2019-2022
IN OUR DAUGHTER’S EYES
《以女儿的眼》
Music by Du Yun
Libretto by Michael McQuilken
Produced by Beth Morrison Projects
Developed in collaboration with Nathan Gunn
Duration: 70 mins
First Performance
Los Angeles Opera, April 14 2022
Told through the perspective of a new father, In Our Daughter’s Eyes shows the journey of the protagonist as he wrestles with truly becoming a man that his daughter would be proud of. He imparts passages from the journal he keeps — a gift for his unborn daughter — as the moments of this journey unfold before him. The story traces his wife’s joyful and fraught pregnancy, the legacy of the family’s past, and his personal demons that he vows to vanquish before assuming the role of a father. Along the way, mounting complications take the story through unexpected and sobering turns that test our flawed hero as he discovers a strength of self and purpose that he never imagined possible.
(In Our Daughter’s Eyes is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.)
2017-2020
SWEET LAND
《甜蜜的土地》
Composed by Raven Chacon and Du Yun
Libretto by Aja Couchois Duncan and Douglas Kearney
Directed by Yuval Sharon
Co-Directed and Costume Design by Cannupa Hanska Luger
Produced by The Industry
Duration: Feast Track 60 mins | Train Track 62 mins | Total: 2 hours 2 mins
The Arrivals wash up on the shore. They make contact with another civilization they call “the Hosts.” And from there, the story splinters, following diverging perspectives. Starting as a procession through the LA State Historic Park, Sweet Land becomes an opera that erases itself.
The Industry
Los Angeles Historic State Park, February 29, 2020
2011 / 2015
ANGEL’S BONE
《天使之骨》
Music by Du Yun
Libretto by Royce Vavrek
Duration: 87 mins
Cast: Mrs. X.E. (Mezzo Soprano), Mr. X.E. (Baritone), Boy Angel (Tenor), Girl Angel ( A female punk voice), A choir of 7 people, and male soprano / countertenor
Angel’s Bone tells the story of two fallen angels who are found in a middle-class couple’s garden, who nurture the wounded cherubs back to health only to force them into prostitution to earn back their plucked feathers.
2004 – 2005
ZOLLE
— chamber opera
Music and Text by Du Yun
Duration: 55 mins
Female Voice, Narrator, Tenor, Flute, Clarinet, Percussion, Violin, Viola, ‘Cello, recorded ensemble, and electronics
In Zolle (It., big chunk of earth), a dead woman is a land-watcher. She wanders through the shadowy space between memory and reality, tracing the lines of her identity through the land she once walked: an immigrant in death as in life. In her haunted travels between the worlds of life and the afterlife, she is unable to choose between the living and the dead, at loss to let go of either. Finally, with her sorrows, solitudes, and peacefulness, she lets go of both, turning into a part of the earth.
ZOLLE can be staged with A COCKROACH’S TARANTELLA
The Diptych Set
A Cockroach’s Tarantella: Life-Before
Zolle: Life-After
Total duration: 75 mins
Performance Space 122, New York City, Oct 2005
Soloist(s) & Orchestra
2017-2019
Where We Lost Our Shadows
— A triple concerto for voices, percussion soloist and video
Duration: 30 mins
First Performance January 20, 2019 by the Aurora Orchestra at Southbank Centre, London, UK
Co-Commissioned by the London Southbank Centre, Carnegie Hall, American Composers Orchestra, Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts, Cal-Performances
2018
Thirst
— for Orchestra and two voices
Duration: 25 mins
First Performance February 6, 2019 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic at Walt Disney Hall, Los Angeles, CA
with DiaoQiang Troup singers
Commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association as part of its centennial celebration.
