Notes on the Program By James M. Keller, Program Annotator, The Leni and Peter May Chair

Gift Zhou Tian hou Tian was born into a musical fam- contours or figuration that might suggest the Z ily in Hangzhou, the capital of China’s composer’s Chinese origins — for example, eastern province of Zhejiang, not far south- an achingly lyrical section some three min- west of Shanghai. He grew up at a time when utes in, where woodwinds and harp trace el- China’s engagement with the Western mu- egant wide-ranging arches of sound, up and sical tradition was growing colossally. He down, against a forward-thrusting statement embraced this international spirit, pursuing in strings and brasses (or is that a hint of his advanced musical education at the Curtis Debussy’s La Mer?). Some of his other works Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, and take a more overt multicultural stance — for University of Southern California, where he example, The Grand Canal, a large-scale earned his doctorate. In the course of these work for two traditional Chinese instrumen- studies he was a pupil of such eminent Amer- talists (on erhu and ruan), a Chinese ican composers as Jennifer Higdon, Stephen singer, and a full symphony with Hartke, and the late Christopher Rouse. chorus; it was performed during a nationally In 2016 Zhou joined the faculty of Mich- televised celebration of the 60th anniversary igan State University College of Music, of the People’s Republic of China. where he is associate professor of compo- Zhou’s music has been recognized with sition. He previously held posts as com- notable honors, including a Grammy nom- poser-in-residence at Music in the Loft (a ination for Best Contemporary Classical Chicago chamber-music incentive), the Composition in 2017 for his for Green Bay Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra, commissioned by the Cincinnati Reno Philharmonic Orchestra. This season Symphony Orchestra and its music director he is composer-in-residence with the Shang- Louis Langrée. He has also written music hai Symphony Orchestra; Gift was com- posed as a salute to that orchestra’s 140th season. It performs eight of his pieces this In Short season, including two commissions: Gift, Born: December 22, 1981, in Hangzhou, China and a (his second), which is Resides: in Royal Oak, Michigan set to be premiered at the 2020 International Violin Competition in August. Work composed: 2019, on commission from Many of Zhou Tian’s scores develop out the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Long Yu, music director of the American sound of the 20th centu- ry; certainly at least some of his musical World premiere: September 27, 2019, at the DNA traces back to Copland and Bernstein, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall in China, particularly in matters of rhythmic vigor, by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Long Yu, conductor “great open spaces” harmonies, and vibrant symphonic sound. Still, as a 21st-century New York Philharmonic premiere: this composer, he brings a global outlook to his performance, which marks the US Premiere music. In Gift, one hears occasional melodic Estimated duration: ca. 8 minutes

22 | NEW YORK PHILHARMONIC for film and dance, and his jazz-inspired Orchestra); and the most recent of several works have received honors from the Julius works for wind ensemble, which was com- Hemphill International Jazz Composition missioned by a consortium of leading Amer- Awards and the Henry Mancini Institute. ican university ensembles. His Transcend, His score for Eternal Beloved was widely premiered last spring, was commissioned by praised at the 2009 Shanghai International a group of 13 American and institu- Film Festival. In 2019 he was named Artist of tions, including the Utah Symphony, Stanford the Year by the Beijing Music Festival. University, and Michigan State University, Recent premieres and commissions in- commemorating the 150th anniversary of the clude his Concerto, Flowing Sleeves completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. (introduced by cellist Jian Wang this sea- son); Trade Winds (introduced by the vocal Instrumentation: two flutes and piccolo, ensemble Chanticleer); Trace (premiered by two oboes and English horn, two clarinets the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra conduct- and bass clarinet, two bassoons and con- ed by Mei-Ann Chen); Violin Concerto (for trabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, violinist Caroline Goulding); Viaje (commis- three trombones, tuba, timpani, xylophone, sioned by the National Endowment for the orchestra bells, snare drum, suspended Arts); The Palace of Nine Perfections (which cymbal, crash cymbals, bass drum, harp, Osmo Vänskä conducted with the Minnesota piano, and strings.

In the Composer’s Words

I considered Gift to be something of a homecoming. As I began a residency with the Shanghai Symphony, I wanted to create a reminder of the joy of music-making, and along the way explore my own musical identity after 18 years of living abroad. The piece is shaped around a folky four-note motif, which rises and falls against a large orchestral palette throughout its eight-minute duration. In a nutshell, this is my gift to fellow musicians.

— Zhou Tian

JANUARY 2020 | 23