Research | Workgroups | Diversity

East Asian Music

Welcome to the East Asian Music Subgroup, a dedicated platform for the research and exploration of orchestration in music for Chinese orchestra, ensembles combining Western and East Asian instruments, and contemporary works by East Asian composers. Our mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the rich musical heritage and innovative developments in East Asian music, and to create a collaborative space for scholars, musicians, and enthusiasts alike.

Our focus areas include:

  1. Chinese Orchestra Orchestration: Delve into the intricate arrangements and techniques used in traditional and modern Chinese orchestra compositions, and discover the interplay of unique instruments that create the ensemble's distinct sound.

  2. Instruments : Explore the fascinating world of ensembles that combine Western and East Asian instruments, bridging cultural and musical divides to create innovative and engaging musical experiences.

  3. Contemporary East Asian Composers: Celebrate the works of contemporary East Asian composers, who draw on their cultural heritage to create groundbreaking and evocative music for diverse audiences worldwide.

We invite you to join our community, contribute your knowledge and insights, and engage in meaningful discussions surrounding the captivating realm of East Asian music. Together, we can deepen our appreciation for this rich musical tradition and its modern innovations.

Contact Subworkgroup Leaders:

  • Robert Hasegawa | robert.hasegawa[at]mcgill.ca

  • Linglan Zhu | linglan.zhu[at]mail.mcgill.ca

Presentations

Recordings of the Speaker Series presentations.

Active Projects

Pluralistic analysis of Lei Liang’s Tremors of a Memory Chord

The project will provide an orchestration-centered analysis of Tremors of a Memory Chord (for piano and traditional Chinese orchestra) by composer Lei Liang, synthesizing traditional music analysis and novel methods informed by perception and orchestration. Specifically, the project will mainly focus on the application of Taxonomy of Orchestral Grouping Effects (TOGE), which was originally conceived in the context of Western orchestral music. The main impetus of this project is thus to test the TOGE in a novel musical (timbral) context with traditional Chinese instruments. It will also diversify the current scope of repertoire of TOGE analysis by introducing elements of traditional Chinese music.

 Comparative semantic study of Chinese instrumental timbre

This project attempts to explore the perceptual semantic space of listeners to Chinese instrumental timbres. It compares two groups of listeners—Chinese and North American. As semantic descriptions are important for humans in processing incoming information and making sense of the environment, an understanding of the nature of the semantic space for a listener will be very helpful in understanding how listeners conceptualize the sounds they hear. With different groups of listeners, how different linguistic and socio-cultural backgrounds influence the ways listeners perceive these instrumental timbres will be examined.

Resources

The subgroup is dedicated to building resources designed to explore and celebrate the variety of instruments found in the Chinese Orchestra. Our currently available sections on the Timbre and Orchestraion Resource focus on Bowed Strings, Plucked Strings, and Wind Instruments, providing an abundance of valuable insights.

Publications

Peer-reviewed publications on the Timbre and Orchestration Resource.

Project Reports:

Essays: