Beyond the Gate of Supreme Harmony
for Chamber Orchestra

University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra
(in alphabetical oder)

 Violins I: Erick Oliver Wawrzkiewics**, Matthew Mifflin, Sebastian Sallans, Jason Shiu, Justina Wong, Ruth-Anne Yiu
Violins II: Meagan Turner*, Wesley Bells, Alessia Disimino, Georgia Vogeli
Violas: Christopher Wong*, Cole Canaday, Carolyn Farnand
Cellos: Evan Lamberton*, Sally He, Amina Isabelle Holloway, Da-Young Seo
Double Basses: Wesley Adam Brenneiß*, Matthew Girolami
Flute: Jessica Leung
Oboe: Boris Chang
Clarinet: Le Lu
Bassoon: Iraj Tamadon-Nejad
Contrabassoon: Neil Chen
Horns I & II: Natalie Worden*, Christopher Going
Trumpet: Kate Clarke
Trombone: Emma Metzger
Tuba: Theodore Toulis
Timpani: Alexander Artale
Percussion: Kevin Mulligan, Michael Murphy, Carol Wang
Harp: Véronique Drożdż

** concertmaster
* principal

Zi-Xiao He, direction

Recording engineer: Neven Prostran https://soundcloud.com/nenoproguitar
Special thanks to: Professor Alexander Rapoport, Martin Lee, and Neven Prostran
Recorded in Boyd Neel Hall, University of Toronto, 16 January 2014 

Copyright © Zi-Xiao He 2014

-----------------------

Perceiving China’s First Hall

The Forbidden City, built in 1406 to 1420, was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the centre of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government.
Beyond the Gate of Supreme Harmony is both my dedication to the Forbidden City of China and a personal account of my visit to it in summer 2013. The Gate of Supreme Harmony is the second major gate encountered when entering the Forbidden City. Beyond this gate is the Hall of Supreme Harmony- China’s grandest temple architecture in scale and extravagance. The most overwhelming component of my tour was the very moment of seeing the Hall of Supreme Harmony when coming through the Gate of Supreme Harmony. Immediately beyond the gate is a grand square where the hall sits at the very end. Every emperor of China during the past five centuries would accede to the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony on the first dawn of his reign, before which the entire imperial court would kneel down for the new “son of heaven” three times, koutou-ing nine times. Physically being within this legendary space was such an extraordinary experience that a theme appeared in my mind immediately, around which this composition was later to be developed and completed. 

The music follows my path of approaching “China’s First Hall” in several sections: 

-  The mysterious Meridian Gate with repressive hall walls. Countless chancellors were beheaded here under these walls.
-  1’32’’ Walking through the Gate of Supreme Harmony with rising excitement and anticipation
-  2’38’’ Upon seeing the magnificent hall and square 
-  3’23’’ Approaching the hall while pondering its history
-  3’46’’ Walking up to the hall on stone steps sculpted with dragons, depicted by an embellished counter melody in the cellos, contrabassoon and vibraphone
-  4’30’’ Facing the extravagant ornamentation of the hall, such as its densely patterned dou-gong supporting the roof, dipicted by a crisp and refreshing ostinato in the high registers played by the flute, oboe and vibraphone
-  6’05’’ The last glance, I could not help but wonder how many stories and secrets- some passed on as legends while some forever lost in the black hole of history- had the hall witnessed in five centuries of silence at the rises and falls of the last Chinese empires.

Zi-Xiao He, January 2014




Beyond The Gate Of Supreme Harmony (穿越太和门) for Chamber Orchestra

The final rendition of my first serious work dedicated to a girl once dear to me, composed from December 2011 to January 2012. Hear the initial version here: https://soundcloud.com/hecreations/fantasia-for-clarinet-and

Omar Ho, clarinet 
Jialiang Zhu, piano

Recording Engineer: Neven Prostran https://soundcloud.com/nenoproguitar
Recorded in Walter Hall, University of Toronto, on 24 January, 2014

