East wind in Aotearoa : exploring east Asian elements in New Zealand flute compositions : an exegesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Musical Arts, the University of Auckland

Abstract

The increase in global cultural flow and the advances in electronic technologies since the mid-twentieth century have fostered an ever closer relationship between Eastern and Western musical cultures. Many Western composers are drawn to the mystical and exotic nature of traditional East Asian music, and endeavour to use East Asian elements in their compositions. Similarly, many East Asian composers who have been trained in Western musical traditions incorporate their traditional cultures into their works. This has resulted in the creation of a large number of compositions that display both Eastern and Western characteristics. In recent decades New Zealand has developed closer relationships with East Asian countries; this has encouraged many musical exchanges, such as the Asia-Pacific Festival and other Asian Composers League events. This exegesis explores Chinese and Japanese musical elements in New Zealand flute compositions, concentrating on the musical parallels with the shakuhachi music of Japan and the dizi and xiao music of China. Five New Zealand flute compositions for solo and small chamber ensembles have been selected to reflect the different aspects of this influence: John Rimmer's Composition 4 (1972) for flute and electronic sounds, Gao Ping's Monologue II (2001) for solo alto flute from Shuo Shu Ren, Chris Cree Brown's The Watertable (2002) for flute and electronic sounds, Jeff Lin's Infusing Zen (2010) for flute, viola and harp, and John Elmsly's East Wind (2010) for alto flute and electronic sounds. I will show how these compositions contain performance techniques similar to those of traditional Chinese and Japanese flutes, and demonstrate where aspects of traditional Chinese and Japanese music can be found. Through this research, I hope to help musicians and audiences go 'beyond the notes' and interpret New Zealand flute compositions from an expanded cultural perspective.