Theme: Nonviolence in My Composition Work "Rain"

Language: Chinese

Speaker: Prof. Xiaosong Qu

Host: Prof. Zhuosheng Jin

Date&Time: Dec.9, 2023 (Sat.) 19:00

Venue: Lecture Classroom 102, Teaching Building(MUS)

Abstract

"Violence is an indispensable part of human civilization. Violence, along with kindness, are both a part of humanity. Sometimes good or bad results come from the same mind. They all depend on one's choice."(Qu Xiaosong). Composer Qu Xiaosong uses music as a tool to express his understanding of humanity. His work "Rain" reflects the attitudes between humans and nature and in between human beings. Despite the work's concept that it advocates nonviolence, "Rain" also sometimes has violent sonorities. These sonorities symbolize the scarred hearts of human beings and the hurtled nature. Both humans and nature long for nonviolence. The composer uses these sonorities to call for peace between humans and nature and everything and pray for nonviolence. In this lecture, we will discuss the work "Rain" from musical, historical, and aesthetical perspectives.

About the Speaker

Prof. Qu Xiaosong

Qu Xiaosong (Qu as the first name), composer and writer, is known by reputation as the "silent master", the "sober master", and an "unclassifiable saddhu". Born in 1952 in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, he was exiled to the southeast part of Guizhou during the Ten Years. Since 1972, he worked for the Guiyang Peking Opera Orchestra as a violist, in the meantime, started to learn music composition by himself. In 1977, he went to the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) as a composition student and studied with Professor Du Mingxing until 1983. From 1983 to 89, he continued teaching in the CCOM. In the spring of 1989, Qu went to the United States as a visiting scholar and then stayed there until 1999 as a freelance composer. In 1999, he went back to China and taught at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and the China Conservatory of Music until 2017. He now works as a freelance composer, traveling between Beijing and Stockholm. Qu composes for orchestra, chamber, and chorus. He also wrote four operas and scores for films. As a writer, he has six books published in China.