MUSICAL WORKS

CUI Yiyi

2013

Beijing Impression

Birth Y: 1988 Birth C: CHINA Gender: Female

Dest: Concert

Media Specification: Tape

Duration: 12:45

Prog. notes: Inspired by the film Koyaanisqatsi, which depicts the interactions among humans, nature, and technology, I have always wanted to shoot my own video and write music for it. I shot the raw video last summer in Beijing, and then composed the music for each section before editing the video. Later my friend Zao Zhou helped me cut and integrate short video sections to fit with the music. The sounds of violin, cello, piano, and extended piano were pre-recorded. The other eastern instruments and percussion were made from digital samples using the Apple Logic Pro Digital Audio Workstation. To convey the different sides of Beijing I used my own musical language, which combines eastern and western musical elements and a unique artistic perception. This piece perfectly captures the contradiction in this city: the gap between the rich and the poor, the large population, children's naivety and the elder's faces scared by the vicissitudes of life. It is a good experience to observe a city closely and truly.

Editor: MB