Asian Voices
A forum for exploring the role of ‘Asian voices’ in music performance and the implications (philosophical and practical) for so-called ‘Western’ art music within the context of an increasingly globalized world, particularly in light of the growing number of Asian voices currently making this body of repertoire their own.
Discussions
Opening Night – Performers Voice Forum Discussion
Forum discussion from the opening night of the Performers Voice symposium (2009), moderated by symposium convenor Dr Anne Marshman, addressing creative and research practice in light of the themes Beyond the Score; Towards Performance; My Instrument – My Voice; and Asian Voices.
Praxis
Opening Night – Tembusu Evenings
The Tembusu is a hardy tree that is native to Singapore and other parts of Southeast Asia. It can grow quite tall while its roots can reach deep into the ground. Its canopy of leaves provides welcome shade in this equatorial climate and its flowers exude a fragrance that grows stronger as the night deepens. Grown amongst pockets of garden around the island, the tree is often a gathering place for the young and old, friends and lovers. With all that had gone on beneath its shelter through the years, this long-lived tree would have collected enough special moments to last several lifetimes. Tembusu Evenings is a short suite that presents just a slice of these memories in music, and draws from the music temperaments of this part of Asia to tell the story of this majestic tree and the misty memories that surround it.