Copyright © Zi-Xiao He 2014

Fantasia for Clarinet and Piano - Revised Version

On the Edge of a Dream, composed in May 2013, depicts one's state of mind of desiring something wonderful but seemingly unreachable, and his/her journey of pursuing it. The concept of being on a dream's edge can be perceived from two levels, as the composition tells the story in two stages. First, after a surreal and chaotic introduction, the flute states the theme, which immediately modulates from G major to Eb within 4 measures, as if the protagonist awakes from a beautiful dream, the sudden modulation representing his shock upon realizing that he has once again dreamed of something/someone he/she so desires. This metaphor establishes the key of G as the state of the dream, or the ideal, and the key of Eb as that of the reality. Upon awakening, the protagonist ponders his/her thoughts on the edge of the dream in a literal sense. Second, after a brief section of sweetness and joy, the music turns dark again with the flute and oboe playing melodies of such longing and struggle, eventually intensified dramatically in a collapse of frustration. The piece closes in a tone of grief and sorrow, but with a dim light of hope as the the theme appears in the piano in G major again. Nonetheless, it descends to an Eb chord, bringing the piece to an end. After all the efforts, attempts, and belief that he/she has reached the dream, the protagonist is only to realize that he/she never truly had what he/she so desired, and that he/she was merely on the edge of the dream this whole time. He/she keeps hoping and waiting, while accepting the bitter reality.

My sincere thanks go to:

Sara Constant, flute
Boris Chang, oboe
Gina Lee, piano 

Recorded in Walter Hall, University of Toronto on 4 February, 2014

Copyright © Zi-Xiao He 2013

"On the Edge of a Dream" for Flute, Oboe and Piano

Second recording.

Fang Lu, piano

Recorded live in Salvation Army Yorkminster Citadel, Toronto, 12 April, 2014

Copyright © Zi-Xiao He 2014

"Beyond the Gate of Supreme Harmony" for Solo Piano / 钢琴独奏：穿越太和门

"Torn" for Two Flutes showcases the thorough use of intervals. The work opens with a cry of the "torn" motif, which haunts the entire structure in shredded or disguised forms. The horrifying process of the protagonist being torn apart in the heart and mind may be traced in three sections. The opening  is led by the "torn motif", featuring intervals of sharp dissonance as frustration and pain. In the middle section, the music enters a state of mind full of fear, doubts, and helplessness, captured by the highlight of the tritone in soft dynamics. The mind collapses in the final section of ultimate suffering, losing sanity, before finally reaching the only emphasized perfect octave at the end. That pure interval is the pitiful conclusion of the protagonist that he is trapped in his trouble, doomed to be torn apart.

Sophie Lanthier
Mouna Ben Hadj Tahar, flutes

World premiere recorded live in Walter Hall, University of Toronto, October 28, 2014.

"Torn" for Two Flutes (2014)

Sophie Lanthier, flute
Le Lu, clarinet in A
Michael Murphy, vibraphone

Recorded in Walter Hall, University of Toronto, November 25, 2014

Copyright © Zi-Xiao He 2014

----------------------------

“Within a Glance” is an attempt to capture a brief moment of romance, stretch the moment into roughly three minutes, and present the psychological interactions of two people in love. It opens with the clarinet stating the theme, un-harmonized, its gesture as subtle as one’s arising delight upon glancing on his loved lady. The flute soon responds with the theme, modulated, with much more intensity; the flute's state of mind as agitated as his heart while the girl gazes back into his eyes. The three-fold structure then enters the slightly anxious middle section, as if after the first glance, he thinks of pursing her, excited, yet intimidated and unsecured. The two, however, eventually overcomes all worries as they break eye contact at the end of the moment. The vibraphone only produces a rather high-pitched and gentle sound, a careful choice in order to render the intimacy and micro-scale of "a moment". Through an improvised-like coda immersed in changing colours, the piece concludes in the triumph of romance, with joy, anticipation, and faith. 
 


"Within a Glance" for Flute, Clarinet and Vibraphone

My original composition, commissioned by the CCCTV (Toronto) as the theme song to the 2015 Chinese-Canadian documentary "". Written, produced, and sung by composer.

Lyrics:

天籁回旋，
梦想的灵魂在荒漠上。
渐渐苏醒，
期盼中的回首。
爱恋初升的秘境，
和平仰一线天机

Copyright © Zi-Xiao He 2015

和平仰一线天机 (Theme song of 2015 documentary, 70th anniversary of anti-Fascism victory)

World premiere and commissioned by Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Ronald Royer. 

Recorded live September 26, 2015

Beyond the Gate of Supreme Harmony for Orchestra

Chorale for Five Voices And Basso Continuo, A Cappella Version

Katherine Peter, violin
Carolyn Farnand, viola
Livia Coburn, violoncello
Matteo Ferrero-Wong, contrabass

Kevin Zi-Xiao He, direction

Recorded live in Walter Hall, University of Toronto, 20 October, 2015.

