Chen, Yi: Memory

for solo Viola

The solo viola repertoire has been enriched by this plaintive memorial work, originally for solo violin – the instrument in which composer Chen Yi was trained as a performer. The composer provides this program note: “Dear Professor Lin: I wish you could hear the tune in Memory, which sounds like my painful cry out of your name in our Cantonese dialect. I expressed my deep sorrow in the music, to remember your fatherly mentorship. Your meaningful smile will always be with us encouragingly.”