Orchestra
2014
Hundred Heads
《百頭獸》
— for Orchestra
Duration: 16 mins
2+pic.2+ca.2+bcl.2+cbn / 4.3.2+btbn.1 / 3perc / hp.pf(cel) / str
First Performance: June 4, 2014
at Benaroya Hall, Seattle, US
Conductor: Ludovic Morlot
Commissioned by the Seattle Symphony
2012
Kraken
《海壟物獸》
— for Orchestra
Duration: 14 mins
2(afl)+pic.2(kazoo)+ca.2+bcl.2+cbn / 4.3.2+btbn.1 / timp(kazoo).2perc / hp / str (16.14.12.10.8.6)
First Performance: May 10, 2012
at Orchestra Hall, Detroit, US
Conductor: Leonard Slatkin
Commissioned by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra
2007
Hovering
— for Orchestra
Duration: 15 mins
3.3.3.3 / 4.3.2+btbn.1 / timp. 3 perc / hp / str (16.14.12.10.8.6)
First Performance October 2007 at Shanghai Concert Hall, Shanghai, China
Conductor: Zhang Guoyong
Commissioned by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
2013
Slow Portraits
— for Orchestra and video
Duration: 15 mins
First Performance: April 5, 2013 at Carnegie Hall, Zankel
Conductor: George Manahan
Film: Portraits in the Dramatic Time by David Michalek
2011
Mantichora
《食人獸》
— for Large String Orchestra
Duration: 19 mins
First Performance January 20, 2011 at Zellerbach Concert Hall, Berkeley, CA
Conductor: Joana Caneiro
Commissioned by the Berkeley Symphony Orchestra
2004
Impeccable Quake
— for Chamber Orchestra
Duration: 10 mins
First Performance November, 2004 in Montréal, Canada, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne
Conductor: Lorraine Vaillancourt
Ensemble
2020
Every Grass A Spring《草木皆春》
Duration: 4’41”
— for bass bariton, pipa, and sheng
2018
Give Me Back My Fingerprints《我指纹的归还》
Duration: 9’30”
— for violin and a performer
2018
i am my own achilles heel
Duration: 12 mins
— for string quartet
Commissioned by the Brooklyn Rider
First Performance: Brooklyn Rider, 2019
2015
Tattooed in Snow
Duration: 17 mins
— for string quartet
First Performance by the Shanghai Quartet at PEAK Performances, Montclair January 2015
Commissioned by PEAK Performances for the Shanghai Quartet
2015
The Man Who Swallowed A Snake
Duration: 12 mins
— for contrabass soloist, with optional vocal and drum
First Performance by Du Yun and Bearthoven,
The Kitchen, April 2015
2014
Quatrain
Duration: 14 mins
— for oboe, horn, violin guitar, harp, percussion
premiered at Cal Performances, January 2015
Commissioned by the TenFourteen Project conductor: Steven Schick
( San Francisco Contemporary Chamber Players )
2013
Your eyes are not your eyes
Duration: 15 mins
— soprano, ob, vln, gtr, hp,
premiered at South Americas Society, April 2013
Commissioned by the Americas Society
( International Contemporary Ensemble )
2013
10pm, Ixtab
— bassoon and playback
Duration: 4 mins
released on Rebekah Heller’s CD, 100 names. New Focus. June 2013.
( Rebekah Heller )
2012
Keep something broken
Duration: ~14 mins
— fl, ob, tpt, tba, perc, pno,
( Stony Brooke New Ensemble, premiered at Symphony Space 2012 and Stony Brooke )
2012
The Hidden Face
— for cl, erhu, pipa, zheng, violin, cello
Duration: 14 mins
First Performance: Merkin Concert Hall, March 2012
Commissioned by the Ecstatic Music Festival 2012
( Music from the Copland House, and Music from China )
2011
A Few Stops on the N train
— for narrator and string quartet, electronics
Duration: 15 mins
premiered at the Kitchen, March 2011
Commissioned by the 21c Liederabend Festival
( ACME, Du Yun )
2011
Fallen Warriors
— chamber ensemble, electronics
Duration: 14 min
Commissioned by the Metropolis Ensemble
First Performance: Le Poisson Rouge, Jan 2011
2010
A Cockroach’s Tarantella
Duration: 19 mins
— for string quartet and a narrator
Commissioned by the Chamber Music USA
First Performance at Symphony Space, by iO Quartet and Du Yun Feb 2010
2007
dreams-bend
Duration: 3’06”
— for clarinet, violin, ‘cello, and narrator
First Performance at The Tank, NYC, Oct 2007
( New York Minituarist Ensemble)
2007
by… of, Lethean
Duration: 13 mins
— for mixed ensemble (fl, cl, perc, zheng, vln, vla, vc, cb)
First Performance in Münich, Germany, May 2007
( commissioned by the Shanghai New Music Festival, Shanghai New Ensemble )
2006
Air Glow
Duration: 15 mins
— for trumpet ensemble with electronics
Commissioned by the Festival of New Trumpet
First Performance at FONT, NYC, Sep 2006
