Supported by Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture and the Taiwan Academy of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Los Angeles, the "Whispers of Trees" music concert launches its first US tour in November 2022. The concert will feature three performances at Benaroya Hall, the Huntington Library, and the Torrance Cultural Arts Center on November 2, 5, and 6, respectively. This collaborative project by Taiwanese composer Hsuan-hung Chou and film director Zhao-yi Wei centers around the theme of trees, incorporating conducted recordings, filming, soundscaping, and music composition in Kaohsiung. It explores the intricate relationships between the environment and living beings, portraying trees as the heart of a collective life community.With creation research supported by the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), “Whispers of Trees” premiered at Weiwuying in 2021. Composer Chou holds a master's degree in film and multimedia scoring from NYU's Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. He is currently the composer-in-residence for the Kaohsiung City Wind Orchestra and the artistic director of Six Arts Music. Director Wei's work focuses on the development of relationships and explores the social dynamics across countries, ethnicities, and species, examining the interactions between humans, objects, places, and the environment.The concert will feature performances by pianist Li-Cheng (Anna) Hung, the Seattle Symphony Quintet, and TaMuLa (Taiwanese Musicians in Los Angeles). Founded by Steve C. Chiu in 2017, TaMuLa comprises Taiwanese musicians who actively perform in Los Angeles. Hung holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in piano performance from the University of Washington and currently serves as a rehearsal pianist and teaching artist at the Seattle Opera.
