Lucy Yao and Dorothy Chan met in 2018 at the New England Conservatory of Music. Photos by Adrianna Tan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe inspiration for the piece started with the duo asking people in the Asian-American community about their heritage, Chan said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEverybody started to reflect on their roots and things they inherited from their families,\u201d Chan said. \u201cThe things we inherit affect who we are and who we want to become. And having that awareness allows us to keep the things we want to honor and let go of those that don\u2019t serve us anymore.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yao called the show a performance ritual in which they will ask the audience to reflect on their past and their family history and discuss what they wish to carry on in the future. The goal is to have audience members walk away with an understanding of how influential the past can be while preparing for what is ahead, Yao said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow do we think about the future?\u201d she said. \u201cThat is something that is really influencing how we address our goals as artists and community gatherers, and how we start opening the door for people to reimagine spaces and use tools that are already a part of their lives. We want to empower students into reimagining how software and technology can be a tool to make art more accessible and form new possibilities for connecting to an audience.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yao lives in New York and was born in Michigan, with family roots in Shanghai, China. Chan grew up in colonial Hong Kong, China, and lives in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chromic Duo found its start in 2018 after the artists met at the New England Conservatory of Music and played at the Summer Institute of Contemporary Performance Practice Festival. Yao saw Chan playing the toy piano and said she wanted to learn more about the tiny instrument. They became friends and started playing together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chan was drawn to the toy piano sound, and found there was a wide variety because they are often made with different materials. Chan also plays Chinese flute, and Yao also plays cello.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe tried to explore ways we could create music,\u201d Yao recalled. \u201cFollowing the pandemic, we started to branch out to augmented reality and other multidisciplinary ways of art and installations, and examining our past and our histories to see how we could tell stories through our music.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By showcasing multidisciplinary art to students, it allows them to think about new ways to tell stories, Yao said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cArt has to resonate with the artist before you give it to anyone else,\u201d she said. \u201cThere are so many ways of collaborating. I hope students walk away knowing there is always a possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chan said she hopes students can find belonging through their art and feel the work they produce is part of who they are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI hope they can put their real selves out there,\u201d she said. \u201cI feel like that is the start of being inspired, being motivated. I think at a young age, it is crucial for students to have that platform to be able to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Texas A&M School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts will host Chromic Duo in classroom collaborations and a free concert at Rudder Forum on Wednesday at 7 p.m. Musicians Dorothy Chan and Lucy Yao blend classical music, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":251,"featured_media":17812,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[58,144,90],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Chromic Duo To Perform Free Rudder Forum Concert, Take Part In Classes During Campus Visit - Texas A&M University College of Performance, Visualization & Fine Arts<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n