Bridging East and West

What does it mean to be a global composer? Chen Yi, the Lorena Searcy Cravens/Millsap/Missouri Distinguished Professor of Composition at the University of Missouri – Kansas City, will address this question in a public talk at Grinnell College on Tuesday, Sept. 13.

The talk, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Rethinking Global Cultures series of events sponsored by the Center for the Humanities. The talk will start at 7:30 p.m. in Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, Room 152.

A prolific composer, Chen draws on both Chinese and Western traditions, composing works that transcend national, regional, and cultural boundaries as well as genres. From Chinese Rap, Thinking of My Home, and We are America to her compositions on the Grammy Award-winning Colors of Love, Chen's work reflects the wonder of what cultural transfer and exchange make possible.

Born in 1953 in Guangzhou, China, Chen was the first woman to earn a M.A. in music composition from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China, before coming to the United States to finish her schooling at Columbia University in New York City. She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts from Columbia in 1993.

Her music has been commissioned and performed worldwide by Yo-Yo Ma, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and BBC Proms, among others. She is the recipient of many awards, fellowship,s and commissions, including the Charles Ives Living Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. She was introduced into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2005.

There will be a faculty performance of Chen's compositions immediately following her talk. The performance will feature the following Grinnell College faculty members: Claudia Anderson, flute; Eugene Gaub, piano; and Nancy McFarland, violin.

Grinnell College welcomes the participation of people with disabilities. Accommodations requests may be made to Conference Operations, 641-269-3235.