Impressions of Chinese Opera (III. Da) by Gene Koshinski

This is the last of a three-movement work called "Impressions of Chinese Opera" by Gene Koshinski. This movement "Da," means "Martial Arts." 'Impressions' was inspired by my study of traditional Chinese percussion music and Beijing opera. The goal of this work was not to represent Chinese Opera, but rather to create a hybrid sound, a true merging of "East" and "West."
Quey Percussion Duo (Gene Koshinski and Tim Broscious) performs LIVE in Weber Music Hall at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
www.genekoshinski.com
www.qpdmusic.com
Video: Marc Hill
Audio: Don Schraufnagel
MALLETS: Innovative Percussion Legacy Series 7A Sticks, IP906 Glock Mallet

[@bingbingbongbong2615]

Totally in sync. Tight. One mind. One purpose. Achieved ! Professionally brilliant.

[@JDNicoll]

Oh God, Yes! The highest compliment I can give to a musician or group of musicians is that when the music is really, really good, I start laughing uncontrollably. That happened twice in this piece. This is high art and I LOVE it!

[@marcimarc203]

Always a great pleasure to come back to one of your masterpieces. This is definetly one of my all time favorite pieces of art (including not only the music but also the playing itsself. How you coordinate two people to work together in a tandem in such precision is just such a blessing to witness). Thank you for your musik.

[@oscargill423]

Koshinski has cemented himself as my favourite percussion composer. The technical spectacle, creativity, and level of engagement in every piece of his never fails to amaze me.

[@genekoshinskimusic]

Thanks for your kind words Oscar!

[@oscargill423]

@@genekoshinskimusic Thanks for your inspiring work!

[@mason11198]

5:09 you know the percussion section has gone too far when they start quarrelling on stage lololll Fantastic work as always Gene, you're truly a percussion legend

[@oscargill423]

Coolest fight scene I've ever seen

[@DaniOrttiz]

Two genius percussionists! Awesome!

[@carloscastenada1]

just when i'm about to give up on the slightest hope for anything innovative, these two badasses show up in my life! so inspirational.

[@torgafyr]

brillantissime !!! énorme bravo au compositeur et aux interprètes :)))

[@anibalmonkeyfranco880]

Genial. Increible la sincronizacion y el trabajo. Felicidades

[@futsanflier4422]

So creative!

[@jcmejiash]

Sensacional hermano, hacia tiempo que no disfrutaba de tanta creatividad y excelencia interpretativa en percusión. FELICIDADES. De donde son ustedes? Yo soy percusionista sinfónico un gran gusto para mi conocerles.

[@tobiasts9281]

Erstklassig !!!

[@secondviewer1384]

:-o

[@GoddamnAxl]

Every time I see artists from other culture take Chinese culture and infuse what their understanding with what they already know and make amazing stuff I feel incredibly shamed. IMO it’s mostly because we Chinese don’t innovate in culture anymore as we are so entitled of the 5000 years of cultural dominance. We refuse to continue improving our own music as we think anything other than what has been done is unorthodox and disrespectful while two foreign musicians here making what amazing modern day Chinese music could have been.

[@genekoshinskimusic]

Patrick, I agree!! I have had many Chinese students (primarily from Beijing and Shanghai) who have studied Western percussion with me for 4 years. Many of them do not know their own traditional music, and if they do, it's only cursory information. From those that do have traditional roots I have learn SO MUCH! I have also spent considerable time in China and learned first hand of the music and culture. But I do agree, there is great importance of preserving the tradition and not so much focus on innovating the tradition. How it was explained to me from my Chinese friends is that there is so much interest in "Westernizing" (whatever that means) that traditional music is preserved by a much smaller group of individuals. This is so unfortunate for the same reasons you mentioned. My piece here was to celebrate the connection between the two art forms (Western percussion with traditional Chinese percussion), not to simply represent Chinese music, just as it says in the score. In fact, there are so many things in the piece that are NOT heard in Chinese Opera and other material from opera that I did not include here. The piece was premiered in Beijing by me along with one of my former students Jianpeng Feng, for whom the piece was written. The work was an immediate success and was even featured on the local news. ;) I hope a little more background to the piece will ease your mind because the Chinese percussion tradition is absolutely amazing!

[@stgjjsam11]

@@genekoshinskimusic I don't think anyone from any culture could do this. When a genius creates an amazing synthesis, with humor, style, sheer unspeakable beauty, moving us to both laughter and tears without a single word, in a universal language that somehow we know, and in homage to a culture, others might look on and ask "why didn't they do it before." But the fact is, there is no precedent for the work of a genius. They can come from any culture. And genius cannot be manufactured. When it arises all we can do is enjoy it and say "Amazing. Unbelievable! Incredible! Or say nothing at all and be swept away, as is the common experience listening to any work from Koshinski....BTW I loved the Chinese warrior battle with the drumsticks!