Duo
DUO (2023)
for violin and piano · ca. 6 minutes
Instrumentation: Violin, Piano
Honors: First Prize, 2026 Belvedere Festival Student Composition Contest
PROGRAM NOTE
Duo for violin and piano grew out of an exploration of the balance and dialogue between the two instruments. Throughout the piece, the violin and piano remain in constant conversation — sometimes one takes the lead, while at other moments they meet in the middle.
The opening section experiments with various pizzicato techniques and highlights the violin’s agility, occasionally hinting at percussive, rhythmic textures. In the middle section, the instruments engage in a lyrical dialogue inspired by Chinese folksong duets; while this passage evokes a quiet sense of nostalgia, the final section bursts forth with renewed vigor, driving toward a celebratory, triumphant conclusion.
PREMIERE & PERFORMANCES
Belvedere Festival Performance: June 19, 2026 at Concert IV, Belvedere Festival, Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Memphis, TN)
Resonance Cultural Performance: Resonance Cultural Arts Series
Tianjin Juilliard Student Artist Series: May 20, 2023 at Tianjin Juilliard Concert Hall
Performers (2023): Taian Yan (violin), Haoran Cui (piano)
Tianjin Juilliard Performance: Tianjin Juilliard Graduation Recital, Tianjin Juilliard Concert Hall
Performers (Tianjin): Shannon Cheng (violin), Haoran Cui (piano)
