Abstract

A few years ago I received out of the blue an invitation to visit China—& very soon: the brief was tempting & I fell for it—to accompany four other composers on a specially-organized three-week tour of some of the huge country’s celebrated sites/sights, plus lots of unfamiliar places, usually hard to access, thrown in: then to return home, write a 20” piece inspired by our experiences, & return to Beijing a year later for a prestigious Concert, by the National Orchestra , consisting of the five premieres. And this all happened! I will talk about my contribution (its title is simply for orchestra); relating it to thoughts & reflections of things seen, heard, touched, eaten, smelt(prahaps..)— but certainly reflected on— during an extremely vivid & richly-packed 15 days or so : & show some pictures: & play a recording.