"Dukkha", originated from Sanskrit, is a Buddhist term commonly translated as "suffering", "anxiety", "stress", or "unsatisfactoriness". A concept of dominating significance in Buddhism, "suffering" ranks the first among the most fundamental Buddhist teachings- the Doctrine of the Four Noble Truths. The Truth of Dukkha embodies the view that human life is always companied by persisting suffering in physical, mental and metaphorical levels.  The idea that there is an unsatisfactory nature of all phenomenal existence is by no means a pessimistic assumption, but a purely objective observation, and a significant proportion of Buddhist philosophies are concerned with no other matter than to exit this state of unsatisfaction, and to truly reach inner peace by freeing oneself from all attachments during meditation. This composition portrays one's battle with his suffering. As he is overwhelmed by pain and madness, depicted by fast and wild gestures in the violin and viola, the cello and bass directly borrow notated Buddhist chants, signifying the protagonist's struggle to meditate. He is then completely taken over by the demons within, as shakes of the coin box played by the bassist bring to mind the restraint of metal chains from hell. After a mental collapse and the lost of sanity, he finally seems to enter a realm of calmness and "emptiness", with the viola stating another notated Buddhist chant against a surreal backdrop of consonant harmonies. With the return of the gestures of suffering to end the piece, I do not attempt to answer, but rather to raise the question: can we truly escape the persisting fate of suffering in a life time?

©Zi-Xiao He 2015


"Dukkha" for Violin, Viola, Violoncello and Contrabass

In this composition, the shattered prayers are embodied by one single pitch played in extreme registers and nervous timbres throughout the whole structure. In the struggle of several surrounding pitch classes bursting out of this pitch lie one's frantic mourning of loss in the aftermath of violence and his fragmented, almost desperate will towards peace.
--------------------
Sarah Moon, flute
Juan G. Olivares, clarinet
Adam Despinic, violin
Andrew Ascenzo, cello
Jonny Smith, marimba

Kevin Zi-Xiao He, conductor

Recorded live December 9, 2015
Walter Hall, University of Toronto


"Shattered Prayers" for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Cello, and Marimba

The Meraki Chamber Players:

Natasha Loomis, flute, bass flute
Alexander Knox, clarinet in Bb
Terrence Thornhill, cello

Recorded live as part of the Kandinsky Project in Shapeshifter Lab, New York City, 21 April 2016.

This piece is based on the painting with the same title by Wassily Kandinsky. The painting is essentially about the disaster of a flood. A muddy and loud opening with all three instruments clustered at their lowest registers depicts the dark brown and “hopeless” top left corner of the painting, which could be understood as the beginning of the disaster. The cello then introduces the warm and nostalgic yet somewhat desperate-sounding theme of a stepwise motion up then down depicting the pink left centre, before playing violent figures and triggering the flooding in descending motions played by the flute and clarinet. The flute then initiates a series of extended tertian sonorities in arpeggios, painting what I feel is the green and hollow lower right section of the painting, while the clarinet reiterates the theme from the opening section, eventually developing into a weak and depressed state of endless tranquility and solitude. The aggressive character of the third centre is exemplified by the sudden burst of piercing noises, with the instruments playing madly and imitate the scratches of sharp lines. Lastly, the flute and clarinet start a canon of air sounds, inspired by the steamy third centre of the painting, to portray a scene in ruins and ashes. A dimple stream of light pierces the darkness as the cello plucks a steady pulse of repeated notes, as if in the aftermath of total destruction arises a new heart beat. On top of this pulse emerges the chorale in the flute and clarinet, who transform the "pink" theme into song of prayers. By now, the warm theme introduced by the cello in the beginning has been extended through the whole piece and hold the structure standing, much like Kandinsky achieving a unifying tone in Composition VI with scattered pink spots. A Palestrina-like authentic cadence brings the chorale to a sacred state of peace and seems to hint a new born hope, until the tonic chord after the cadence dissolves into dissonant darkness again, leaving the future unpredicted. The net result is a piece of composition faithful to the painting yet independent as a wholesome piece of music, a piece which I hope is both something new and a nod to the time of Kandinsky.


