Chen, Yi: Overture

Commissioned by the Omaha Area Youth Symphony for the celebration of its 50th anniversary in 2009, conducted by Music Director Aviva Segall, the work Overture for orchestra was premiered by the Omaha Area Youth Symphony Orchestra in Omaha City on April 26, 2009. The pitch material in the piece is taken from a Chinese folk tune ?Baban,? and the structure is based on a kind of Chinese traditional instrumental ensemble music used in ritual ceremony, which features blowing instruments suona (shawn, made with wood) and sheng (free-reed mouth-organ, made with gourd). The music is from slow to fast. The string orchestra provides sheng-like sustained chords in the background while the melodic instruments play in heterophonic style imitating the tunes played by a group of suona players. The music reaches an extremely fast section in a climax, followed by a strong and short coda in a tuitti in unison. It reflects the eternal evolution and challenges of nature, and its analogous relationship to the challenges of the human experience. It also symbolizes the growth and maturation processes of individuals, communities and societies. The music presents the images of conflict, struggle, yearning, encouragement and triumph, to express the composer's appreciation of the energy and spirit of the young generation, and her hope for the peace in the future of the world.