Poster for World Premier :
http://www.angelfire.com/md2/customviolins/hakka.jpg

                  
I used the mandelbrot fractal to represent a simple philosophy with a deep meaning.



Program Notes on Hakka, a violin concerto
"Hakka," a new violin concerto composed by Chien-Tai Chen, describes the great migrations of the Hakka people from antiquity to modern day. The Hakka Violin Concerto is best subtitled as "wanderer" for people who are new to this culture.
With eyes closed, you may envision an ancient journey that began in the mountains and grew in scope and intensity, propelling the Hakka people into the future. There are celebrations and hardships as people shake the dust from their souls as they travel from marginal soil to new horizons. Bending like bamboo throughout the ages, the strength of tradition has sustained the wandering Hakka people worldwide with a hard-working peaceful discipline. There is a simple story here, but it floats upon a deep philosophy.
The first movement   'Migrations' portrays countless years of wandering. Historic Chinese percussion is heard in the finger bells, harp and gong as chanting of the winds and brass morphs into Hakka mountain song set against an enormous landscape. There are many crossroads of hardships and celebrations that the caravans traverse. Near the end of the first movement, one can hear a bridge of harmony between traditional Chinese instruments and sounds of today.
Chien-Tai Chen has incorporated early traditional songs from very specific regions--including the district of South Taiwan, like "Jian Jian Hua" from Kao Hsiung and Mei Nong district. The composer has also adapted the "Song Kou Mountain Song" from district of Mei Xian from Guang Dong Province. This is where we hear the solo violin, not merely singing, but chanting Song Kou in a question answer style.
The second movement 'Millennium' has three distinct sections: (1) Solemnly, which begins with a Hakka-style melody lending reverence and celebration of one's ancestors.         (2) Cheerfully, swirls with a unique and carefree joyous counterpoint.    (3) The final section of this movement is titled Thankfully. You will hear the violin truly take flight here amidst the pulse of both rich and peaceful harmonies.
The glorious 3rd movement is Perpetual Motion. Look for a complex and slow gong sequence from Cantonese Zen Temple, as well as Chaozhou music that is written with an 18-beat theme. The steady increase in tempo is as relentless as the growing dynamics of Ravel's Bolero. The tempo eventually becomes unbound and transforms to one beat per measure. The violin solo enters into a random exploration and unites with modern percussion in a brand-new "Symphony Fantastique" fashion. Instead of striking the strings with the wood of the bow in a traditional col legno manner, chopsticks are used to bounce across all the strings. The finale is a total joy. I sincerely believe that this concerto will illuminate a personal journey for Hakka people as well as all people who wander this Earth.


Don Hakman, an American poet and artist, wrote the English program notes and created several graphics inspired by the Violin Concerto Hakka. You have his permission to use the concert program notes as well as his graphic designs for the concert programs and print media

Works in progress….

http://www.angelfire.com/md2/customviolins/earthseeded.jpg


http://www.angelfire.com/md2/customviolins/hakka.jpg