IU Music Theory PhD student, Hippocrates Cheng, was just announced as a winner of the 3rd New Works commission project, hosted by the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, Indiana. His chamber opera, All of Us, is inspired by true stories from people of Asian-American and Pacific Islander heritage. Through this work, he seeks to shed light on issues of Asian hate and emphasize unity and empathy in our diverse society. The music, which will be performed by an ensemble of singers and instrumentalists, incorporates Asian traditional and Western classical elements.
Cheng is a composer, music theorist, and ethnomusicologist from Hong Kong. He completed his DM in composition last year while also working as an associate instructor for the Department of Music Theory. He is currently pursuing his PhD in music theory and teaching as an adjunct faculty in music theory at IU Northwest.
The 2024 New Works Premiere Performances will take place Saturday, June 1, at 8:00 p.m. (EST) at the Tarkington. The event will be live streamed as well. Free admission, but registration is required. The artists will available afterwards for a talkback session.
The New Works project was created to promote and sustain local artists and artist communities from all performing arts disciplines. Proposed works are limited to 20 minutes each and must reflect the Center’s organizational core values of integrity, excellence, innovation, collaboration and inclusion. Each winner receives $2,500 along with technical support, onstage rehearsal time, and a final event video for promotional use.
Cheng’s work was selected alongside two other Indiana artists: Iris Rosa Santiago and Jared Thompson. Read more about the artists, their works, and purchase tickets at TheCenterPresents.org.
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