March 24, 2009

March 24, 2009:

Spring Song Dance

The March 21, 2009, performance of the Astoria Symphony with three dance companies (Martha Graham Ensemble, Long Island City Ballet, and Octavia Cup Dance Theatre) was a big success. For me, it was also a tremendous pleasure and honor. I conducted Aaron Copland's masterpiece Appalachian Spring with the Martha Graham ensemble and the original Isamu Noguchi set! And that was only the beginning! I also had the opportunity to conduct Stravinsky's Dumbarton Oaks Concerto, and the show ended with a performance of my first ballet - Chun Zhi Ge. I wrote the music in 1999 when I met (and was inspired by) Chinese-American painter Shanye Huang...and it took ten years to bring it to life. My friend and fellow Texan Eric Ragan (of Long Island City Ballet fame) really embraced the piece, recruited choreographer Ned Kinter, and produced a wonderful dance work for my music.

The dance - Shanye Huang's painting Tapestry of Dreams is the backdrop. Me with Shanye Huang.

Long Island City Ballet, me, and Shanye take bows

It was a great experience for me, and the dance and dancers were wonderful. I hope I get to see it onstage again! Special thanks to Shanye, Eric, Ned, all the dancers, and Steven Hitt (at LPAC) for bringing us together with the Martha Graham people.