Liederzyklus
In classical music, the German term Liederzyklus refers to a series of songs that are designed to be performed in a sequence which forms a story. Based on this idea, Liederzyklus consists of three artists who initiate conversations with their musical instruments and their bodies. They reflect both the moment and the eternity of music and dance through addressing the delicate lights of lives. They are like the members of a chamber music who all begin performing at the same starting point and speed but then improvise within a rehearsed construction and limited form.
In the Liederzyklus project, begun in 2019, musicians respond to the movement and tempo of dancers’ bodies and aim to understand their body language. In return, dancers need to be aware of music theory and sound structure as they respond to the way musical phrases develop. By rehearsing together regularly, musicians and dancers become familiar with one another and adapt, enlighten, contend and comply with each other as they perform. There is no longer a set relationship of dominance and submission between them; they constantly compete and jostle for position. When the rationale of music meets the sensibility of dance the performers must listen to one another, mutually reacting to each other’s breath. Every choice may appear random, but is nevertheless an inevitable development of an accumulation of stimuli in just the way that, at every moment of life, we all act with a lifetime’s experience behind us. This is how Liederzyklus responds to the improvisation of life.
The project is led by three artists: pianist LEE Shih-yang, multi-awarded winner of Taiwan’s Golden Indie Music Awards, Golden Melody Awards (both for Popular Music, and for Traditional Arts and Music); violinist TAI Zih-ning who creates experimental improvisation music and music theatre, and aims to break free from the inertia of musical instruments, timbre and physicality; dancer TIEN Hsiao-tzu who continuously explores herself, responds to society through her work, and attempts to portray the unique shape of new generation artists by dance. These three performers invite local artists to join them in the project when touring to different venues in order to create a unique improvisation. This not only reflects the accidental nature of life, but also the witty deliberation of intelligence in the flowing image of Liederzyklus.
2022 HOTPOT
2022/9/25 Jayu Theate
Seoul Arts Center
SIDance
2022/11/5 Saturday 15:00 feat. Wu Yi-san
2022/11/6 Sunday 15:00 feat. Sean Hsu
Cloud Gate
2022/11/11 Friday 20:30
2022/11/12 Saturday 19:30
Playhouse
National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying)
Artists｜TIEN Hsiao-tzu (TW)、LEE Shih-Yang (TW)、TAI Zih-Ning(TW)
Ｇuest Dancer｜WU, Yi-San(TPE)、HSU Sean Trudi(TPE)、 KAO Hsin-Yu(KHH)、 LEE In Soo（SEL）
Artistic Concept｜LIN Fang-yi
Dance Advisor｜CHEN Pin-hsiu
Costume Advisor｜Lin Ching-ru
Lighting Design｜GOH Boon-ann
photographer｜Chen Chang-chih
Production Manager｜HUANG Pei-jie
International Affairs｜WANG Yung-chieng
Produced by Studio Acht
*This work is coproduced by SIDance, Cloud Gate Theater and National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), also sponsored by The National Culture and Arts Foundation (NCAF).
【Artist】
TIEN Hsiao-tzu
Born in 1984 in Tainan, Taiwan. Graduated from Department of Dance, National Taiwan University of Arts.
In recent years, Tien puts focus of her choreography research on human emotions shaped by time, history, culture and environment. Regarding choreography as the chisel of life, Tien attempts to cut away the contradictions and labels that hinder self-exploration, and uncover powerful emotions deposited in the body. While looking into the desire and fear in life, she also looks for the exits of life’s trajectories, as well as their various possibilities. She also develops the potentials of body and movements through international exchange and collaboration with theater or performance arts, keeping connected with foreign cultures and other disciplines.
Masses, the work co-created by Shih-Wei Wang, Tzi-Mei Li, Helmi Fita and Tien was the winner of Performing Arts Award of the 18th Taishin Arts Award in 2020. In 2016 she was selected by the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan for the artist residency program in Paris. Her work The Hole was nominated for Taishin Arts Award in 2015.
LEE Shih-Yang
LEE Shih-Yang is a Taiwanese pianist of depth and passion, style and enthusiasm. He has collaborated with artists from different fields, including painting, theatre, multimedia and dance. He is the founder of the improvisation ensemble, Ka Dao Yin. LEE has won the Taiwan Golden Indie Music Award and Golden Melody Award of Traditional Arts and Music several times. LEE's live recording "Galactic Alignment" has received the New York City Jazz Record ''Honorary Mention of the New Releases of 2013''. LEE has performed with drummer legend Sabu Toyozumi from Japan, pioneer of European free jazz pianist Fred van Hove from Belgium and many others including Joëlle Léandre, Sainkho Namtchylak, Jaap Blonk, Koichi Makigami, Hans Koch, Kazuhisa Uchihashi, Audrey Chen, Dickson Dee, et al. LEE is one of the founders of “Taiwan International Improvised Music Festival”.
TAI Zih-Ning
Born in 1992, TAI Zih-ning constantly looks to extend the possibilities of sound in her work through experimental music improvisation, and the meticulous construction of new music theatre composition. The interplay of these two contrasting mindsets for creating works produces a balanced tension in her work through which TAI attempts to probe the subtlety of unknowns and the cultural background in which she grew up. She creates a conversation between space, environment and people in order to awaken fleeting moments of life in her audience.