Pianist: Melissa Evans Tierra
Actor: Yifan Guo
Conductor: Steven Schick
Palimpsest Ensemble (flutist Anita Chandavarkar, clarinetist Grace Talaski, violinist Myra Hinrichs, cellist Robert Bui, bassist Andrew Crapitto, and percussionist Camilo Zamudio)
Videographer: Zehao Wang
Live audio/video operator: Han Zhang
Sound/visual design: Yifan Guo
Video edited by Yifan Guo, Hanxuan Wang, and Han Zhang
Assembled Diary revolves around the fragmented memories of my time with my grandfather multi-dimensionally when I was a child. In my memory, there are four unforgettable things my grandfather would often do. The first is making sure the whole family’s life stayed on the right track. Due to his wartime childhood experiences and the unpredictability of early life, a stable and peaceful family life was the ultimate happiness for him. The second thing is "supervising" my life. He was like a monitoring camera, a location tracker, a food deliverer, or a morning alarm. Additionally, supervising my piano practice is one of the most memorable things – I hated practicing piano as a child, and he would "fulfill his duty" and ensure I kept practicing whenever I tried to sneak off. The third thing is channel surfing – he endlessly switched TV channels, only stopping for badminton or table tennis matches, or propaganda movies or TV dramas. The last thing is sitting in a trance – he could enter his own spiritual world and be in a trance under any condition.
During the compositional process, I constantly recalled my childhood—the period when I spent the most time with my grandfather. I visited the place where we used to live, trying to reconstruct the memories that had slipped away over the years. While I was there, those fragmented memories flew and flickered in my mind, interweaving with the current scene. These fascinating, warm, and casual images blurred the line between past and present, and I wanted to be immersed in this forever! Later, I decided to recreate this unthinking yet deconstructivist-like experience in this piece, where the act of seeking childhood memories transforms into an exhilarating memory itself. In the last several years of his life, he had mild symptoms of memory problems. Even though his health deteriorated and could not be slowed down, he cared deeply for my family and me. Unfortunately, I could not finish the piece before he died—I still wish he could feel the infinite love and longing I tried to convey here.
The stage consists of three main "characters": a grandfather sitting on a sofa watching TV, a younger version of "me" practicing the piano, and a chamber ensemble responsible for "accompaniment" and foley. These three elements interweave through the use of cameras or events within the work, creating a multidimensional interaction both on and beyond the stage. The cameras not only serve as an extension of the stage space but also symbolically act as the grandfather's perspective, projecting his observations and memories.
This work was composed in 2023, dedicated to my grandfather. It complements Rainification (for installation e-guitar system), which was dedicated to my grandmother, together forming a diptych. My grandparents passed away in January and July 2023 respectively, at the ages of 76 (grandmother) and 83 (grandfather). They are the people who took care of my life when I was a child. I aim to bring these lovely memories to life through my music, ensuring they remain forever in my works and my heart.
This section feels inadequate in expressing my deepest gratitude to the exceptional individuals who played pivotal roles in this journey. I want to acknowledge my grandfather, Chengbiao Feng (冯成彪), whose spirit provided me with constant support throughout the entire composition process. To my mother, Danwei Feng (冯丹薇), your boundless love and video materials capturing precious moments to my grandfather have been an invaluable source of inspiration. I extend sincere thanks to conductor Steve Schick, whose outstanding leadership and enduring patience brought this premiere to fruition. Lastly, heartfelt appreciation to my friends, Han Zhang (张涵) and Zehao Wang (王泽昊) – your unwavering encouragement and companionship breathed life into this project, making it a reality beyond my dreams.
Assembled Diary was premiered at Conrad Prebys Concert Hall at the University of California, San Diego on December 7th, 2023 by conductor Steven Schick, Palimpsest Ensemble (flutist Anita Chandavarkar, clarinetist Grace Talaski, violinist Myra Hinrichs, cellist Robert Bui, bassist Andrew Crapitto, and percussionist Camilo Zamudio), Pianist Melissa Evans Tierra, videographer Zehao Wang, live audio/video operator Han Zhang and the composer took the actor part.
