Time taken : >15mins
A Dust in Time: Passacaglia for Strings is an uninterrupted musical meditation that is structured like a Tibetan sand mandala, a pulsating journey originating from an essential central point and expanding into a colourful fullness, then returning to its essence. Running for 60 minutes to symbolise the cycle of the hour, a spiritual cycle of life is completed, travelling from emptiness to fullness and back.
For those who have been affected by the global pandemic, wherein time and space seemed to have frozen, A Dust in Time: Passacaglia for Strings provides a space for reflection, for expression, for healing, and for hope. After touring China, the US, UK and Netherlands, this special work written by Huang Ruo—a composer lauded by The New York Times for having “a distinctive style”—made its Singapore debut at the Esplanade Concert Hall as part of Esplanade's Huayi – Chinese Festival of Arts in 2021.
This concert was performed by classical music talents from two Singapore string ensembles: re: mix, led by violinist Foo Say Ming, and the Asian Cultural Symphony Orchestra (ACSO) String Ensemble, led by conductor Adrian Chiang. Each ensemble presented their unique interpretation of Huang Ruo’s piece in their respective shows. Both performances have been released as delayed broadcasts below.
re: mix is an ensemble of classically trained musicians led by violinist Foo Say Ming. The ensemble recognises that classical music is in need of critical transformation in order to have contemporary relevance, and believes that the genre must be taken beyond its traditional boundaries and engage with other disciplines such as film, architecture and philosophy. In the process, it should not only become testimony to what emerges from these interactions, but also contribute new ways of thinking to other disciplines. Since its inception, re: mix has commissioned and premiered works by prominent local composers such as Kelly Tang and the late Iskandar Ismail. Outside its own projects and charity events, re: mix also performs locally and in the region, from Malaysia and Thailand to Indonesia and Hong Kong.
The Asian Cultural Symphony Orchestra was founded in 2016 with the aim of championing Asian cultural symphonic music beyond melodic and instrumental pastiches, and celebrating them with equal regard as their Western counterparts. Based in Singapore, the orchestra also seeks to serve as a platform to showcase Singapore artists through their performances and compositions. The ACSO is the premier ensemble of Geylang Serai Community Club.
Composer Huang Ruo has a vibrant and inventive musical voice that draws inspiration from myriad sources, from Chinese ancient and folk music to rock, jazz, noise and Western avant-garde styles. Utilising a compositional technique he calls “dimensionalism”, the Hainan-born, Juilliard-trained composer and pianist seamlessly integrates his many influences into diverse compositional works for orchestra, opera, theatre, dance, multimedia installations, and more.
Huang Ruo’s music has been performed by renowned orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra and London Sinfonietta, as well as by conductors such as Wolfgang Sawallisch, Marin Alsop, Andrew Davis, Michael Tilson Thomas and James Conlon. Some of his notable operas include An American Soldier, the installation opera Paradise Interrupted and Dr Sun Yat-Sen. His powerful M. Butterfly premiered at the Santa Fe Opera festival in 2022.
Huang Ruo also served as the first composer-in-residence for Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam and was a visiting composer at the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra in Brazil.
He is currently a composition faculty member at the Mannes School of Music in New York, and the artistic director and conductor of Ensemble FIRE. He was selected as a Young Leader Fellow by the National Committee on United States-China Relations in 2006.
