UPCOMING EVENT!

DREAMING OF KUANYIN, MEETING MADONNA

SINGAPORE ARTS FESTIVAL 2007

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R e c e n t   W o r k :

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<    O P I U M E   - chamber Opera   >

<  Singapore Arts Festival 2004, Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival 2004 – Main programme highlight >

His most ambitious work so far. Mark was responsible for both the libretto and the music and, together with Casey Lim, was co-creator of the production.

Inspired by the events of the illicit opium trafficking that took place in China in the 19^th century, the opera is a modern view of not only what took place but also a comment on how we live our lives now:  the difficulties of cultural interaction, the power play, the dangers and seduction of drug use and also the harsh reality of economic trade and imbalance.

The chamber opera is written in 6 parts:

1)  Discovery     2)  Intoxication     3)  Economics    4)  Addiction    5)  Conflict    6)  Epiphany

1.  Meeting Buddha On The Road

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2.  Reflections On War

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&

3.  Reflections On Peace

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Reflections On War & Reflections on Peace:

Commissioned by the Singapore Heritage Board for the permanent war museum at Bukit Chandu.

These 2 Photopoems are a striking fusion of still photographs, text and music providing comment on both present day reality and the fragility of peace and also looking back on the horrors and bravery of the 2^nd World War, with specific reference to Singapore.

The photographs for Reflections On War were used with the kind permission of various national museums, press archives, heritage archives and war memorials from around the world.

(for Mark's personal description of his Photopoems click here)

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<   L I T T L E   T O Y S   >

Silent Film scoring

(2003 Hong Kong Arts Festival & 2003 Singapore Arts Festival – Main Programme Highlight in both festivals)

A co-commission from the Hong Kong and the Singapore Arts Festivals, it is the first serious and full-scale scoring of a 1930s silent b/w film from China ever created.

Again, using Mark’s trademark blend of Western and Chinese classical instruments (cello, erhu, pipa, guanzi, piano, percussion) it has been hailed a milestone in the moving forward of Asian music.

It opened to resounding response in Hong Kong and followed suit in Singapore and also toured to Copenhagen in the same year. Talks are now underway to bring the production to Paris.

(Dear Mr Chan,

My husband and I have attended many Arts Festival performances--Cesaria Evora, the French National Orchestra, the Hagen Quartet, Yundi Li--and as much as we thought we would LIKE Little Toys, we did not expect it to so thoroughly trounce, in our opinion, all of the other performances we had attended.  The film itself was a revelation, and your music was sublime.  May I ask if you are planning to release a CD with some or all of the music you scored for the film?  Because if so, I can already guarantee you several buyers!

With my most sincere appreciation,

Jacqueline Deley ... )

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<   E M A I L   &   E T E R N I T Y   >

Singapore Chinese Orchestra - 2003

Commissioned by the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, this unusual full-length piece stretches the boundaries of the Chinese classical ensemble, taking the analogy of modern air-travel and using that to reveal the hidden spirituality of modern life.

Strongly modal and mathematical in style, the music is never overwhelmed by the intellectual aspects.

Talks are in progress about the release of the live recording of this work.

<  check back soon for further updates of music and video excerpts  >

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