Pikake & Pearls: Helen & Randy’s Website

Hello everybody,

Just wanted to share some news about us (Randy & Helen). This past weekend, we went to South Florida (Miami Beach and West Palm Beach) to perform “L’ours Chinois” a piece I was commissioned to write for Project Copernicus, a Miami-based chamber orchestra of just 10 or so players.

“L’ours Chinois” (The Chinese Bear) featured Helen as its violin soloist, and is a piece I wrote in the style of Fritz Kreisler’s violin showpieces, but with a flare of Martin Denny and traditional Chinese melodies. It’s a pastiche of sorts, one could say.

The concert, titled “From the Land of The Buddha,” was a program of four Asian-inspired new works by composers in their 20s. Having not composed a classical contemporary piece before, Randy was excited and
extremely honored to have my work featured on this program. The other composers relatively well-established: Steve Danyew (winner of an ASCAP composers award), Angel Lam (whose work has been recorded by Yo-Yo Ma, the Chicago Symphony, & The Silk Road Project), and Ryojiro Sato of Japan.

Anyways, here are 3 reviews of the concert:

Palm Beach Post:
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/stepanich/entries/2007/08/review_project.html

Miami Herald:
http://www.miamiherald.com/tropical_life/story/217453.html

Sun Sentinel:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/entertainment/music/sfl-muclcopernicusnbaug28,0,6469074.story
My favorite part of this review is the last line! Go Helen!!

Randy’s program notes for the piece:
http://randywong.net/exotica/2007/08/20/program-notes-for-lours-chinois

…And finally, a recording of the work:
myspace.com/randywong

Hope you like the piece! Thanks to Steve, Chung, and others from Project Copernicus for making this a success!

-Randy

Helloooo everybody! As you heard from Helen, we had a pair of very successful performances with Project Copernicus this weekend, here in Southern Florida. Yesterday was the World Premiere, as part of the concert series Arts At St. John’s in Miami Beach. Today’s concert was in West Palm Beach at the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. For me, the experience of performing with Project Copernicus (and getting my very first orchestral piece premiered by them) was simply magical. It was a wonderful opportunity to share my music, and to collaborate with very fine musicians not the least of which is Helen. (She is my favorite, of course!) We will be posting pictures from the concert cycle (and maybe a recording of the piece) here at our blog. I’m very thankful to my friends Chung Park and Steve Danyew for taking a leap of faith with Helen and myself by inviting us to be a significant part of these concerts.

Yay for L’ours Chinois and Project Copernicus!