[Pre-Tour Concert]

Yuan’s new saxophone work “Tell” is heading to the International Conference in Europe this summer. Please join us at the pre-tour concert, an hour-long performance with saxophonist Jessica Maxfield, and Yuan playing the piano. We are going to present two solo works by Yuan, and duet by Florent Schmitt and Gregory Wanamaker.

An Unspeakable Tale
– Classical Saxophone in Contemporary Music –

A Concert
by
Dr. Jessica Maxfield (Saxophone) and Yuan-Chen Li (Piano)

May 1st, 2018 (Tue), 4:30 -5:30 PM
Performing Arts Building Room 320, Reed College
Admission is Free and open to the public

         “What is the story?”
“No, I am not supposed to share it with you.”

There are stories that are not supposed to be told. Composer Yuan-Chen Li is trying to capture the expression of the resistance of telling in her recent new composition “Tell” for solo saxophone. Because it is a holy hunting ground, because it is where the spirits of ancestors dance, because of its being so precious … so it can prevent from being invaded. Drawing inspiration from her encounter with Cherokee people, she transforms the Cherokee language into musical expression and imagines a holy site where the Paiwanese people of her Taiwanese homeland can join to dance together.

Commissioned by Saxophonist Jessica Maxfield, the new “Tell” work was recently premiered in National American Saxophone Alliance, and will receive its European premiere in the International Conference in Croatia in 2018 Summer. We will be hearing this piece in the pre–tour recital in Portland, Oregon.

Called “one of the brightest and most accomplished young performer/scholars in today’s contemporary saxophone word,” saxophonist Jessica Maxfield is giving her Portland debut in collaboration with Yuan-Chen Li. The concert showcases her repertory,
such as music by Florent Schmitt (French), Gregory Wanamaker (U.S.), and two works by Yuan-Chen Li (Taiwan).

Come join us a concert encompassing styles of French Impressionism, American jazz, and Taiwanese mysticism!