2003
morsel • eroding
Duration: 8 mins
— for a bass clarinet (doubling E-flat) and a Tam-Tam
First Performance: Stone, New York City, Dec. 2003
( Josh Rubin & David Schotzko )
2002
Vicissitudes No.1
Listen (World Premiere recording by International Contemporary Ensemble)
Duration: 14 mins
— for Clarinet or Alto Saxophone, Cello, Contrabass, Percussion, Piano and a Steel Guitar
First Performance: Harvard, Cambridge, May 2002
( Bang On a Can All-Star )
1999
Avec et’Cetera
Duration: 10 mins
— Duet for Flute and Clarinet (flautist doubling piccolo and alto flute)
First Performance at Avignon, France, July 1999
( Centre Acanthes Music Festival )
1999
Falling
Duration: 20 mins
— for Seven Contra Basses, one Oboe and two PVC Pipes
First Performance: Oberlin College, OH, May 1999
( Oberlin Bass Ensemble & Zheng Huang )
1995
Wu-Tong-Ying
Duration: 8 mins
— duet for Baritone and Piano
First Performance at Shanghai, China, 1993
1990 / 2001
Xi-Feng-Can-Zhao
Duration: 15 mins
— trio for Xiao, Er-Hu and Yang-Qin (three Chinese instruments)
First Performance at Shanghai, China, 1990
(Mao Yu-Long, Ying Ming & Yao Xin-Feng )
Duration: 15 mins
— Version for Violin, Alto Flute and Harp (2001)
First Performance at Oberlin, OH, May 2001
( David Bowlin, Claire Chase & Yinuo Mu )
Solo
2020
The Rest is Our World
Duration: 4 mins
— for harp solo, and voice (optional)
Video premiere: Gillian Benet Sella and Mischa Sella
2018
Under a tree, an Udātta
Duration: 9 mins
— for Violin solo and playback
First recording: David Bowlin Bird As Prophet
2019
2014
An Empty Garlic
Duration: 19 mins
— for Bass Flute and electronics
commissioned by Project&
( Claire Chase, Worldwide tour of Density 2036, part ii )
First Performance at the Kitchen, New York, Oct 2, 2014
( Claire Chase )
2014
The Veronica
Explore the Work | Watch
Duration: 12 mins
— for violoncello solo
commissioned by Matt Haimovitz
( Matt Haimovitz, worlddie tour
the Bach Overture project)
2012
When a Tiger meets a Rosa Rugosa
Explore the Work | Listen
Duration：6 mins
— for Violin solo and piano
Worldwide tour
commissioned by Hilary Hahn, for the encore project
( Hilary Hahn )
2011
The Ocean Within (2011)
Duration: 7 mins
— Harp solo
Emmanuel Ceysson of LA Phil
2008
Run in a Graveyard
Duration: 15 mins
— for bass flute solo and electronics
Commissioned by the Fromm Foundation
written for Claire Chase
2002
San
Duration: 12 mins
— for violoncello solo and electronics
First Performance: Frances-Marie Uitti
(2003)
— version for Percussion solo and electronics
First Performance NYC, April 2003
( David Schotzko )
2001
Zigzaggg (2001)
Duration: 17 mins
— Solo for Contrabass
First Performance in Oberlin, OH, May 2001
( Randall Zigler )
1999 / 1997
Dinosaur Scar
Duration: 9 mins
— version for Alto Saxophone Solo (1999)
First Performance in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Nov 1999
( Dave Reminick )
(1997)
— version for Oboe Solo
First Performance at Oberlin, OH, Nov. 1997
( Zheng Huang )
1997
Permeating
ca. 6’ min
—for Inside Piano and Voice (one performer)
First Performance in Oberlin, OH, Oct.1997
( Du Yun )
1992
Hong-dou-dou (1992)
ca. 9’ min
— Sonata in three Movements for Cello and Piano
First Performance in Shanghai, China, 1992
( Xie Guang-Yu & Du Yun )
1988-1993
16 Piano Etudes and Suites (1988-1993)
Theatre | Stage | Musical
2016-2017
Dim Sum Warrior
《点心侠》
Book by Colin Goh and Yenyen Woo
Music by Du Yun
Lyrics by Colin Goh and Du Yun
Duration: 2 hours (with intermission)
Produced by Shanghai Above Theatre
Opened in Shanghai in August 2017.
TOURED 25 MAJOR CITIES IN CHINA IN SUMMER 2018
2016
Writing in Water – 《水中之书》mandarin
Duration: 2 hours
Credit: composer for Stan Lan’s play, Writing On the Water
Direction by: Stan Lai 赖声川
Shanghai Above Theatre, Shanghai, China, May 2016
2012
Kung Fu
Duration: 2 hours
Credit: composer for David Henry Hwang’s play, KungFu
Direction by: Leigh Silverman
Signature Theatre, New York City, Feb -March 2013
2011
Cihu, Assassinating the Tiger General
ca. 30’ min
— revamping the Kunqu Opera
Oct 2011, Asia Society, NYC
( Qian Yi and Du Yun Quartet )
2011
Sound design for Portraits in Dramatic Times
ca. 3 hr
— Sound design, David Michalek’s forty short films projected outdoors.
