Reigning Over the Waves
(wind band 2007) [6'11"]

This piece was world-premiered at the Kaohsiung Culture Center in Taiwan on January 6, 2007. It was performed by the Navy Band, with Prof. Lian-Chang Kuo conducting.

Program notes

This music is consisted of three sections: 1) Impending Danger, 2) Voyage Through Troubled Waters, and 3) Strength and Spirits. It describes the journey of a Naval battleship breaking away from dangerous circumstances and navigating through challenging encounters. The music concludes with brass instruments and drums in concert, symbolizing the victorious return of the battleship with strength and spirits.

The first section is an attempt of the composer to capture the feelings of unease and unpredictability. Using modern composition skills, unconventional performing techniques and experimental combinations of instruments, an atmosphere is created for the audience to experience the capricious and unstable emotion. It exhibits a devious, mysterious, and furtive style. The interaction among tone, dynamics and texture achieves a dramaturgic musical tension. The musical structure in this section is based on kinetic connection of a serious of static notes. By contrast, the second and third sections are based on relations and transitions among the different keys. The melody unleashes swiftly, without sharp contrast, without hindrance. The mutual complement between brass and percussion opens a broad scene of excitement and enthusiasm. Converging to a rhythmic and vivid mood, the music ends with high spirits and full of self-confidence.

This music was a commissioned work for the Navy Band of the Republic of China in 2007.