Harmony of Nature – Legend of Bunun and Cello
Here are photos captured in mountains of Taiwan – with Bunun Tribe in Wulu Village:
Alice Chang, founder of Main Art, produced this amazing concert “Harmony of Nature”.
We were invited to perform in Voices – A Festival of Song in Esplanade Singapore in December 6-7, 2014.
The concert featured Bunun Mountain Traditional Music Chorus and Cellist Annie Chang
We went onto the mountains in Wulu Village to work with the Bunun Tribe in Taiwan – we learned about Bunun in Wulu’s history, traditional, culture and their lifestyle. I am honor to get to know them and spoke of their stories and tradition not only as a director but also as a narrator for the concert. Song background/lyrics with beautiful photos were projected throughout the concert. I also included extensive program notes both in English and Chinese for the audience to bring home.
The audience in Singapore loves it! We had 3 successful concerts. I also conducted a workshop introducing the history and culture of Bunun in relation to music. A great number of male audiences experienced singing UNESCO recognized Pasibutbut with our Bunun Mountain Traditional Music Chorus.
Our beautiful Cellist (famous for cross-genres cello performance in Taiwan) learned the Bunun traditional folk songs by heart, wrote them down on music sheet and arranged cello music blending them seamlessly. Annie also composed a few solo pieces honoring Bunun in Wulu village. They are The Journey- Wulu, Miscanthis in the Wind and The Wulu Legend. Cellist Annie Chang even joined Bunun in singing!
Special thanks for all those who helped making this concert, especially to my amazing Mother – Alice Chang – who made this whole project possible.
For more information, please visit www.mainartculture.com
Here are some photos captured in Esplanade Singapore during rehearsals:
Please note the last image is the cover of a cake box. Given to us from an audience member. She came to see the concert and loved it so, brought her whole family back to see it the next day along with a cake she made, with this note on top for us. She wrote
“Thank you for the performance. I have not experienced a concert that has moved me so. From the first sound to the last second of the concert, my tears couldn’t stop running down. Thank you, this is not a performance, this is calling from the heart –
Someone who Loves Taiwan …”
Moving Space – a theatrical exploration
I am an artist for 2013-2014 The Dresher Ensemble Artist Residency
I spent 1 month exploring projection, lighting and audio at Paul Dresher’s studio and here are some images my partner captured of me dancing with layers and layers of my own projections in the light and shadow.
American Conservatory Theater: Stuck Elevator
I am so proud to be working on this production as the assistant director.
This is a story that must be told – a story of an invisible immigrant who works so hard for the love of his family.
World Premiere Musical – Stuck Elevator
Music by Byron Au Yong
Libretto by Aaron Jafferis
Directed by Chay Yew
A visionary new work based on the true story of a Chinese deliveryman who was trapped in a Bronx elevator for 81 hours. Sounding the alarm will open the doors to freedom, but calling for help also means calling for attention—with dire consequences for this undocumented immigrant. Inventively staged by internationally acclaimed artist Chay Yew—and introducing the prodigious work of a brilliant young composing team—Stuck Elevator unleashes an evocative collision of stories, sounds, instruments, and ideas.
The show premiered on April 16, 2013
Stuck Elevator links:
http://stuckelevator.wordpress.com
http://www.aaronjafferis.com/shows/stuck-elevator/
2012 Taiwan International Festival of the Arts
I have the honor to work with an incredible team of musicians and artists for the 2012 Taiwan International Festival of the Arts.
I designed a simple stage trying to capture the essence nature and mountains and choreographed the blocking and movement for the concert – “Wu Man and Aboriginal Friends” – which was premiered on the Main stage of the National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan on March 24, 2012. Wu Man who plays the pipa (Chinese Traditional instrument) collaborates with 32 Taiwanese Aborigines – Soprano Mewas Lin from Atayal tribe, Wulu Bunun Singers from the Bunun Tribe, and Sauniaw, Camake and the Taiwu Elementary School Folk Singers from the Paiwan Tribe. Together, they took the audience onto a beautiful musical journey that transforms the evening into a timeless celebration of Taiwanese Aborigines’ heritages, rituals, daily living in the mountain.
This performance is apart of 2012 Taiwan International Festival of the Arts performances, produced by Alice Chang and her assistant Melinda Juang.
NSO Opera La Peintre, Yu-Lin
Yu-Liang
I was the Assistant Director for the newly developed opera produced by the National Symphony Orchestra, called “La Peintre, Yu-Lin”.
“Pan Yu-Liang (1985-1977) was a legendary Chinese painter. At a young age, she was sold to a brothel and then became a wealthy official’s concubine. Her paintings of nude models violated cultural norms in the feudal society and generated much controversy in Shanghai in the early Republic years. She was forced to move to Paris to pursue her passion and successfully established herself as a “warrior of beauty.” – taken from the NSO website
Conductor: Yip Wing-Sie
Stage director: Juliette Deschamps
Composer: Nan-Chang Chien
Playwright: An-Chi Wang
Author: Shin Nan
July 08, 2010 – 19:30 National Theater, Taipei (World Premier)
July 09, 2010 – 19:30 National Theater, Taipei
July 10, 2010 – 19:30 National Theater, Taipei
July 11, 2010 – 14:30 National Theater, Taipei
Please visit the website of our amazing costume designer Sophia Hong and set designer Nelson Wilmotte.
Naya Chang as Forgiveness From Heaven in The Waiting Room
Forgiveness From Heaven is a wealthy eighteenth century Chinese woman with bound feet.
She enjoys her husband’s attention as Blessing From Heaven takes much pride in Forgiveness From Heaven’s small feet (golden lotus feet).
Later, her husband Blessing From Heaven dismisses her because her toes falls off due to gangrene which was caused
by the practice of foot-binding.
Forgiveness From Heaven stays at the hospital by herself and starts to use different drugs and joints.
She eventually dies in the hospital next to Wanda who has breast cancer.
After Forgiveness From Heaven passed away in the hospital, her spirit unbound her feet.
Using the red silk, she started dancing the Chinese ribbon dance with great joy bringing the play to an end.
The play centered around three women –
18th-century Chinese first wife who’s toes are falling off from her bound feet therefore abandoned by her husband
19th-century neurotic English wife who loves reading and is forced to have her ovaries taken for “moral elevation”
Present day aging New Jersey party girl who is a cosmetic surgery addict and is diagnosed with breast cancer
They meet in the waiting room as they wait to see a doctor and they are put into the same recovery room after their individual surgeries.
Hannah Wilson as Victoria
Naya Chang as Forgiveness From Heaven
Sara Oliva as Wanda
in Lisa Loomer’s The Waiting Room, directed by Janet Marrison at Brandeis Theater Company.
David Wilson was the music and sound design, you could get a glimpse of the show by listening to the music clips (with images) on his website at http://www.dw-design.com/DW_Design/The_Waiting_Room.html
Naya Chang – First Violinist
Naya Chang – the lead violinist in the “Suicide Band” in The Suicide – a Comedy by Dmitry Troyanovsky at Brandeis Theater Compnay February 2006 – The band member along with the brilliant sound designer J Hagenbuckle created the music for the show. J Hagenbuckle is a fun and creative sound designer who is interested using live music on and off stage for theatre productions.
Naya Chang as Bride in Big Love
Naya Chang as Bride in The Big Love directed by Gray Simons at Brandeis Theater Company October 2005