To open its 49th season, Dinosaur Annex Music Ensemble presents The Asian American Avant-Garde, a musical exploration of questions of Asian American identity, belonging, perception, and intercultural understandings (and misunderstandings) through a series of works for instruments, theater, and film.

Carolyn Chen’s Made in China, Made in California whimsically pairs live instrumental ensemble with a fascinating video documenting differing perspectives of American and Chinese nationals. Michele Cheng performs her Speed Dating as theater artist and puppeteer, commenting on the role of technologies on interpersonal relations as vehicles of communications, at once fragile, awkward, and often aggravating. Emily Koh’s duo speaks to those who have “screamed and shouted” but remain unheard. Introspective and virtuosic solo works for clarinet and contrabass by Eun Young Lee and Du Yun round out the program.

Works

Emily Koh – unheard

Eun Young Lee – EunHaeng

Michele Cheng  – Speed Dating

Du Yun – Zigzaggg (mvts. 1, 3)

Carolyn Chen – Made in China, Made in California

Musicians

Diane Heffner, clarinets

Robert Schulz, percussion

Seychelle Dunn-Corbin, saxophones

Anne Black, viola

Randall Zigler, contrabass

Orlando Cela, conductor

Michele Cheng, voice artist, puppeteer

The concert is made possible by the Massachusetts Cultural Council; the Boston Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency; and the Alice M. Ditson Fund. Many thanks to the Pao Arts Center.