Programme Note

The inspiration for Flowing Sleeves came from costumes and traditional practices of Chinese opera, in which performers use long silk sleeves to create different movements reflective of the inner thoughts of the characters. Whether it’s a light toss, a gentle brush, or a playful lift, the mesmerizing movements of the long, flowing sleeves become an extension of the performer’s body and a vehicle to transport different emotions. Inspired, I set out to create a set of sonic “flowing sleeves,” with the cello being the musical protagonist.

The four movements of the piece, Brush, Lift, Reflect, and Dance, present four distinctively different characteristics of music. Together, they strive to explore a dynamic palette of colors and timbre — some romantic, some wild — through an intimate dialogue between the soloist and the ensemble.

Flowing Sleeves was originally written as a cello concerto for Jian Wang. This new, 2-movement version, reimagined for a much more intimate setting of cello and piano quintet, adds more soloistic writing for all six players. It was commissioned by the Juilliard School and the Tianjin Juilliard School.

—Zhou Tian