STRINGS CALLIGRAPHY (2000)
Choreography: Lily Cai
Music: Gang Situ
Lighting & Set Design: Matthew Antaky

Strings Calligraphy draws inspiration from the intersection of strings music and the Chinese art of calligraphy, examining the parallels between the two -- from the control of the violin or erhu bow and the calligraphy paint brush to musical renderings and the motion or flow of calligraphy on paper. The uses of shape and lines are explored both musically and visually in

a performance that interweaves dance, music and projected visual imagery, blending Chinese and Western music in fervent original strokes.

PRESS QUOTES

• “Indeed, Situ’s compositions have been described as reflecting a Chinese-American music vocabulary, which is non-traditional, yet modern and embracing of a melodic aesthetic...Situ’s Strings Calligraphy is no simple work, but a multi-media, multi-ethnic mix of performing and visual arts.”
~ Blair Tindall, Contra Costa Times

• “Situ’s work is considered reflective of his integration of his classical music experiences in the Bay Area with qualities inherent in both Eastern and Western musical traditions.”
~ Cheryl North, San Mateo Times