Jia[k] (2014)

Commission: Singapore Symphony Orchestra

Instrumentation: Piccolo, Flute, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons (2. doubling contrabassoon), 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, Trombone, Bass Trombone, 2 Percussions (Vib, Xyl, TT, Tri, Whip, Crot, Glock, BD, SCym), Strings

Duration: 12 minutes

Program Information:
Jia[k] is a portmanteau (blend of two or more words or their sounds into a single new word) of the pinyin representation of the Chinese word for ‘home’ – 家 (jiā), and the anglicization of the of the word ‘eat’ or ‘meal’ in the Teochew dialect – 食 (jiak8.) When I was writing this piece, I found myself thinking of home and all the delicious foods I miss that are unique to Singapore – hokkien mee, laksa, nasi lemak, you name it! All I wanted in the months I spent writing this work was to stuff myself silly of all these delicacies at a local hawker feast. This work incorporates the interweaving of different sonic fragments that portray the ordered chaos at a hawker center, and the garbled noises of one’s mouth chewing on a delicious plate of char kuay.

Premiere: 
April 10 + 11 2015 | Singapore Symphony Orchestra | Singapore