Composition VI - the Kandinsky Project

Instrumentation:
2 Flutes (2nd doubling Piccolo)
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets in Bb
2 Bassoons
4 Horns in F
2 Trumpets in C
2 Trombones
Bass trombone
Tuba
4 Timpani
3 Percussionists	
I.  Bongo, Crash cymbals, China cymbal, Suspended cymbal (shared with II), Tam-tam (shared with II)
II. Bangu drum (shared with III), Tangu drum, Snare drum, Suspended cymbal (shared with I),  Tam-tam (shared with I), 4 Tom-toms, Ratchet, Water cymbal
III. Triangle, Bangu drum (shared with II), China cymbal (shared with I), Bass drum
Harp
Strings

Program Notes:

Fall of the Overlord of Western Chu is a programmatic composition inspired by and dedicated to one of China's most legendary warriors and most respected heroes, Xiang Yu. At the end of the Qin Dynasty (221 - 206 BC), among numerous rebellious armies against the corrupt Qin regime eventually arose two main forces, respectively lead by Liu Bang and Xiang Yu. The generals fought as allies and overthrew the Qin government, after which, Liu and Xiang entered civil war against each other for the ultimate power over China, known as the Chu-Han Contention (206 - 202 BC). This composition tells the story of the last battle within this war - the Battle of Gaixia. At the height of the Chu-Han Contention, Xiang Yu declared himself as the Overlord of Western Chu. By 203 BC, Xiang and his armies had been exhausted at war with the numerous states to the north of China for extensive periods of time. Learning that Xiang would retrieve, with considerable damage to his force, back to his native State of Western Chu, Liu acted in opposition to his peace treatise with Xiang, and gathered an enormous eight-hundred-thousand-men army to attack Xiang to his utter surprise. With hard efforts to resist, Xiang was eventually surrounded in the town of Gaixia. When night fell, Xiang heard the enemy force singing tunes from his hometown the State of Chu, and came to conclusion that his home territory had been completely taken by Liu and his army, unaware that Liu only had his soldiers learn the Chu songs as a trick to weaken Xiang's psychological defense, and that his home state of Chu remained safe and intact. Foreseeing that they are doomed, Xiang, companied by his one and only true love Concubine Yu, grew desperate filled with regrets and pity. Afraid of holding Xiang back and unwilling to behold her leader and lover defeated, Concubine Yu slit her own throat with Xiang's sword after performing a final dance for him. Mad with the deepest grief, Xiang lead a few thousand cavalry attempting to break through the surrounding forces. Being the legendary warlord and martial artist, Xiang managed to fight his way to the Wu river, across of which is his home state of Chu. Remembering the his fellow Chu citizens who loyally followed him to fight his wars but only to have all perish now, Xiang felt utterly ashamed to go home and face his people. After killing some five hundred enemies with his last and only twenty-six hand infantry, Xiang ended his own life. The historical accounts of Xiang Yu's stories were documented by the Han-dynasty scholar Si-Ma Qian in his monumental book, The Grand Historian.

Composition: summer 2016

Midi realization produced in Cubase 5 by composer

Symphonic Poem "Fall of the Overlord of Western Chu" (2016)

Revised in 2017. Premiered by Maestro Erhei Liang and the Chinese Artists Society of Toronto Orchestra on May 27th at Salvation Army, Toronto.

Call of the Paper Kite (纸风筝的呼唤) for Orchestra (Revised 2017)

This is my first art song, setting an classical Chinese poem from the Song Dynasty (11th century). The soprano, who co-commissioned this piece with the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra, is my mother Yiping Chao.

The poem "Die Lian Hua" is a celebrated masterpiece by Ou-Yang Xiu (1007-1072). In fashion with the dominating expression of subtly in classical Chinese poetry, it expresses intense emotions and even critical social commentary through gentle metaphorical depictions of natural scenery. On the surface it appears to be the depiction of a young lady's sorrowful observation of late spring sceneries in a complex mansion: 

How deep, deep is the deep courtyard lonely?
Amidst the mists, the willows weep sorely,
As if shielded by layers of curtains many.
With jade harness, he rides around on carved saddle;
High mansions block my view of the district of entertainment.

The rains and winds are raging in late spring;
Beyond the doors, dying sun sinks.
Shutting the door to cover the dusk, I am powerless to save spring from vanishing.
With teary eyes I ask of the flowers, but in vain;
Dying red petals fly o'er the swing again and again!

Through the poem, Ou-Yang Xiu sends a powerful message about his pity for young women in China during his time who were often victims of unfulfilling marriage, and possibly criticizes the oppression of women in the male-dominated feudal society of ancient China.

《蝶恋花》
词：欧阳修
 
            庭院深深深几许，杨柳堆烟，帘幕无重数。玉勒雕鞍游冶处，楼高不见章台路。
            雨横风狂三月暮，门掩黄昏，无计留春住。泪眼问花花不语，乱红飞过秋千去。

《蝶恋花》Poem from the Song Dynasty, "Die Lian Hua" for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble

Scoring project with the Screen Composers Guild of Canada (SCGC), who provided the scene from a TV drama. 

