October 2020
Time has been flying as we look forward to the holidays - a time of restoration, gratitude, and hope. It's hard to believe that Mid-Autumn Festival was just last week! I did have my annual lotus paste mooncake indulgence with double egg yolk, and no regrets. If you didn't have yours, there’s always next year.
Annie Yeh and Marcello Premiere Works by British composer Paul Ayres
As there were pre-pandemic plans to perform a series of in-person concerts at different venues this month in the Bay Area - I’m happy to share that instead, I will be video recording a program at some of the venues where the concerts were to take place - featuring premiere performances of a few of London-based composer Paul Ayres’ pieces on cello(s).
Hear and here’s Annie in conversation with Paul where they talk about the music. The pieces are:
Covidea I for solo cello; Duo for 2 Cellos; and Trio on Ich steh' and Hey Jude (song by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, combined with music by JS Bach) - arranged for 3 cellos (i.e. 3 of my SIP Sisters or “Annie’s Avatars,” as Paul put it).
Stay tuned to hear more about the release date, and how to get your virtual ticket! In the meantime, here’s a preview of the Mozart sonata for two cellos with two of my SIP sisters, which will also be on the program. (This and more!).
Duo Viello Fashion Face Masks
My Duo Viello Fashion Face Masks arrived in the mail today, and I can’t be happier with the outcome! Thanks to our first supporters and the enthusiasm we’ve received, we’ve decided to continue offering the hippo and bear version for the holidays - until November 27, 2020 for those who missed it the first time.
Stay tuned for future updates as we explore other offerings!
Bach Quad Fall Series
The Bach Quadrupletet is now being featured on the home page of the Piedmont Center for the Arts.
Nature and outdoor walks, visits to some of Annie’s favorite shops, more tea drinking, and cooking are just a few activities and themes to be explored by my SIP sisters this Fall. To enjoy these short weekly episodes of the Bach chorales, posted on Wednesdays by 5 pm, follow this growing playlist and Subscribe to the channel, Annie Yeh Performances. (Hover over Wilson, in the lower right hand corner of any episode, and click on Subscribe).
We’re also planning for special episodes to come, where we will perform arrangements of other music for 4 cellos - stay tuned!!
Marcello Savasana
As we approach the holidays, I will be adding more performances to this playlist for all of your relaxation and rest needs. For now, in case you haven’t heard it yet, as I’m a big fan of the works of Dvorak, have a listen to the piece, Songs for My Mother.
Thoughts on Mulan
I honestly feel conflicted about the controversial release last month of the new Mulan movie on Disney+. From a purely artistic perspective, without even having seen it yet, I know that I will love it. First of all, Andrew was featured as the principal violist for its soundtrack. So I KNOW it will be fantastic, and I can’t wait. Also, as my Chinese name translates into “Leaf-Poetic-Sword,” I think of the Chinese historical female warrior Hua Mulan, as portrayed by beautiful actress Yifei Liu, as a muse. I like to think of my bow as my sword. :)
However, from a human rights and societal standpoint, it goes without saying, that the fact that Disney filmed the movie in Xinjiang, the site where Uighur Muslims have suffered “mass incarceration, genocide, abuse, and racial injustice, and thanked the publicity department of CPC Xinjiang autonomous region committee in their credits”, is horrifying.
There have been many instances where great artists were terrible humanists - just to name a few known examples: Wagner was an anti-semite, and James Brown, one of the greatest black musicians in the 20th century, was notorious for treating his band members poorly and abusing women. How do we reconcile this in our minds as artists who embody the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and the equal, just treatment of all humans - regardless of their identity with regards to race/etchnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, or any other attribute, either immutable or changing? How can it be that those who don’t live by these standards, create so much artistic inspiration or beauty? Is it the universal power of music itself? Something about brain chemistry? Do we just compartmentalize to appreciate the artists’ work anyway? These are seemingly complex psychological and societal questions.
I personally like to align my artistry with how I relate to and treat people, and I can’t separate the two. With the recent events of racial injustice in our country, I believe that it is more important than ever to channel our gifts at a very basic level towards raising awareness and healing.
That’s all for now. Comments welcome!
Stay well and healthy!