SELECTED ORCHESTRAL WORKS
The Shadow of Dreams/2004 (audio download)
For large orchestra. Five non-paused movements:
3,2,(d.eng.H)3,(d.b.cl.)2/4,3,3,1/hp/perc.4/strings
duration: 14’07”
I The Shadow of Dream /II Devil’s Dance/III Bells ringing/IV Moon
Dreaming/VI Virtue
Commissioned and premiered by the Beijing Symphony Orchestra at the Forbidden
City Concert Hall, May, 19, 2004. Beijing, China. 3,2,(d.eng.H)3,(d.b.cl.)2/4,3,3,1/hp/perc.4/strings.
The Slough/1999 (read reviews...) (audio download)
For chamber orchestra.
2,2,2,2,/2,2,1/perc.3/strings duration: 8’05”
Premiered by the San Francisco Women’s Philharmonic in April, 1999;
The Cleveland chamber symphony in May, 2000; As the third prize winner
from the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s International Composer’s
Competition during the Santura Music Festival in Jan, 2001 in Winnipeg,
Canada; the Shen Zhen Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong, March, 2004; China
National Philharmonic, Beijing, China, March, 2005.
If only it would rain…/1997 (audio download)
For chamber orchestra
1,1,1,1/1,1,1/mri./hp/soprano voice/strings duration: 9’25”
Premiered by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Drinko Concert Hall, Cleveland,
Ohio, June, 1997.
SELECTED CHAMBER WORKS
One Who Moves Without Directions.../2008
For 24 laptop Mac computers, 2 conductors, 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello, 2 percussion, calligrapher, lighting and projection no stage. Duration: 16' Commissioned and premiered by the Pacific Rim of Wires Music Festival at Stanford University in April 28, 2008.
A Song of Unending Sorrow/2006
For voice and guitar. Commissioned by Rob Nathanson from North Carolina, World premiere at Atherton Performing Arts Studio, Hawaii Public Radio in Honolulu on March 17, 2006. Recording available on Liscio Recordings, Inc., 2009.
A Thousand Miles Away / 2006 (audio download)
For bass clarinet in bB and marimba. Duration: 8'28" Commissioned by the Music Knightly Club of Cleveland, premiered by Tom Reed and Jeff Neitzke at Cleveland Institute of Music in March, 2007. Recording available on Capstone Records, 2008
The Daunting Bird /2006 (audio download)
For 6 traditional Chinese instruments, 2 percussion, 1 flute and conductor. Duration: 8'10" Commissioned by the Serge Koussevitzky Music Foundation in the library of Congress, and Music From China. Premiered by the Music From China in Nov. 11, 2006 at Merkin Concert Hall, New York City.
A Drama for Four Spirits/2005
(audio downloads: An Old Monk's Chant, A Hideous Republican's Dance, A Young French Girl's Death)
for pno. cl. vln. vlc. Duration: 12'20" Commissioned and premiered by the Emberli Ensemble in April, 2005 at St Peter's Church, New York City.
Die Kindern Spirits/2004
For 2 alto saxophone, pno. 2 perc. vln.vlc, conductor. Duration: 9'27" Commissioned by the Commissioning Project of Rochester, New York, premiered by the members of nazareth College and Eastman school of music in nazareth College Music Concert Hall.
How Silent it is…/2003 (audio download)
For alto flt, voice, 2 marimbas, pno. Duration: 13’50”
Commissioned by the Commissioning Project, premiered by the members of
Eastman School of Music and the faculty members of Nazareth College of
Rochester in Feb.
2003 at Nazareth College Music Concert Hall.
Four Images of China/2000
(audio downloads: Mountain Song, Two Scholars, Morning Mist, The Drunken Man)
For alto saxophone and guitar. Duration: 11’17”
Commissioned and premiered by the Ruyoanji Duo, North Carolina in July,
2000; Montreal, Canada in Aug. 2001. CD available on Liscio Recording,
2003.
Piano Trio/1999
Duration: 10’57”
Premiered by the Emberli Ensemble in May 5th, 2000. Performance by the
Ensemble “Continuum” in 2001, at the
Bowling Green Contemporary Music festival in 2002.
Yui, Yui/1997 (audio download)
For picc. B.cl, perc. 2, conductor requested. Duration: 5’25” Premiered
by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, drinko Hall, June, 1999; Alea III,
Boston, Ma 2001; the Bowling Green New Music festival, 2003; the Neiuw
Ensemble of Amsterdam, 2003.
