Chamber Music Society: "To Soar and to Scurry"
Composer Vivian Fung talks about her new concerto for violin and percussion, Goddess/Insect, which she wrote for violinist Kristin Lee and Sandbox Percussion.
Nicky Swett: The combination of violin and percussion ensemble is quite rare. What are some precedents for it?
Vivian Fung:One early piece for that combination is Lou Harrison’s Concerto for Violin and Five Percussionists (1959). Harrison was from around where I live in California; he founded the Cabrillo Festival, where I will be this summer. He feels very close to home, and so among the things that I wanted to do in my piece was pay homage to him. We share a fascination with Gamelan [Balinese percussion] music and specifically homemade Gamelan instruments.