulcimer and zheng (Chinese harp) in autumn, and Chinese percussion and Melody of China ensemble in winter. The Chinese instruments also act as a group that competes with the string quartet. The sound of the string quartet represents the sound of the world in which Vivaldi (in Spring and Winter particularly) and Cage (in Autumn) lived. By colliding these unique sound worlds, I hope to synthesize some of my interests in exploring combinations of diverse instruments; the specialization, fades, dissolves of the sounds and rhythm; the subtle transitions from one instrument to another; and virtuosic competition between groups and pairs. I also intend to explore and capture the free spirit in nature, my personal reflection of Chinese classical music, and my tribute to the music of Vivaldi and Cage.
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