A retired public health researcher, a sociology PhD student, and Western classically trained piano and violin players. Together, they make up the Asian Arts New York Eastern Music Ensemble, which seeks to bring a unique blend of artistic and cultural experience to Capital Region audiences.
Renji Song plays the xiao, a bamboo flute in the five-member ensemble. The group consists of two flute players, the pipa, a plucked string instrument, the violin, and the piano.
“I play [a] few instruments. By the way, I'm the youngest one in the group. I joined last year because — the big reason — I'm retired from New York Department of Health. I was a researcher in the Immunology Core lab in the Wadsworth Center for almost 30 years, but music always is my food spiritually.”
Song also plays a Mongolian instrument, a horsehead fiddle, which he built himself.
“We get the poplar, we get oak, and also get the sheep, the goat skin. That's it," he explained. "The horsehead is, of course, very unique. It's like a drum, so the sound very for me [is] very ancient.”
Song is also now the music director for the ensemble, arranging pieces and conducting rehearsals. The ensemble, formed in 2023, performs at schools, libraries, and events throughout the Capital Region. They also collaborate with musicians of other cultural traditions. In March, the Asian Arts New York Eastern Music Ensemble performed at The Egg, alongside instruments like the banjo, the sitar and tabla.
Jenna Liu is completing a PhD in sociology at the University at Albany. She has played the pipa for more than a decade.
“I think the most unique point of my instrument is as the result of communication between Western and Eastern worlds, not only now, not only what we are doing now, but like back in 10th century in history," she explained. "You know, many businessmen from the Western world, from Persia, from the Middle East came to China to do business, and then they also took the art to China. They communicated with Chinese ancient artists, and then we have this instrument.”
Elvina Liu, a newer member of the ensemble, plays the violin. Although she was trained in Western classical music growing up in New Zealand, she now seeks opportunities to connect with her heritage.
“My parents kept really strong traditional values at home, so I was very exposed to the music and the language and the culture itself," she said. "Actually being able to play that on an actual stage for people to listen to was really inspiring for me.”
Daisy Lin is a piano teacher trained in the Western classical style. She sees the ensemble as an opportunity to act as a bridge for audiences through a more familiar instrument.
“Although I studied Western music, but of course, because I'm Chinese, so I think that's for me, it's natural, I already have the background over there," she said. "I'm very happy to have the chance, to express through the instruments.”
Wei Qin, President of Asian Arts New York, said the ensemble was formed in part to showcase the artistic offerings from the AANHPI community.
“Once [I] immigrated over here, I noticed that in different communities the artists tend to cage in their own community because they really don't really have much the space or platforms recognition outside of the community," she said.
Qin believes AANHPI Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize community leaders and advocates, and to recognize the richness of their cultural heritage. The ensemble will perform at the Empire State Plaza May 27, as part of the AANHPI Art & Cultural Festival, hosted by the New York State Office of General Services.
Jenna Liu says she enjoys the opportunity music provides to connect with other communities, especially as the ensemble plays folk music from ethnic groups across China and East Asia.
“It means a lot, because we always say that music and a language is very important for people's identity, because you can always feel something very close to your ancestors, with your traditions," she said. "So, I think music is a very good way to communicate identity issues to make people understand different cultures.”
WATCH the ensemble's recent performance at The Egg in Albany:
