"black sea, orange tree" album release!

2 weeks till album release! Read the full story here. It’s been a humbling project, almost 1 year in the making - exploring the lands of Turkey, meeting its generous and warm people, listening to their stories, their instruments, and collaborating with the wonderful Alice Ping Yee Ho to capture the sounds, fragrances, landscapes, and memories of my parent’s hometowns - Hunan and Heilongjiang.

Leah Plave, cello; Tong Wang, piano
Leaf Music LPTW2023
Release Date: April 26, 2024

A reflection on heritage and nostalgia, Tong Wang and Leah Plave’s album, Black Sea, Orange Tree, tells the story of train rides through the Himalayas, ancient folk dances and rowdy bar fights, glittering golden temples, and the smell of tea leaves. Composer Fazil Say’s “Four Cities” and Alice Ping Yee Ho’s “Four Impressions of China” weave special techniques into lush melodies, at times beautifully transforming the cello and piano into traditional Turkish and Chinese instruments.

We acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the Arts.