Inaugural Concert Of New Asian Virtuosi Ensemble Explores Musical Traditions Of East And West

GRAMMY-winning violinist Keiko Tokunaga created INTERWOVEN in reaction to the change in social climate that occurred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. An individual of the Asian heritage, Tokunaga was saddened by the news of racial injustice towards the AAPI community- but what was even more shocking to her was the lack of response from the other racial groups, and hesitation to speak up amongst her fellows. "I felt that our voices were not heard," Tokunaga recalls, "and realized that we had to start searching for peaceful ways to stand up for ourselves."

Tokunaga is joined by some of the leading virtuosi in Asian traditional music; Yoko Reikano Kimura on Koto (Japanese zither) ; gamin on Piri (Korean reed bamboo flute); and Andy Lin on Erhu (Chinese 2-string instrument). Their counterparts in Western classical music tradition are Alex Fortes of Orchestra of St. Lukes, Ana Kim, Kyle Miller and Hikaru Tamaki. Together they will perform music that celebrates the diverse histories of both cultures, exploring the traditions to find a new path for AAPI musicians who chose the United States as their true home.

PROGRAM

Liu Tianhua & Chen Yaoxing: Wildlife Suite for Erhu and String Trio (1928 & 1976)

Alessandro Scarlatti: Sonate a Quattro (1715-25)

Caroline Shaw: Punctum (2013)

Eun Young Lee: Bagooni (2019) (New York premiere)

Daron Hagen: Koto Concerto "Genji" (2010) (New York premiere of 13-string Koto version)

Tchaikovsky: Souvenir de Florence (1890)

INTERWOVEN's first performance will take place on Tuesday, October 12th at 7PM in Cary Hall of the DiMenna Center for Classical Music. This performance is funded by the City Artist Corps Grants program, presented by The New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA) and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), with support from the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) as well as Queens Theatre.

Admission is free, but the organization asks that interested parties to RSVP on Eventbrite. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/interwoven-inaugural-concert-tickets-170174854571.