Kangyi Zhang's compositions and flute performances

Kangyi Zhang

A reading of my piece 'Unit 731 - The Museum and the Survivors' by the UCLA Philharmonia

Unit 731 - The Museum and the Survivors (UCLA Philharmonia Reading 05.22.14)

Carlos Gardels (pianist) Kangyi Zhang (composer)
This is a pre-concert rehearsal recording.
19th May 2015, Schoenberg Hall, UCLA, Los Angeles

Everyone I know remembers the exact thing they were doing when the September 11th attacks occurred. This is a watershed in US history and the stories of my generation. Suddenly, the military might of America becomes powerless when faced with attacks from within. On the 11th September 2001, terrorists simultaneously hijacked four planes and crashed into the World Trade Center, Shanksville Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon, causing a death toll close to 3000.  

2nd movement – The Aftermath
In ‘Lamenting amidst falling ashes’, I recall Ground Zero as being shrouded in ashes while survivors and rescue workers appeared. Away from the city, I also visualize the vast open space at Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the spirits of the innocents soared up to heaven. 

‘Remembering the heroes’ is a tribute to the 403 firefighters, police officers and Port Authority officers who rushed into the burning towers while everyone was rushing out. Three old American songs – ‘Shenandoah’, ‘Shall We Gather at the River’ and ‘America the Beautiful’ - are now finally presented in a more transparent manner. Listen carefully to the more deeply embedded ‘America, the Beautiful’.

Coincidentally, a day before I finished the piece (15th May ’14), President Obama dedicated the National September 11th Memorial and Museum. I would like to thank Prof Ian Krouse for his guidance in this piece.

Threnody for Victims of Sept 11th - 2. The Aftermath

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmcieL_zZ6o

The 3rd Edition of Orient/Occident 2015 Composers Competition
-Special Mention Winner

During WWII, Unit 731 was a covert biological and chemical warfare research unit of the Imperial Japanese Army, located in Harbin, China. Together with affiliated units throughout Asia, these units saw the most horrendous prisoner experiments conducted in a systematic manner.

During the war, ceramic shells with fleas were dropped randomly onto surrounding villages to spread the bubonic plague. After the war, Unit 731 freed thousands of infected rats that caused widespread plague in 22 counties of Heilungchiang and Kirin provinces. This work commemorates the victims and the survivors. This movement is in 3 sections. ‘The survivors overcome grief and loss’ - The first three notes G-D#-C represent Unit 731. Other units which are represented are: 8604 (Guangzhou), 1855 (Beijing), 9420 (Singapore) and 1644 (Nanjing). ‘The survivors  congregate for hope and peace’ - Disparate melodic lines eventually come together with the flute and violin playing in unison. Here, I see the survivors gathering to spread an important unified message to the world. ‘The museum retains fragments of memories for future generations’ - Previous materials return and generate a feeling of everlasting impact.


Unit 731 - The Museum and the Survivors (Trio version) - Kangyi Zhang

Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJWxK-r5d-c

Kangyi Zhang (Composer and Flutist)
26th Feb 2014
Graduate Composers Recital
Jan Popper Theater
Schoenberg Music Building, UCLA

My first inspiration for this piece came after watching 'Failing - A very difficult piece for solo string bass' by Tom Johnson. I have also been deeply enlightened by TED talks by Benjamin Zander and Michael Tilson Thomas. Hence, I thought I should write a piece which would be a young person's guide to the flute.

Section A demonstrates double tonguing on the high register of the flute. You will also hear a common technique called flutter tonguing.

Section B presents a Chinese folk-like melody using the middle register of the flute.

Section C explores the low register of the flute. The speech is directly taken from Al Pacino's inspirational speech in 'Any Given Sunday'.

Section D talks about quarter tones, trills and tremolos, lip and finger glissando. Harmonics occur when you overblow a fundamental note.

