Artist's Statement
ARTIST STATEMENT:
Transforming culture...one note at a time.
Amidst the cacophony of sensory overload, rapid change, politics, and pandemics right now, the art of listening is a much needed antidote. The practice of listening for musical cohesion, deep communication, and collaboration, is a pathway forward to finding these solutions in life. As a Steinway Artist, a teaching-artist, and a music listening facilitator, I heighten awareness through music's many dimensions and cultivate a culture of listening through the lens of classical piano music.
My creative performance presentations guide us to
· listen multidimensionally to ourselves and to others,
· stay open-minded about what we don't yet understand,
· and find personal meaning in how we fit into the big picture.
I create joyful, personal, and creative experiences of Western classical music extending from its core repertoire into jazz tunes, contemporary, early music, improv, and interdisciplinary projects: pairings with theater, dance, art, and wine. I encourage my audiences to listen with their imagination. In some works I speak while I play to guide real-time music listening. By "leading with listening" and not just factual knowledge as the starting point, participants develop a personal relationship with the music as they listen communally.
Copyright Hsing-ay Hsu 2023