Duration of Mountains and Seas  (穿越·山海经) is a musical showcase that reimagines ancient mythology, creating a fantastic universe where Chinese music meets electronica to traverse through time and space. Conceived and created by composer/ musician Hu Chenyun, the showcase includes the electronic music duo Frankfurt Helmet and a group of renowned musicians from the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. This contemporary performance is inspired by the great classic of ancient Chinese mythology, Classic of Mountains and Seas (3rd Century B.C.), exploring a world of mythical beings and vast geographies. The creative intermingling of Chinese instruments such as suona, pipa, and konghou with electronic voices creates a space where technology and nature—and past and future—are placed in vibrant dialogue.

Presented in partnership with the China Shanghai International Arts Festival.

Curation/Composition/Performance (Suona): Hu Chenyun

Electronic/Composition, Arrangement, and Production: Frankfurt Helmet

Flute: Gao Ya; Pipa: Liu Jia; KongHou:  Liu Xuanyi; Percussion: Hu Jiaqian

Visual Artist: Feng Bingxin; Sound Engineer: Yang Zili

This program is part of Asia Society's Asia Electric series: eclectic and electrifying, these performances foreground innovators who combine electronica with elements of traditional practice from Asia. 

About the Work

The concert is divided into seven sections based on Classic of Mountains and Seas:

DRAGON（烛龙) The Dragon represents the ancient God of Time in Classic of Mountains and Seas. Synthesizers and suona melodies emanate the breath of the Dragon, awakening a yearning for the mysterious power of time and space.

QILIN（麒麟) Qilin is an auspicious beast in Classic of Mountains and Seas that emits a colorful and dreamlike aura, floating gently on waves of water. This section leads the audience into a peaceful and tranquil musical world. The sound of the pipa is full of dynamic natural sounds, while the infinite changes of electronic music bring new vitality to the traditional music, rendering the image of Qilin more vivid.

TAOTIE（饕餮）The ferocious beast Taotie possesses strong powers as well as wild and greedy instincts. The roar of electronic beats breaks through the silence as Chinese percussion creates a magnificent momentum, releasing the wild nature of Taotie and simulating the tense atmosphere of battles.

KUNPENG（鲲鹏） Kunpeng is a mythical bird that resembles a fish, flying in the sky or swimming in the sea, traveling ten thousand miles a day. In this section crafted by ambient electronic music alongside the double-reeded instrument duduk, the music creates a vision of Kunpeng floating in the sky while also in the deep sea, seeking the harmony and unity of heaven, earth, and nature.

PHOENIX（凤凰）The Phoenix is a mythical bird that sings and dances is a symbol of world peace and good luck. It is said that every 500 years, the phoenix carries fragrant wood to burn itself and then obtains eternal life in the flames, which is called "Phoenix Nirvana”. This section tells the story of the Phoenix, where konghou, suona, and electronic music together depict the birth, soaring, and eventual rebirth of the phoenix, reflecting a universal truth of endless cycles of life and death.

APSARAS（飞天) Apsaras was the daughter of the Yellow Emperor and flew to the earth on a mysterious bird. The sound of the natural environment, mixed with electronic effects and combined with the oldest Chinese musical instrument - the flute, symbolizes the dialogue between ancient mythology and modern technology. 

MOUNTAINS AND SEAS（山海) The mountains coexist with the seas. In the final section of the concert, the incorporation of multiple instruments and electronic music symbolizes the harmonious coexistence of nature and technology, and tradition and modernity - just as the mountains and the seas nurture the world. The chapter presents a harmonious and diverse cosmic view, with a beautiful vision of natural harmony and the coexistence of all things.

Artist Biographies

Hu Chenyun is a member of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra National. He is a renowned suona (Chinese double-reed oboe) performer and Director of the China National Arts Fund. He is the Head of Hu Chenyun Folk Music Studio, Shanghai Education Commission. Hu Chenyun is an expert in various Chinese and Western wind instruments. His performance of "Hundreds Of Birds Worshipping The Phoenix" won Gold Medal at the 14th Holland International Wind Music Festival. He has been invited to visit and perform in over forty countries and regions around the world and has successfully collaborated with outstanding orchestras including the National Orchestra of France, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Russian National Orchestra, and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. In recent years, Hu Chenyun is committed to exploring and innovating the ways suona is performed. He has premiered multiple new suona concertos and held solo concerts across the globe. His work incorporates various music styles including rock, jazz, and electronic music, and has released new work on various music platforms. He strives to revitalize traditional Chinese musical instruments with a new contemporary vision for today's audiences.

Frankfurt Helmet (Chen Yufei & Hu Juan): This electronic duo has gained prominence in recent years, undoubtedly one of the most impressive Chinese electronic voices working in the international arena. They are considered one of the most recognized trans-media electronic bands in the country. Together, they create many innovations using electronic music and digital media art. They have performed at many well-known festivals, new media art performances, and exhibitions. They explored a variety of formats for live performances with electronic music including culture, fashion, and education, from automobile branding to art galleries, from real estate openings to e-sports events and international modern dance companies.

Gao Ya is a flautist of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra with a Master's Degree from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, having studied under renowned bamboo flute performer, educator, and doctoral supervisor Professor Tang Junqiao. She is a Wenhua Prize winner and gold medalist at the Shanghai Spring International Music Festival Bamboo Flute Invitational Competition. Gao Ya has visited Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, Canada, and in recent years has collaborated with many renowned orchestras as a soloist, premiering multiple bamboo flute concertos.

Liu Jia is a pipa performer in the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. He received his Master's degree from the Central Conservatory of Music and studied under Professor Lan Weiwei, renowned pipa performer and Deputy Secretary General of the Pipa Professional Committee at China Nationalities Orchestra Society With solid and superb performance skills as well as calm and confident performance style, Liu Jia has successfully collaborated with important domestic Chinese orchestras, contemporary chamber orchestras, and received high praise.

Hu Jiaqian is a percussionist in the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. She is the Director of the International Percussion Education Association (IPEA) and has an M.A. in Modern Instrumental Music and Percussion from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Hu Jiaqian has studied under several renowned percussionists, participated in major projects in multiple international art festivals with the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, and visited more than ten countries and regions at home and abroad including Russia, Belgium and Japan.

Liu Xuanyi is a konghou performer in the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. She is the Deputy Secretary General of the Konghou Professional Committee at the China Nationalities Orchestra Society. She has a Master's degree in KongHou Performance from the Sehnyang Conservatory of Music. Liu Xuanyi has been invited to perdorm in Canada, Slovakia, and Austria, among other countries. She has made her mark on concerts such as the live China-Chic music concert "Chinese Music at the Sea", original concert, "Chinese Music's Ode to China", and Tan Dun's Chinese music "Buddha Passion", all of which have been well received.

Feng Bingxin is a visual artist. She is a winner of the DNA Paris Design Awards and a finalist at the 102nd ADC Annual Awards. She has an MA in Computational Arts from Goldsmiths University of London and a BA in Graphic and Media Design from the University of Arts, London. As a digital image-maker, Feng Bingxin is committed to exploring the possibilities that behaviors and experiences can bring to the conceptual and formal expression of her works through the combination of interactive multimedia and visual art.

Yang Zili is a sound engineer at Bandai Namco Shanghai Base with a PA degree from ESP Entertainment Tokyo. As a sound engineer pursuing auditory perfection, Yang Zili is proficient in the sound design and control for various styles of music including electronic, rock, pop, and so on.