Section E explores key clicks, Aeolian (air) sound and tongue pizzicato (beatbox). Two techniques - tongue ram and jet whistle -- are done by tonguing or blowing into the tone hole.

Section F demonstrates the production of multiple sounds at once. You will hear octave multiphonics, distorted multiphonics, fingered multiphonics and singing-while-playing. The words 'Qui, Va, La' are the exact words from a famous piece -- Toru Takemitsu's 'Voice'.

Section G illustrates the versatility of the Western concert flute in playing different genres of music. I personally have been very inspired by the rock flutist Ian Anderson. The Japanese portion is reminiscent of shakuhachi playing. In a trip to Argentina, I was very impressed by the tango culture in Buenos Aires. Hence, I wrote in a style similar to Piazzolla flute masterworks. 


TED Talk - Variations on a Theme by Mozart (Kangyi Zhang)

During WWII, Unit 731 was a covert biological and chemical warfare research unit of the Imperial Japanese Army, located in Harbin, China. Together with affiliated units throughout Asia, these units saw the most horrendous prisoner experiments conducted in a systematic manner. 

1. Fear: Walking Through the Gate of Inferno

Under the watchful eyes of the Japanese troops, the prisoners alight from the trains and enter the gates. No one dares to snatch a glimpse at the soldiers. Beginning with the piano and then all instruments, bolts of notes strike through the texture to represent intimidation and the hitting of rifle butts on prisoners. 
Towards the end of the movement, the pianist plucks out a fragment of a melody which will be the opening sounds for the violin in the second movement. The movement ends with the closing of the gate - the sealing of the fate of these prisoners.

2. Pain: Scratches on Walls and Tables

A victim is led from the prison cell to the experiment room. Key clicks and bow flicks mark the point when the victim finally arrives. His heartbeat races as he is being tied onto a table. A knife enters. He screams, writhes in pain and constantly scratches the table with his fingernails.
Chemical weapon tests were done in gas chambers and when the war ended, all the remaining prisoners were gassed. The soldiers (musicians) shout ‘3,2,1’ in Japanese to mark the start of the gassing process. The section ends with the collapse of the victims, marked by a heavy piano chord. The final section depicts the last moments of all these victims. Coughing and blood dripping sounds are heard above the violin melodic fragment which started the movement.

3. Remorse and Sorrow: The Walk Back in Time

My first inspiration for this movement came from Penderecki’s Prelude for clarinet solo. After 60 years, Yoshio Shinozuka returns to the site of his crimes. Against harsh criticism from his peers, he testified the horrific events as the Chinese families sued the Japanese government for compensation. The piece begins with the violin and the flute playing melodies based on two scales which are half-step apart (B and Bb). This half step relationship will serve as a fundamental material for the entire movement.
Later, the piano recalls the same plucking tune heard in the first movement, but with some variation.  As Shinozuka walks the complex, familiar scenes create reflections just like the reverberations of the piano strings caused by the flute and violin.

4. Hope: The Museum and the Survivors

During the war, ceramic shells with fleas were dropped randomly onto surrounding villages to spread the bubonic plague. After the war, Unit 731 released thousands of infected rats that caused widespread plague in 22 counties of Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces. 
This movement is in 3 sections. ‘The survivors overcome grief and loss’ - The first three notes G-D#-C represent Unit 731. Other units which are represented are: 8604 (Guangzhou), 1855 (Beijing), 9420 (Singapore) and 1644 (Nanjing). ‘The survivors congregate for hope and peace’ - Disparate melodic lines eventually come together with the flute and violin playing in unison. Here, I see the survivors gathering to spread an important unified message to the world. ‘The museum retains fragments of memories for future generations’ - Previous materials return and generate a feeling of everlasting impact.



Unit 731 (4 Movements) by Kangyi Zhang

Kangyi has performed on various stages in Singapore, Malaysia and the United States. As a composer, his music are often programmatic and based on personal life and experiences. He also aims to raise public awareness on important historical events. 

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