Premiering Sānshuǐ – Three Waters, my debut symphony, at my father Albert Xu’s one-year memorial concert at
@weiwuying_centerforthearts was a nerve-wracking experience. My father who designed the acoustics of this outstanding performing arts center, was a towering presence in my life and in the world of sound. Composing this piece in his memory was a journey of both grief and gratitude, and performing it in the very space he helped bring to life made the moment intensely personal and profoundly meaningful.
The performance gave me the opportunity to write a part for the iconic Weiwuying pipe organ—a project my father passionately championed to completion with Orgelbau Klais Bonn in 2018 while he was crafting the acoustic design of the music halls. As the largest organ in Asia and one of the world’s finest concert hall pipe organs, it boasts 9,085 pipes and 127 stops, adaptable to both modern and traditional tuning standards (A = 415Hz, 442Hz, or 465Hz).
Sānshuǐ – Three Waters breaks away from the traditional four-movement symphonic structure, instead capturing the essence of water through three movements: Strength, Fluidity, and Depth. The piece is characterized by rhythmic intensity, with the magnificent pipe organ, played brilliantly by Professor Tony Liu, featured in the first and third movements. The second movement shines a spotlight on the Yueqin (moon guitar), performed by Ji Pei-yin (姬沛瑩). For the final movement, I was joined on piano by my long-time collaborator and friend Gillian Maguire, as part of our duo,
@awkwardmoments_series .
A huge thank you to Weiwuying Artistic Director CHIEN Wen-Pin, their 💫 team, and all the friends who joined us and supported this journey. 💦
📸
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@xu_acoustique
@weiwuying_centerforthearts
@awkwardmoments_series
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