Raw Elegance Ying-Hsueh Chen

• Iannis Xenakis (1922 - 2001):
• 1Rebonds11:23
• Pierluigi Billone (b. 1960):
• 2Mani.Matta19:04
• Toke Brorson Odin (b. 1982):
• 3Maskine19:39
• Total Runtime50:06

Info for Raw Elegance

Raw Elegance includes 3 primordial contemporary percussion works based on Skin, Wood, and Metal: Rebonds (1989) by Iannis Xenakis, Mani.Matta (2008) by Pierluigi Billone, and Maskine (‘machine’, 2012) by Toke Odin, commissioned by me. These 3 are all “architectural” pieces which, in my opinion, speak very directly to people of all ages and interests because of their primordial qualities.

The name “Raw Elegance” came from my many years of fascination with and exploration of different combinations of polarities. “Raw Elegance” sums up the general polarities in my personal style and taste on the stage: I am a woman percussionist with a slim physique, yet by nature I perform with lots of primitive power, intuition, and speed.

"I have found out from my previous experiences that the most outstanding concerts I have given during these years took place in locations where the architecture of the venue sustained and connected to the repertoire as well as my style of performing music, aiming at the deepest “reptile brain”. In such concerts, it literally felt as if my whole being was supported and lifted almost in a magical way, and contemporary music became effortlessly accessible for the audiences. Some audiences who normally would not go to contemporary music concerts would express that they were surprised that performance moved some primordial area in them. Some parents would express that there young kids became very attentive during the performances. I knew I reached somewhere deep in them. These experiences were the seed of the next project: Raw Elegance: Percussion vs. Architecture, and its forthcoming release tour." (Ying-Hsueh Chen)

Ying-Hsueh Chen, percussion

Ying-Hsueh Chen
(b. 1983) is a visionary and multifaceted artist from Taiwan, internationally known for her extraordinary stage presence and groundbreaking interpretation of contemporary works. Based in Copenhagen since 2006, Ying-Hsueh enjoys a versatile career in classical, contemporary, and experimental scenes across music festivals in Europe and Asia.

As a soloist, Ying-Hsueh Chen has performed with, among others, the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra and the Danish National Vocal Ensemble. Having won several awards in USA and Denmark, Ying-Hsueh is recognized as one of the most pioneering artists in Denmark. Her concerts have been broadcast on national and international radio and TV in Denmark, USA, Taiwan, and South Korea, and her performances have been praised by the New York Times and major Danish newspapers. Always striving for impactful concerts, Ying-Hsueh regularly embarks on new quality-projects in which she collaborates with the most exceptional composers, musicians, and artists in virtually any genre. The Ancestral Modernism concert series, in which primordial sonic experiences are delivered by bringing out the universality of avant- garde and ancestral heritage, is a milestone among her projects.

Ying-Hsueh was educated at the Juilliard School and the Royal Danish Academy of Music. Blessed by many cultural influences worldwide, Scandinavian aesthetic has left a deep imprint on her Asian roots.

Percussionist Gert Mortensen was one of her most significant teachers.

Booklet for Raw Elegance