Previous Irish Wave exhibitions in China included a performance art collaboration at the opening of Instruments of pleasure (March 2012) at the National Centre for Performing Arts in Beijing.
I wanted to explore the gesture of appreciation and how rhythms can tell stories in them selves. I invited contemporary music composer Grainne Mulvey (an old school friend from Carlow, Ireland ) to compose rhythms for a clapping score. This exciting collaboration was performed by a team of five professional musicians based here in Beijing: Maisie Wu (sound engineer), Wang Gang (composer), Yin Hao (singer), JinShan (singer), Catriona Crimmons (violinist) and myself.
It was a wonderful experience to work, listen and facilitate trained ears challenge, experiment and adapt in this collaborative work. There were three separate scores carried throughout with only occasional merging. It was fast and intense.
“Applause – Irish Wave” was also performed at the opening reception for exhibition Intimate Revolution at Siemens Art Space , 798 , March 2012.