A.  Odyssey I creates a sense of traveling through a surreal landscape.  When Benjamin Lees lived in France in the '50's he knew several surreal artists and their work influenced his music.  This piece generates a sense of dark and light and is driven by constant change, morphing and shock influence.

Q.  Where does your program take us next?

A.  I have selected a lovely piece by John Cage entitled Dream to take us out of the shock of the surrealists and into a different place.  This piece is closely connected to dance music of the late 40's.  It will be followed by Elegie, Debussy's last piece for the piano written in 1915.  These two pieces offer a short respite between the intensity of Odyssey I and Odyssey II.

Q.  Piano Study No. 3 was written for you by Korean composer Hyo-Shin Na and you will give it a world premiere performance.  Tell us about this piece.

A.  Piano Study No. 3 is a beautiful piece based on a Norwegian folk tune.  It begins with fragments of the tune that are unrecognizable and gradually become more and more present.  It is a physically demanding piece and the composer has incorporated new techniques that she has never used before.  In a stunning way, the tune is made to sound like a traditional Korean instrument.

Q.  Composer Yuji Takahashi and artist Taekko Tomiyama collaborated to create Kwangju, a piece performed with projections of paintings in memoriam of the massacre in Kwangju, South Korea.  Tell us about this piece.

A.  Kwangju is an artistic statement of the massacre of Kwangju in May, 1980.  The music and paintings tell the story of those tragic events and awaken in us an awareness of what did happen, what can happen and what might happen.  The music is syncronized with the paintings and at times it is biting, creating a sense of armies marching, and at other times it is quiet, conveying a feeling of hope and inner peace.  The feeling of the piece is best described by the following narrative that is intregal to the performance:

A great deal of young blood was shed on the streets.
Birds eried and barley wept.
However, the spirit of the deal in Kwangju seemed to become raindrops.
These raindrops will wet dry minds, and eventually bring up new seed,
to put forth buds someday in the future.
Furthermore, those raindrops will also eventually crush solid stone.

Q.  Takahashi also wrote Chained Hands in Prayer.

A.  Chained Hands in Prayer was inspired by the works of poet Kim Chi who was jailed for his writings.  It offers a benediction to bring people together in hope and healing.  As we heal from the events of 9/11, in this year when Easter and Passover fall together, Chained Hands in Prayer offers consolation in the present and hope for the future.

Q.  In what way is this program your Personal Journey?