UCR ORCHESTRA
Erhu virtuoso Karen Hua-Qi Han
performs Crouching Tiger Concerto at UC Riverside
May 20 & 21, Friday & Saturday
8:00 P.M.
University Theatre
Tickets: (951) 827-4331
Admission: $9.00 General, $6.00 Students, seniors and children
Parking: $5.00 in Lot 6 (No fee with UC permit)
Information: (951) 827-3245
RIVERSIDE, CA The UCR Orchestra, at the University of California, Riverside, welcomes guest artist Karen Hua-Qi Han to perform Tan Dun's Crouching Tiger Concerto for erhu on Friday and Saturday, May 20 and 21, at 8:00 P.M.. The concerto is based on the acclaimed score from the 2001 film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, for which the composer Tan Dun won both the Academy Award and the Grammy for film scoring. Dun's music vividly dramatized the story of dazzling martial arts, romance and mysticism set in 19th-century China. The music features string orchestra, a spectacular percussion section, and the haunting sound of the alto flute (played by guest flautist Eileen Holt) to accompany the erhu soloist.
Karen Hua-Qi Han is a virtuoso on the erhu, a classical Chinese stringed instrument with a poignant and powerful sound that is expressively close to the human voice. Trained as a child at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, she has performed with the London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic, and Pacific Symphony, and has given solo concerts around the world, including a recent appearance at Carnegie Hall. The extraordinary sound of her erhu has been heard on many film soundtracks, including The Last Emperor, The Joy Luck Club, and The Passion of the Christ. Ms. Han is a crossover jazz musician as well: she has appeared with the Hiroshima jazz band, the JT - California Dreams pop band, and other artists. Having made her home in Los Angeles, Ms. Han works as a cultural liaison for the County of Los Angeles, and is a frequent speaker at Southern California colleges and schools.
Composer Tan Dun has achieved wide recognition and honor. He began his career in his native China in the Peking Opera after planting rice for two years during the Cultural Revolution. A graduate of Beijing's Central Conservatory and Columbia University in New York, his music is performed throughout the world. The late Toro Takemitsu said of him, "Tan Dun's music is a vital expression of independence from the weight of Chinese history, and of self-assurance amid contemporary turmoil. The vibrant presence of both East and West within him has created a unique sound world, always personal, always authentic. Every part of Tan Dun's music is violent as a burst of human blood, yet full of grace, a voice of the soul."
Also on the program of the UCR Orchestra concert is the Symphony No. 2 by Brahms, and the world premiere of Howl and Hunt for Orchestra by UCR composer Tim Labor. Music director Ruth Charloff will conduct.
TICKET AVAILABILITY:
Fine Arts Ticket Office: (951) 827-4331
located on campus at the University Theatre adjacent to Lot 6
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10:00 A.M.- 4:00 P.M.
and one hour before performances.
Parking: $5.00 in Lot 6 (No fee with UC permit)
For more information: (951) 827-3245 www.music.ucr.edu
E-mail kathleen.deatley@ucr.edu to receive e-mail notices about concerts at UC Riverside.