The Spell/1995 (read reviews...) (audio download)
For 2 cellos, b.cl, flt.(doubles alto&picc.)pno. Perc. 2 conductor
requested. Duration: 9’20”
Commissioned and premiered by the Stony Brook Contemporary chamber Players,
1994; the Neuiw Ensembleof Amsterdam with Tan Dun’s conducting,
996; Ear Play, 1997; San Francisco Conservatory Chamber Ensemble, 1998;
Network for New Music, 2002. The winner of 1996 water Hinrichsen Award,
American Academy of Arts and Letters. C.F. Peters Co.
Beyond the Beta/1992 (audio download)
For violin and piano. Duration: 4’59”
Premiered by the members of Stony Brook Contemporary player t the Women
Composers Festival, SUNY Concert Hall in April, 1992.
Mosquitoes /1991 (read reviews...) (audio download)
For piano solo. Duration: 5’22”
Premiered by Evelyn Luest, Bloomingdale House of Music, NYC, 1991; Mary
Ernest at the Women’s Museum, Washington, DC.Carnegie Weil Recital
Hall, Germany, San Francisco, Minnesota, Iowa City, the third prize winner
of 1993 Fourth Fanny Mendelssohn International Composition Competition.
CD available on CRI and New World Records label.
Wind/1989 (read reviews...) (audio download)
For string quartet. Duration: 7’47”
Programmed by the Composers Forum in New York City
Premiered at the Alternative Museum in New York City.
Three Images of Dun Huang Poems/1978 (read reviews...) (audio download)
For piano solo Duration: 10’25”
Premiered by Chui Shi-Gaung on Beijing Radio Broadcast in Beijing; Hong
Kong Contemporary Music Festival of 2000.
Recording available on International Limited Inc., 1984 China National
Publishing House, Beijing, China, 1992.
SELECTED CHORAL AND VOCAL WORKS / DIGITAL MUSIC
Four Seasons/2004
(audio downloads: Chuan, Xia, Qiu, Dong)
For SSA and piano. Duration: 11’09”
Commissioned and premiered by Commissioning Project with Nazareth College
Concert Choir in Rochester, New York in April, 2004.
No Home to Return/1996 (audio download)
For soprano solo and piano. Duration: 5’59”
Commissioned and premiered by Mary Chan at New York University’s
Contemporary Music concert series in Jan. 1996
Performance with Chinese Pipa virtuoso player Wu Man at MIT Contemporary
Music Festival in Sep. 1997. The winner of Chinese Overseas Composer’s
Competition, 1998.
“Open Your Blue Eyes” /1996 (audio download)
for the film of ‘We are the same family’ produced by the
British TV &Film Production and China Central TV Station Production.
1996. Duration: 4’20” Cia Rong, tenor, digitally produced
in Beijing, China.
An Huan, a Chinese Requiem/1995 (read reviews...) (audio download)
For SATB, a mixed choral and a large tam tam. Duration: 20’46”
Commissioned and premiered by the Dale Warland Singers at Saint Mary’s
Basilica church in April, 1996; The winner Of Dale Warland Singers Reading
Series Competition.
“One Woman’s Pilgrimage” /1992
for Chinese seven stringed zither, Xun, a Chinese wind instrument and
acoustic violoncello solo digitally produced in New York. Duration:
ca. 17’ Commissioned and premiered by the Netherland Dans Theatre
in Amsterdam, Holland, 1992. Other performances with Kei Takei’s
Moving Earth Dance Company in Canada, Israel,
Montana, Minnesota, Arizona, Germany, Greece, New York City, New York.
Jing Jing Luo, Chin and Xun, Mark Stwart, violoncello.
“Monologue” /1986 (audio download)
for percussion and voices digitally produced. Duration: 6’42” Commissioned
and premiered by Kei Takei’s Moving Earth Dance Company at St.
John’s Divine Cathedral, New York City, New York, 1986. Jing jing
Luo, voice, Takei percussion.
“Estuary”/1984 (audio download)
for voice, alto flute, Roland D-50 keyboard, Alesis-16 drum machine,
samplers, digitally recorded at Amphion Studio, New York City, New
York. Duration: 11’20” 1984. Jing Jing Luo, voice and keyboard,
James Papoulos, flute and alto flute.
COMMENTS ON THE WORKS OF JING JING LUO
Comments on "Wind"
string quartet...
