The 2023 tour of 我们 "Us" continues in Budapest, Hungary!
Featuring Hungarian violinist Olah Vilmos.
我们 “Us"
Love, kindness, humility. A celebration of our shared humanity. Featuring compositions by Reena Esmail, Delong Wang, Larysa Kuzmenko, Fazil Say, and Martin Scherzinger.
Our diverse musical cultures reveal our diverse humanity. Now more than ever, we need to wield the power of music to understand and connect with one another, to imagine a better future, and to find common hope. 我们“Us” celebrates heritages and stories from across China, India, Turkey, Ukraine, and Africa. There are moments of great sadness, tragedy, and pain, but equally, if not more, there is hope, empowerment, joy, and even … cuteness (!) Whether directly or indirectly, we each hold the power to create a brighter collective future. The more we open ourselves to each other’s backgrounds, the more sensitive we can be, the better we can respect the symbols, gestures, and how to being kind, generous, and sincere in our humble efforts to be together, to be - 我们(Wǒ-mén), “Us”.
Program
Reena Esmail - Crystal Preludes (2020)
I. Oscillating Figures
II. Mishra Vibhas Melody
III. Vachaspati/Bhup
Martin Scherzinger - Etudes (2021)
I. The Horse is Not Mine, a Hobby Horse
II. Verso il capo
III. Kinderreim
IV. Chopi-Chopin
Fazil Say - Gezi Park Sonata, Op. 52 (2016)
I. Nights of Resistance on the Streets of Istanbul
II. The Silence of the Gas Cloud
III. On the Killing of the Innocent Child Berkin Elvan
IV. Hope is Always in Our Hearts
Johannes Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major featuring Olah Vilmos.
Second Album “我们Us (Live)” Trailer
Tong Wang is a Canadian artist leading innovative initiatives across areas of performance, research, and community engagement. Her projects explore the role of art in relation to identity, culture, and current social-political issues. As a soloist and chamber musician, Tong has performed with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Red Deer Symphony Orchestra, and various ensembles across North America and Europe. As a multidisciplinary artist, she has written the libretto of a new opera funded by the Canada Council, FRQSC, and SSHRC, “Labyrinth of Tears”, and published an award-winning photo-essay in Carte Blanche. Among her other projects are the creative performances “Song of Praise”, “Ghiblilane”, “Once Upon a Pumpkin”, “Phantasiai and Mnemosyne”, research on the aesthetic of “cuteness” in Kawaii Metal, Lo-fi, animation and classical music, and the interactive sound novel “The [blank] Journal”. Tong recently toured her recital on multiculturalism, “我们Us” in Lunenburg, Montreal, Verbier and presented the interactive concerts “We’re Not Really Strangers” and “My Neighbors Totoro and Claude!” at the Verbier Festival. In October 2022, Tong launched the pilot season of the Windwood Music Festival in Airdrie, Alberta to engage with and support rural farming communities through classical chamber music. Using diverse mediums, Tong aims to share the power of art to reach across time, languages, borders, and cultures to connect people and kindle a shared understanding.
