Earmark / Alison Yun-Fei Jiang

Back in the summer, we chatted with one of our new Associate Composer Members, Alison Yun-Fei Jiang. We have had the pleasure of working with Alison before, in particular through her involvement in the TSO Explore the Score program. In the past year she has embarked on the intensive career and creative development experience, Carrefour, with the National Arts Centre, while continuing to advance her teaching and writing more generally. She shares some insights into her musical past and present below.

CMC: How have you been adapting to the pandemic?

Alison Yun-Fei Jiang: I have been adapting to the pandemic by grounding myself with a routine of taking walks three times a day, birdwatching, and paying attention to some small things around my neighborhood (in North York, Toronto), such as changes in leaves’ colors, the napping routine of a neighbor’s cat, etc. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have been composing, attending remote classes, teaching, and researching at home.

I have taken some time to reflect on my role as an artist and what I could possibly do to connect with a post-pandemic general audience. As a result of my reflection, I am writing more tonal and perhaps more “direct” music recently: I have used pentatonicism and key signatures (!!!) in my most recent writing. I have also taught music appreciation classes and composition lessons to students who are not music majors; it has been quite rewarding and fun.

CMC: What got you excited about music at a young age?

AYFJ: As a kid growing up playing the piano in China, classical piano music by Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, and others got me excited about music initially. I was also really into the southern Chinese opera that my grandmother constantly played on TV in our household. Another exciting musical genre for me at a young age was film and animation music: I loved watching Hollywood movies and Japanese animations, and was excited about scores by composers such as John Williams and Joe Hisaishi.

CMC: What is an important music concert/event you attended?

AYFJ: X Japan’s live concert at Madison Square Garden, New York.

CMC: What have you been listening to lately?

AYFJ: A song I listened to recently is If I Was by VNV Nation, a German-based electronic band. A student presented this song in my music appreciation class as her favorite piece of music to share. I find the song’s lyrics inspiring and uplifting for this difficult time.

CMC: What is a significant insight that a mentor shared with you that has guided your practice?

AYFJ: Nils Vigeland, the former chair of composition at my undergraduate school (Manhattan School of Music) told me that one has to truly believe in the art form (music, or new music) in order to keep going as a composer and a musician. His insight has guided my practice.

CMC: Tell us about a project or work of yours that you are particularly proud of.

AYFJ: I am proud of River Memory, my orchestral work written for the National Youth Orchestra of Canada in 2018. The work uses the Niagara Falls, flowing waters, and rivers as initial sources of inspirations. It is a metaphoric narrative and a personal reflection on human transformation as part of the immigration and diasporic experience.