As Vancouverites become discouraged watching the news, musicians seek to strike an inner chord of resilience. Turning Point Ensemble (TPE) presents Concerti Premiere —featuring three world premieres and one North American premiere— Feb 21 and 22 at The Annex (823 Seymour St.). 

The line-up includes Taiwanese American composer Chihchun Chi-sun Lee’s “Morning Twilight” (world premiere) and Canadian composer Michael Pepa’s “Musical Offering No. 2 ‘Golani’” (North American premiere).

Written with TPE bassoonist Ingrid Chiang in mind, Lee’s piece (five movements and two interludes) reflects on Chiang’s resilience in the face of cancer—moving from darkness to the appearance of light. 

“It’s dark, but something is going on and we don’t know what is coming up,” Lee describes.

From darkness to light 

Each section in Morning Twilight is about atmosphere, adds Lee. Her composition begins by depicting the “chaos of the dark night”—as the bassoon starts with an “air tone,” then moves to a “pitched chord.” 

“I have also used multiphonics that build up from the lowest registers of the bassoon,” Lee adds of the piece which draws on astronomical imagery.

A later section reflects on the mutation of cells. The composer envisions the ensemble and Chiang, as the soloist, “fighting each other” in the music—a scene that parallels the fight between good and bad cells. 

Lee even added the phrase, “It’s shouting!” to the composition’s side notes, indicating the frustrations of cancer survivors. 

“Going through the third movement, it’s a bit lighter,” Lee explains. “I write, ‘It’s good news or bad news,’ if the treatment goes well, that’s great, but going through treatment is always very harmful.” 

Morning Twilight’s fourth movement has what Lee sees as “a big twist”: It becomes jazzy. Rather than an “easy, breezy” jazz, the composer intended a dark jazz—one that draws attention to the remaining darkness. 

With the final movement taking a lighter turn, Lee sees it as offering hope. 

“It’s not like everything is overturned, and it’s all perfect,” she says. “We can see the sunlight…and we’re still working on it.” 

The piece also has a parallel narrative: the rise of Taiwan’s international prominence. The composer feels her work is rooted in her distinct Taiwanese background—one that is becoming more visible on the international stage. 

“Even though [each movement] is individual, they are all connected—that’s the fun part,” Lee reflects. “To write this piece to reflect about my lifetime up to today, as a Taiwanese [person], it’s a very touching feeling.” 

A musical collage 

Pepa’s piece begins with manipulating the B.A.C.H motif. The third movement of “Musical Offering No. 2 ‘Golani’” was composed as a “collage,” connecting melodies from three different sources: a Ukrainian folk song, a Serbian folk song and The Art of The Fugue.

“B.A.C.H [is a] well known four note motif: I found out that the Ukrainian folk song has almost the same motif,” the composer recalls, adding the Serbian melody—Kolika je Nočca—shares a similar tune. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard it.”

Pepa’s second movement features an old Ukrainian folk melody, Plyve Kacha Po Tysyni (“The Duck Swims Down The Tissina”). This decision was a tribute to the composer’s Ukrainian friends and colleagues.

“It is interesting that this old folk tune, painting a lone duck floating down the river, recalls the peaceful times of the Ukrainian landscape,” Pepa adds. 

Pepa set the tune to include “periodic interruptions” by the orchestra’s drums. He sees this music as “symbolic” of the ongoing tragedy. 

As its title suggests, the piece was written with world-renowned violist Rivka Golani in mind. Golani is widely recognized for her contributions to advancing viola techniques. 

Pepa recalls an emotional audience during their 2023 European performance.

“They felt the symbolic unity and support for the Ukrainian people,” the composer shares. “I believe Canadian audiences will feel the same.” 

Pepa titled the second movement an “Interlude,” expressing his hope that the present situation in Ukraine will “turn out to be a brief interlude.”

The concert will also feature TPE artistic director Owen Underhill’s “Concerto for Viola – Rivka” and Vancouver composer Eldritch Priest’s “Sauntersludge.”

For more information, see https://turningpointensemble.ca/.