‘…Asian composers have different reflexes, and perhaps because
they are closer to the meditative tradition our minimalists emulate…Our
jaded senses boggle at the hypnotic power of Buddhist rites, which over
there are no more mysterious than Baptist Sunday school…after
the reflection it seemed natural that for string quartet of Jing Jing
Luo’s ‘Wind’; The imaginative texture of Jing jing
Luo’s Autumn Sounds stemmed from odd devices such as echoing single
notes between the flute and soprano tone…Certainly the music was
pervaded by a strong Chinese flavor, but unlike that of so many white
musicians moving in the opposite direction, it was never superficially
exotic.’
‘Jing jing Luo is a young and gifted composer, educated from Shanghai and Beijing, she was a prodigy on the piano and in her early years wrote adept orchestral works in an advanced tonal dramatic style. Her piano concerto is a virtuosic display of mighty impressionism. Her ‘Dunhuang Poems for piano solo captures the sense of mystery and drama in the famous cave site in the Gobi desert where ancient Buddhist texts were rediscovered. A recent work ‘Cicada Slough’ combines the ancient Gu Qin (the seven string lute) with a percussion and atonal brass ensemble in a touching the exuberant sound portrait of this insect’s transformation, a poetic allusion to metamorphosis.'
Reviews for "The Spell"...
‘Jing Jing Luo’s The Spell, utilized bold instrumentation, such as bass clarinet, timpani and harsh pizzicato on two cellos. It was propulsive and dynamic, but the destination for all its energy was not clear.'
‘The Spell by Jing Jing Luo casts a suitable spell with aggressive low piccolo, plucked celli strings, and throbbing vibraphone that leaves tones ringing in the air long after intoned, and with shivering strings creating a scene-setting spell. A quiet celli duet and flute/piccolo duet softens the effect. Sounds imitate eastern instruments and let us know we are not in Philadelphia any more.
The Walter Hinrichsen Award for "The Spell"...
‘Jing Jing Luo cherishes her rich Chinese musical
heritage and has combined it with many years of work in the United Stated.
The happy results are scores that demonstrate effective expressively,
a fascinating mixture of sources, and exciting virtuosity. She has become
an international composer, refining her special language with each new
score...
The reviews for "Mosquito"...
‘Mosquito’ won the price in 1993 Internationale Komponistinnen Competition in Unna, Germany. The work has been performed more than 14 times at different music festivals in the past ten years. It is on CRI and New World Records.
‘Jing jing Luo’s Mosquito’ sounds like the insect, whose brief life and violent end are fascinatingly portrayed in the piece.’
The review for "Dun Huang Poems"...
‘The composer is among the first generation of avant garde composers who emerged in the early 80s when China began opening up. She uses contemporary technique ad concepts to muse over the remote past and then depict the results of her wealth of reflections….’
The review for "An Haun, a Chinese Requiem"...
‘…Jing jing Luo’s Chinese requiem, this remarkable work finds a bridge between Chinese musical gestures and styles and Western means of performance, except for the words An Huan (comfort dead soul)…..The work is strong, with many moods, and compellingly shaped. The piece poses tremendous challenges for the chorus; at times there are almost as many parts as there were singers….’
‘…..Jing Jing dedicated this work to all victims of Chinese political persecution, including her father, who died in 1968 during the Cultural Revolution, as well as her cousin, who was shot at Tiananmen Square in June, 1989. ….she knows of what she speaks, like the composer, her score is an intensely emotional creation.'
The reviews for "The Slough"...
The work was premiered by the Women’s Philharmonic under the baton of Maestra Apo Hsu in 2000; then the work won the Third Prize at the 10th New Music Festival in Winnipeg, Canada by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro. Tovey in 2001; the further performances
includes the Cleveland Chamber Symphony and the ShenZhen Symphony Orchestra
and the China National Symphony Orchestra.‘….Chinese-American composer Jing Jing Luo’s The Slough showed a confident handling of colour, its Chinese tang spiced with glissandi, bet notes and touches of the pentatonic…’
‘The Slough by Jing Jing Luo, the most
dramatic work…Luo’s
The Slough is a compelling and kinetic work… her
most exceptional technique in Slough is the use of pizzicato chords in
which the individually plucked pitches are changed during their brief
duration…’'She begins with a clearly occidental musical framework, but then gradually disassembles from that context certain elements that can later fit back into traditional Chinese musical practice…this procedure allows her to create a combination of Western and Chinese elements that is more just a superficial blending or juxtaposition of style…’
‘Admirable too was Luo’s strength in sustaining a climax for an exquisitely long duration, far beyond the point when the listener would begin to look for relief from the intensity…’
Jing Jing Luo's music is distributed and published by:
Subito Music Corporation
60 Depot Street
Verona, NJ 07044