FEBRUARY 13 - 28
FESTIVAL SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE: The State of the Arts in China

Pan-Asian Music Festival visiting composers and artists discuss the state of music and the arts in their respective countries .

Lectures and Film Screening:
2:00 p .m . Ñ Yinam Leef ÒArt Music in Israel TodayÓ Israel, a country in the Western Asian Levant on the southeastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, borders Lebanon to the north, Syria and Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the southwest . Modern Israeli music is heavily influenced by its constituents, including Jewish immigrants from more than 120 countries around the world who have brought their own musical traditions, making Israel a global melting pot . This is where composer Yinam Leef grew up, where East meets West, old and new coexist, and local and universal aesthetics are apparent at a change of glance . In this lecture, Mr . Leef will present and discuss art music that has been written in Israel lately, by various composers representing different approaches, styles, and influences . 3:00 p .m . Ñ Mohsen Namjoo ÒPersian Poetry, Persian Music, and the Aesthetic SynergyÓ In contemporary Iran today, the real music business is underground, and Mohsen Namjoo is one of the most important of the underground musicians . Born in 1976 to a traditional Iranian family, he grew up in the city of Mashhad, where he was sent to a vocal class organized by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance . Much later, he began recording his own compositions as a solo artist . He writes poetry with a unique modernist flair . In his trademark style, he sometimes uses satirical lyrics and blends them with the Classical poetry of Hafez, Rumi, and Saadi . His mixing of traditional Persian music with jazz and blues has earned him the reputation of ÒIranÕs most controversial musician .Ó In this lecture, Mohsen will discuss his own music, as well as the music and politics in todayÕs Iran . 4:00 p .m . Ñ Torang Abedian ÒNot an IllusionÓ After the Iranian Revolution, women were banned from singing solo before general audiences . The Iranian filmmaker Torang Abedian will present a preview screening of her new documentary, Not an Illusion . This film follows the life of a female musician in Tehran and gives viewers a glimpse of the challenges she faces in trying to achieve her dream and make sure that it is not an illusion . This is a preview; the world premiere will be held in Berlin in March of 2009 .

Tuesday, April 22, 7:00 p.m.

From the Traditional to the Extreme: Chinese Operas and Performance Art

Sheldon Lu and Catherine Swatek, presenters
Professor Ban Wang, moderator

Campbell Recital Hall, free

Catherine Swatek, Chinese opera specialist and associate professor in the Department of East Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia, discusses the history of opera in China and the ever-evolving face of the genre. In a multimedia presentation focusing on avante-garde art in Contemporary China, Sheldon Lu gives audiences a chance to see what "body artists" and other forward-looking performers are producing. Dr. Lu is on the faculty at University of California Davis in the Department of Eastern Languages and Cultures.

Monday, April 28, 7:00 p.m.

From Classical to Rock 'n Roll: Western Music in China

Sheila Melvin and Andrew Jones, presenters; Jin Xing, special guest

Campbell Recital Hall, free

Sheila Melvin, co-author of Rhapsody in Red: How Western Classical Music Became Chinese, joins with Andrew Jones, UC Berkeley faculty member and Chinese popular culture expert to explore the West's influence on Chinese music, and China's influence on the global cultural scene. Chinese contemporary dancer Jin Xing makes a special appearance to discuss her take on the arts in China today and discuss her experience as a successful artist living and working in Shanghai.

Friday, May 2, 8:00 p.m.

Xianghua Buddhist Religious Ceremony Lecture and Demonstration

Campbell Auditorium, free

Dr. Wang Kui from the Music Institute at the Academy of Arts in China gives a history and explanation of the music that is tied to Buddhist religious ceremonies of the Guangdong Province. Dr. Kui spent a year living among the Xianghua monks and nuns, and he explains the music's chanting, singing, drumming and movement, as well as the symbolism of the way things are staged, the traditional dress, and the use of various texts. The Xianghua Buddhist monks and nuns will be present to demonstrate.

FILM SCREENINGS AND DISCUSSION:

Wednesday, April 23, 7:00 p.m.

Colonel Jin Xing: A Unique Destiny

Documentary screening and discussion with the artist

Cubberley Auditorium; free

Filmmaker Sylvie Levey's Colonel Jin Xing: A Unique Destiny chronicles the life and career of one of China's most unique and beloved contemporary dancers. Until 1995, this contemporary dancer was a man, a colonel in the Peoples' Army. She battled the Chinese government to allow her to have a sex change operation, the first ever in China, and the film follows her journey to overcome the many obstacles in becoming the person she is today - respected dancer, wife, and mother of three. Sheila Melvin, contemporary Chinese culture journalist and co-author of Rhapsody in Red: How Western Classical Music Became Chinese, introduces Jin Xing and discusses her influence on contemporary dance in China and on the international dance scene. Jin Xing takes the stage to discuss her art and the cultural scene in China today.

Saturday, April 26, 2:30 p.m.

Composer Alive: Eastern Expressions

Documentary screening and performance

Dinkelspiel Auditorium; free

Composer Alive: Eastern Expressions is a documentary that explores the creation of new music through a unique collaboration that happened between Chicago Music Ensemble Accessible Contemporary Music and famed Beijing composer Xiaogang Ye. The film takes the viewer through the creative process and pulls back the curtains from the closely guarded world of rehearsals, first drafts, and daily struggles. From Xiaogang Ye's first inspirations for the composition to a musician having a baby born the day of a concert, Composer Alive presents the human face of classical music. After the screening, a panel that includes the producer, filmmaker, and musicians involved in the project discusses the project and takes questions from the audience. Closing the event is a performance of the composition created as a result of the collaboration