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Lei Liang’s Mother’s Songs Performed in Philadelphia and Albany

Jan. 27, 2023

On January 20, pipa player Wu Man and violist Hsin-Yun Huang gave the Philadelphia premiere of Lei Liang’sMother’s Songs. Another performance followed on January 22 in Albany, NY on the Capital Region Classics series. The composer notes:

“Mother’s Songs (for viola and pipa, 2020) was written in response to the songs sung by my teacher, the eminent Mongolian scholar Wulalji, who taught me since my childhood. During my visits to China in 2019, Prof. Wulalji sang several songs that his mother, Jijig (1912-2005), the great singer from the Horchin Prairie, had taught him when he was a child. 

These songs are of a traveler’s longing for home and a daughter’s desire to be reunited with her mother. At age 83, my teacher is the only one in Inner Mongolia who still remembers these ancient melodies, and he sang them with deep emotion. 

I, too, am away from home. My teacher’s singing evoked a strong sense of longing even as it offered profound solace. In this piece, I hope to share with the audience the gift of these moving songs.

Mother’s Songs was co-commissioned by Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Capital Region Classical, Foundation of Chinese Performing Arts, and Rockport Chamber Music Festival with leadership support from Robert Amory. It was written for Hsin-Yun Huang and Wu Man who gave its world premiere.”

Wu Man and Hsin-Yun Huang will perform the work at Juilliard on February 12 and again at Jordan Hall on May 6.

Additionally, Liang’s Mother Tongue(electronics) and Gobi Canticle (for violin and cello) were performed by Kate Hatmaker and Alex Greenbaum of Art of Elan, at The Institute of Contemporary Art in San Diego.


(Zentripetal Duo performs Lei Liang's Gobi Gloria)

Preview the score of Lei Liang's Mother's Songs here.

To learn more about Lei Liang, visit: schott-music.com.

Lei Liang
Mother’s Songs (2020)
for viola and pipa
12’

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