Chen Yi

Yangko

YangKo; originating in northern China; is a major folk dance form in mass performance popularized in the country. In a YangKo performance; people always play rhythmic patterns on the drums hung around their waists while singing and dancing. In my piece YangKo; I have imagined a warm scene of YangKo dancing in the distance. The solo violin plays a sweet and gracious melodic line imitation a beautiful girl's singing; supported by the sound produced by the two percussionists; who play instruments and recite percussive words; with the evergoing pulse; imitating the warm scene of the dance parade in the background. Under request of Network for new Music ensemble; the piece is adapted from the second movement of my Chinese Folk Dance Suite for violin and orchestra; premiered by NNM at its dance program in Philadelphia on March 8 and 9; 2005. - Chen Yi