Tan Dun's "Water Passion" to have regional premiere

Here's a unique concert of a groundbreaking choral work by Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun at CCM, 8 p.m. Saturday in Corbett Auditorium. A Passion story for modern times, Tan Dun's "Water Passion After St. Matthew" utilizes the sound of water.

Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun, famed for his score for the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," created "Water Passion" for the 250th anniversary of Johann Sebastian Bach's death.

Saturday's performance will feature CCM's Chamber Choir, Percussion Group Cincinnati, guest artists Elizabeth Keusch (soprano), Stephen Bryant
(bass) and Yuanlin Chen (electronic sampler), and student soloists Kuan-Chang Tu (violin) and Amy Gillingham (cello).

The unique instrumental ensemble includes 17 transparent water bowls, illuminated from beneath and "played" by percussionists, as well as electronically sampled ancient string instruments. These natural, vocal, string and electronic sounds combine to present a dynamic new take on the Gospel that inspired Bach.

Tan Dun was born in Simao, China. Having served as a rice planter and performer of Peking opera during the Cultural Revolution, he later studied at Beijing's Central Conservatory. He holds a doctoral degree in musical arts from Columbia University of New York.

Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world's music scene with a creative repertoire that spans on the boundaries of classical, multimedia, Eastern and Western musical systems. A winner of the Grawemeyer Award for classical composition, Grammy Award, Academy Award and Musical America's "Composer of the Year" -- Tan Dun's music has been played throughout the world by the leading orchestras, opera houses, international festivals and on radio and television.

Opera has played a significant role in Tan Dun's creative output of the past decade. Among his operas: "The First Emperor" was premiered by the Metropolitan Opera in December 2006 with a title role created for Plácido Domingo; "Marco Polo," set to a libretto by Paul Griffiths; "Peony Pavilion," on a text by Tang Xianzu (1598) and directed by Peter Sellars, which has had more than 50 performances at major festivals in Vienna, Paris, London and Rome.

"Water Passion After St. Matthew" was created for the Internationale Bachakadamie in Stuttgart, commemorating the 250th anniversary of Bach's death.

Percussion Group Cincinnati was founded in 1979 and consists of members Allen Otte, James Culley and Russell Burge, faculty members and ensemble-in-residence at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Over the past 25 years, many young composers from the United States, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia have created a large body of new and often experimental music for the unique talents of Percussion Group Cincinnati.

The group's work appears on various CDs, including their own ars moderno label; their recording of John Luther Adams' evening-length 'Strange and Sacred Noise' was released in surround-sound by Mode this year. They are currently working on their contribution to the series of Mode Records'integrated set of the complete music of John Cage, and on a 25-year retrospective multidisc set including performances from the group's entire history.

Tickets:$10, $5 for non-UC students, and FREE for UC students. Parking is available in the CCM Garage (at the base of Corry Boulevard off Jefferson Avenue) and additional garages throughout the UC campus. For tickets or additional information, visit www.ccm.uc.edu or call 513-556-4183.