perpetual movable games 敕桃 is a theatrical ensemble work which uses the instrumentation of the Baroque trio sonata (flute, oboe, cello, and harpsichord). Although the work is loosely based on the Taiwanese nanguan music tune,"Withholding the Umbrella", the central idea, more importantly, focuses on the essence of nanguan, “games, having fun.” While the harpsichord player and cellist are in fixed positions, the other two instrumentalists often move around, creating dialogues and exploring the spatial relationship among the players. Over time, in addition to material continually returning, a variety of sub-ensembles (duet, trio and quartet) are formed. To enhance the drama, the players also vocalize simple words like “have fun” (Ti-tou in Taiwanese), adding dialogues and playing games during the performance. This work may be paired with a Baroque trio sonata on the same program. I find programming that combines aspects of traditional and new music from West and East innovative and adventurous.

perpetual movable games 敕桃, written for the Loop 38 (Houston) and the Barock-Ensemble Taipei, received partial funding from the Houston Arts Alliance and the National Cultural and Arts Foundation (Taiwan).