Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music marked the beginning of its 50th anniversary celebrations with the Oct. 16 world premiere of “Birds Are Real; Ambushed From Ten Directions.” The piece, a dynamic blend of music, light and shadow puppetry, was composed by Shih-Hui Chen, professor of composition and theory at the Shepherd School. It was the first of seven new commissions set to debut throughout the anniversary season.
“The first class matriculated at the Shepherd School in 1975, so we’re focused on celebrating the Shepherd School’s many accomplishments over the years,” said Dean Matthew Loden. “Our faculty musicians and artists are extraordinary, and they draw talent from around the world to the Rice campus.”
The evening began with a guided birdwatching tour led by Cin-Ty Lee, the Harry Carothers Wiess Professor of Geology and professor of Earth, environmental and planetary sciences, who provided birdsong recordings, images and texts for Chen as she composed the piece.
“One of the things that was exciting about what the Office of Research allowed us to do through various generous grants was to equate research to creative practice,” Loden said. “Through that generosity, we’ve been able to have a whole host of these kinds of programs come to life that otherwise wouldn’t have.”
Chen’s “Birds Are Real” drew inspiration from the satirical conspiracy theory “Birds Aren’t Real” and the traditional Chinese piece “Ambush from Ten Directions,” exploring the theme of modern cognitive warfare. The performance featured faculty members Brian Connelly on piano and Matthew Strauss on percussion and was followed by the Tung-Hua Shadow Puppet Theater.
“Over the past 50 years, the Shepherd School has earned a stellar reputation for nurturing exceptional talent, and I’m deeply honored to have composed a piece for this milestone anniversary,” Chen said. “Working with the talented, curious and hard-working students here is a privilege that continually inspires me.”
Learn more about the Shepherd School’s 50th anniversary celebrations here.
