This work was the composer’s second attempt at painting purple in music. Monet’s Water-Lily Pond, Symphony in Green (1899) was her idea at first. She planned to paint different layers of green in the work as green is a mixture of cool (blue) and warm (yellow) colors. However, she found that green was never her favorite.
Reviewing her first “purple” experience, Ballade “Purple” (2017), which was about her past, she knew that purple is her favorite and decided to make a mature purple work this time. Symphony in Purple applies the same concept on doing green: painting different layers of purple by working on cool (blue) and warm (red) colors.
There are five sections: Purple (Eb Major), Purple Tending Towards Blue (Db Major, Black Key), Red (Tri tone), Purple Tending Towards Blue (Db Major, Black Key) and Purple Tending Towards Red (C Major, White Key).
Instrumentation:
2 Flutes
2 Oboes
2 Clarinets in Bb
2 Bassoons
4 Horns
2 Trumpets in Bb
2 Tenor Trombones
1Bass Trombone
1Tuba
4 Timpani (Ab, Bb, Db, Eb)
1 Percussion (Marimba, Crash Cymbals)
1 Harp
Violin I
Violin II
Viola
Cello
Double Bass
Lok-yan Tsang received her Master’s degree (MMus, Composition) at The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts (HKAPA), under the guidance of Dr. CHEUNG Pui-shan; and Bachelor of Music in Education (Contemporary Music and Performance Pedagogy) from the Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK) in 2018, where she studied composition with Dr. LEUNG Chi-hin; is also the certificate holder of distinction in LRSM in Piano (2016), distinction in Grade 8 Violin of ABRSM (2014), merit in Grade 8 Theory (2012). TSANG is a member of the Composers and Authors Society of Hong Kong Limited (CASH).
Being enthusiastic in composing, TSANG’s works have been performed in Hong Kong, the United States and Costa Rica. TSANG won the third prize at the New Generation 2016, a competition hosted by the Hong Kong Composers’ Guild (HKCG) and RTHK4. Being the Chairlady of EdUHK Composition Society, TSANG is active to join different composition competitions and activities of call-for-scores. TSANG was the champion of Artistic Excellence Award (Composition) from EdUHK in 2017 and 2018. She was one of the three winners of the Tennessee Valley Music Festival – Young Composers’ Forum 2017. Her work, Ballade Purple, was performed by the Huntsville Youth Orchestra and Orquesta Sinfónica del Mar in the summer of 2017. Her composition, Cupid and Psyche, was featured in “Match Making Concert 2018: Emerging Composers x Emerging Performers” organized by HKCG and RTHK4. Tsang has received her recent commissions from Hong Kong Composers’ Guild and Musicus Society. Her choral work, The Lord Will Send His Mercy, was published in The Hong Kong Children’s Choir 50th Anniversary Children’s Choral Songbook in 2018. Recently, TSANG was honored to be selected to take part in the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Composers Scheme 2019/20 presented by Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. [Information provided by the composer]
Website: https://www.lokyan-music.com
Performance materials are available by contacting the composer: