> 秦兵马俑幻想曲 [Fantasia "Terra-cotta Warriors"]
The excavation of Terra-Cotta Warriors and horses from th imperial tomb of the Qin Dynasty has caused worldwide attention. In China's history, the first emperor of Qin, within a span of ten years, between 230 and 221 BC, conquered the six dukedoms of Han, Zhao, Wei, Chu, Yan and Qi to form one Kingdom, was a splendid historical and military achievement. However, the people could not tolerate the Emperor's despotic and oppresive rule. Eventually, the regime was toppled in only 13 years.
This piece depicts how the Qin soldiers suffered in war, the misery of the soldiers who hardly had a chance to return home, and the yearning of their families who waited anxiously for their return. There are 3 sections...

1st Section: Troops in Gallant Array with a Gaurd of Honour
The music is soft at the beginning. It depicts the scene at dawn with faint trumpeting. The sound of marching could also be heard from a distance. The theme of the marching troops is then introduced. The second theme conveys the soldiers' low spirit feeling. A passage of fanfare portrays the majestic appearance of the Emperor's carriage and the gaurds of honour. The last scene depicts encampment after a din of drums and gongs.

2nd Section: Dreaming of Home, the soldiers Yearn to Meet their Wives
In the calm of night, there is occasional sound of the clappers from the patrolling soldiers. In quietness, it sounds like a faint mournful song sung by a soldier tearing. In response to his nostalgic feeling, others join in to sing in chorus. Gradually, they fall asleep.

3rd Section: The Troops Marching on through the Snow under the Flag of the Emperor
In a different mood, the theme of the 1st section reappears to describe a different scene. The Emperor's gaurds of honour and the marching troops remain the same but the wintry gate is now blowing, the black clouds are gathered with snowflakes falling. The mood of the music turn grim. The marching theme has become a passage of trempeting, touching and tragic. The peiece ends in a stirring atmosphere and heightened emotions.

> 姐妹岛 [The Sisters' Islands]
"The Sisters' Islands" is a programmatic conerto for double zhong-ruan and symphonic Chinese Orchestra, inspired by the local legend of the Sisters' Islands south of Singapore, portraying 2 sisters in the story. This 13-min piece features 4 sections:

1st Section: Fishing Village
A strike of the gong ageng opens the piece, introducing the peaceful fishing village where 2 young malay sisters, Minah and Lina live. In a setting of wave-like ornamentations in Indonesian Gamelan style, the mellow alto guan introduces the deep and broad "sea" theme in 5-tone pelog scale. Next, the lively and graceful theme B "The Sisters" flows in with the twin zhong-ruan, before going into a Malay Zapin Dance, accompanied by kompang drumbeats.

2nd Section: Capture of the Bride
One day, a throng of pirates raids the village, entering with the menacing "pirates" theme in hexatonic scale, played by the bass Suona. Their captain, awestruck by Lina's beauty, intends to abduct her as a bride. The weeping sisters implore the pirates to release Lina, but to no avail.

3rd Section: Raging Waves
The rapid tempo, unstable octatonic scale and percussion effects depict the stormy sea. Bass instruments play a transformed "sea" theme, while woodwind glissandi imitate the waves. A struggling "sisters" theme emerges amidst the chaos are Minah chases after the pirates into the sea, until she is overcome by exhaustion and disappears amidst the raging waves. Lina struggles to break free of her captors and jumps into the sea to join her sister, represented by a ruan solo fading into the depths. This tragedy incurs the wrath of the gods; thunder and lightning strike, and a giant orcehstral wave engulfs the pirate ship. After a long percussion roll calmness is restored.

4th Section: Spirit of the Sea
The next morning, a pair of islands surrounded by corals appears where the sisters drowned. A conch (seashell) calls out as symbolism of the sea and a lament for the sisters' deaths. The broad "sea" theme returns, followed by the "sisters" theme, now stately and passionate. At the coda, the "sea" and the "sisters" themes are played together in counterpoint, building up to a climatic ending as the sisters have merged with the sea as one, in their eternal transformation into "The Sisters' Islands".

This concerto is an adaptation of the orchestral version of "The Sisters' Islands", which won the "Singapore Composer Award" in the 2006 SCO International Competition for Chinese Orchestral Composition. The compose, Wang Chen Wei, aged 18, is a cellist in the SYCO.

** Wow.. So good sia.. 18 yrs old only.. know how to compose such a good piece of music.. Really very envious of him.. Hope that one day, I can be like him. Moreover, composing music is one of my dream when I'm young.. heehee..