Lincoln Center Festival 2011, Façade of David Koch Theatre, July 5th 2011-July 2011
2008
Mutant Nomads
Duration: 20 mins
— for dance
Park Avenue Armory
NYC Nov 2008
( Moving Theatre )
2008
I have been to Hiroshima, Mon Amour
Duration: 1 hour 30 mins
— for a Play
( playwright: Chiori Miyagawa; director: Jean Wagner; based on Maguerite Duras’ 1959 screenplay Hiroshima mon amour)
( co-comissioned by Voice & Vision Theater and Jamaica Arts Center of New York City )
Installation | Performance | Sound
2017
How Are You doing,
the past that is around the corner
《调腔调》
— Featuring Diaoqiang Opera Troupe
First Performance: Shanghai Symphony Hall, Chamber Hall
October 2017
2017
How are you doing,
the future that has never left
《你还好么，久违的未来》
— Featuring Shanghai Opera Amateur performers
A Collaboration with Thomas Tsang
Commissioned by the Shanghai Project 2017
First Performance: Shanghai Himalayas Center, April 2017
2017
Disruption As Rapture
— music for Video Installation, 7.1 surround collaboration with visual artist Shahzia Sikander
2013
Simurgh
— Sound Installation, 16-channels with 32-speakers
2013
Pivot, with Shahzia Sikander
— 3 channel HD animation, 5760×1080 pixels, 24p. 5.1 surround sound, 15:40 min
2013
Parallax
— Music for 3-channel video and 5.1 surround sound, Animation by Shahzia Sikander
First Shown: at Sharjah Biennial, United Arab Emirate
2013
Parallax, performance
— 3-channel video and 5.1 surround sound with Shahzia Sikander
Performed live at the opening of Sharjah Biennial 2013, featuring the Emirati poets Abdullah Al Hedeyeh, Shaikha Al Mutairi, the Palestani poet Hamsa Younis, and the shehhnai player, Mohamed Lashkuri
2012
Run
— Performance art, with Claire Chase
commissioned by the Guangzhou 2012 International Art Triennial Guangzhou Opera House, Sep 28th, 2012 travels to the Guangdong Art Museum
Sep 28th through Dec 2012
2012
Interstitial
ca. 12’ min
— for a video
collaboration with visual artist Shahzia Sikander
2010
The Last Post
— music for Video Installation, collaboration with visual artist Shahzia Sikander
( commissioned by the Shanghai Rockbund Art Museum, exhibition: By Day By Night, Shanghai Rockbund Art Museum Oct 2010-Jan 2011; Tokyo Contemporary Art Museum, San Francisco Art Institute March 2011 – May 2011 )
2010
Gossamer
— for Video Installation, collaboration with visual artist Shahzia Sikander
( commissioned by the Shanghai Rockbund Art Museum, exhibition: By Day By Night, Shanghai Rockbund Art Museum Oct 2010-Jan 2011; Tokyo Contemporary Art Museum, San Francisco Art Institute March 2011 – May 2011 )
2009
Music for Alice Guy Blache
Duration: 30 mins
— scored for three silent films: Madamme a des Envoy, Sage de Femme and The Thief
for Alice Guy-Blache’s retrospective at the Whitney Museum of American Art
premiered at the Crossing the Line Festival, Florence Gould Hall, FIAF, and screened at the Whitney Museum of Art, Oct 2009 through Jan 2010
commissioned by the Whitney Museum Live
Band
(2006-2009)
Shark in You, LP
— a pop album released in 2011, on New Focus.
Texts
2018
Du Yun Composer Portrait at Miller Theatre
written by Lara Pellegrinelli
Miller Theatre commissioned writer Lara Pellegrinelli to create this season’s Composer Portraits program notes, featuring a snapshot of each composer in words through exploration of the many possible meanings of the term “practice.”
(Works covered: An Empty Garlic, Ixtab 10 pm, Dinosaur Scar, Under a Tree, an Udātta, Zinc Oxide, Air Glow, Vicissitudes No.1, Impeccable Quake)
2020
Du Yun Keynote: “The Multiplicities of Our Bloodlines”
The symposium “Curating Diversity in Europe”, which can be attended both on- and offline, offers a platform for keeping the discourse on diversity in contemporary music in Europe alive, developing potentials for transformation during a time of limited international encounters and swelling nationalistic currents. The focus of the symposium is on processes and profiles of curating that critically question power structures and Eurocentric patterns of thought, to implement political, collective or participatory strategies in the curatorial decision-making process.
