World Map at Merkin Hall

The Chelsea Symphony presents World Map, a showcase of contemporary American music. The centerpiece of the program is Shuying Li’s World Map, a collection of five mini-concertos for cello, flute, violin, clarinet, and piano. Each piece journeys to a different region of the world: Matilda’s Dream, inspired by the Australian ballad “Waltzing Matilda”; The Dryad, drawing on European classical traditions to tell the story of a mythological forest nymph; American Variations, bringing together a range of American genres including jazz, ragtime, klezmer; The Peace House, exploring traditional music and culture of Korea; and Canton Snowstorm, depicting the surreal beauty of a wintry storm in subtropical Canton, China.

The evening opens with the world premiere of Amuse-bouche by Aaron Dai and closes with the New York premiere of Become River by John Luther Adams, bringing the theme of world exploration together through the bodies of water that connect us all.