【落水天】Winners of 2024 Oriens Composition Competition..Second Place of Junior Division, Tzu-An Liu 劉子銨...

Performer: Dr. Mann-Wen Lo, violinist / Tanya Burton, violist / Shih-Ting Huang, violin / Olive Chen, cello

Second Place of Junior Division, Tzu-An Liu 劉子銨

Liu-Tzu-An, a composer dedicated to exploring various dimensions of music, ranging from Baroque suites to modern compositions, and experimenting with diverse performance techniques. Her compositions span multiple genres, including piano solos, duets, and string quartets. Her journey into composition began at the end of her first year in middle school. At that time, she had no formal knowledge of the field, yet she found it captivating. Unlike other instruments, composition offers boundless possibilities in range, tone, and technique. This freedom is what drew her in—it allows her to fully express my emotions and explore a wide array of fascinating sounds. Awards and Achievements: • 2023 Taoyuan City Student Music Competition First Place, Music Composition (Lyrics), Division A, Group 2 • 2022 National Student Music Competition Superior Award, Music Composition (Lyrics) • 2022 Taoyuan City Student Music Competition First Place, Music Composition (Lyrics), Division A, Group 2.

Luò shuǐ tiān for String Quartet 落水天 This composition is an adaptation of the traditional Taiwanese Hakka folk song "Luò Shuǐ Tiān," arranged for this string quartet. The performance lasts approximately 8 minutes. The piece is structured with a prelude, sections A, B, A', and a coda. The prelude features sustained notes, while section A adopts a waltz style, characterized by numerous dotted rhythms. Section B introduces a brighter, more energetic sound with off-beat rhythms, incorporating staccato, accents, and pizzicato techniques, including Bartók pizzicato. A transitional passage follows, beginning with the viola and leading into a dynamic interplay between the cello and the first violin, eventually resolving with the second violin. Upon the return of section A, the melody is extended, and the accompanying lines are further developed. The coda reflects the prelude but concludes with an expansive final sound. In this adaptation, I selected a traditional Taiwanese Hakka melody, utilizing the Chinese pentatonic scale and integrating Western forms along with various seventh chords. This approach not only highlights the local cultural essence but also symbolizes the fusion of Eastern and Western musical traditions.