About the scene: the protagonist walks frantically in the hospital looking for someone. He finds an empty wheelchair in front of a patient room. He opens the door, but with great resistance. Upon entering the room, he discovers the door had been blocked by objects from within, before seeing Jane lying under the cover in bed. Confused, he sees a bloody knife on the desk besides Jane. He pulls the cover away and sees Jane in a pool of blood. He tries to call for assistance, but Jane yells breathlessly: "Wait... don't." Hesitant, he still pushes the button, before nurses and doctors rush into the room only moments later. The sound blurs; the motions slow down; the camera zooms into his face, saddened and horrified.

Recorded by the University of Toronto Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Herberman, at Revolution Sound, on Feb 9, 2018.

Soundtrack for Drama Scene "Jane Dies"

Trio for Piano, Violin and Horn consists of harmonic language rooted in popular music of Asia. It is perhaps somewhat pittiful that not many composers like to write memorable melodies anymore and that art music since modernism is often hard to access for the average audience. In incorporating pop elements but classical techniques such as counterpoint, it is my wish to expand the territory of art music to include the pop style- the product of the core aesthetics of this era- pop culture. Therefore, this trio is my attempt of a “contemporary classical” piece that the audience will hopefully be able to connect with and easily understand; it is my attempt to write a piece that is genuinely derived from the contemporary culture and to introduce such music from the Far East to the Western classical realm in a familiar form.


David Debono, piano
Tania Cheng, violin
Natalie Worden, horn 
Recorded live at Walter Hall, University of Toronto, February 5th, 2013.

Copyright © Zi-Xiao He 2013

Trio for Piano, Violin and Horn in D Major

Dedicated to the heroes working at the frontline in the COVID-19 pandemic. A collaboration between my mother and I.

Strength of Love/愛的力量(2020):

Yiping Chao (鈔藝萍): lyrics, voice (soprano)
Kevin Zi-Xiao He (賀子瀟): songwriter, arrangement, voice, keyboard, cello, guitar, recording
Aaron Tsang: producer, mixing, mastering

雖然遠隔重洋，
日夜隔海相望。
家鄉的山山水水,
都印在我的心上。
我美麗祥和的故鄉啊，
如今她受了重傷！

雖然遠在他鄉，
怎能獨自觀望？
每天發出的“數字”,
敲打在我的心上！
拼搏在一線的同胞啊,
怎忍心看著你流淚哀傷？

我願啊，我願,
這一件件防護的衣裳，
能夠當作你健康的屏障。
我願啊，我願，
這一副副護目的眼鏡，
能成為你黑夜裡引航的亮光。
我願啊，我願，
這一雙雙潔白的手套，
能為你傳遞愛的力量！
 
雖然遠隔重洋，
日夜隔海祈望。
每一滴傷痛的眼淚，
刺痛在我的心上！
血脈相連的親人啊
我多想為你撫平創傷？
 
我願啊，我願，
我每一分每一秒的祈禱，
能為你傳遞愛的力量！

Though separated by the oceans
Longing for you day and night
Mountains and rivers from home
Embedded in my heart
My beautiful and peaceful homeland
she has been painfully wounded

Though far from home
How could I only look on
Day after day those “numbers” announced
Striking on my heart
My fellow citizens fighting in the front
How could I bare watching you in sorrow and tears

I wish, I wish
Piece after piece of protective suits
Can be the shield guarding your health
I wish, I wish
Pair after pair of eye goggles
Can be the light guiding your voyage in the darkness of night
I wish, I wish
Pair after pair of white gloves
Will pass onto you the strength of love

Though separated by the oceans
Praying for you day and night
Drops of sorrowful tears
Piercing my heart
My beloved family of blood
How I desire to heal your wound

I wish, I wish
My prayers every minute, every hour
Will pass onto you the strength of love

Lyrics © Yiping Chao 2020
Music © Kevin Zi-Xiao He 2020

Strength of Love/愛的力量

Kevin Zi-Xiao He is a Chinese-born composer who immigrated to Canada in his mid-teen years. He’s musical output originates from a Chinese cultural background, embodying Eastern musical elements within a Western art music framework. With a particular interest in popular music of East Asia, He seeks to defy boundaries between popular and concert music. His writing often incorporates strong sense of melody and poetic use of tonal harmony that evokes instant emotional response in the audience. Zi-Xiao He has studied composition with Alexander Rapoport,  Ronald Royer and Larysa Kuzmenko. His works have been presented by the Chinese Artists Society of Toronto (CAST) and the Scarborough Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), and performed in the Composers Concerts at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. Having completed a bachelor’s degree with double-majoring in music and architectural design, He currently studies composition in graduate school at the University of Toronto.

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