Chen & Mengjie Xiong

This lecture-recital explores how contemporary piano duo music can convey deep Asian cultural and emotional connections, particularly within family relationships. Featuring Parting Child (2023) by Kento Stratford and Nostalgia (2011) by Ching-Yu Hsiau, the recital focuses on the profound theme of the mother-child relationship and the reserved emotional expression typical in Asian cultures.

Parting Child, inspired by the Tang Dynasty poem Song of the Parting Son (游子吟), portrays the bittersweet emotions of a mother sewing a garment for her son before his departure. The gradual layering of the music symbolizes their bond, reflecting traditional values through a minimalist approach. Nostalgia, on the other hand, is a more abstract work dedicated to Hsiau’s mother. It uses perfect fifths and minor seconds centered around A# to evoke memories from her mother's funeral, employing contemporary techniques such as prepared piano, harmonics, and graphic notation.

Both pieces express emotions with subtlety, contrasting with the overt expressiveness of Romantic works. The nuanced portrayal of the mother-child relationship reflects Confucian values—孝 (xiào, filial piety), 仁 (rén, benevolence), and 礼 (lǐ, ritual)—highlighting the significance of these virtues in shaping modern compositions. This lecture-recital aims to demonstrate the fusion of tradition and innovation in piano duets, emphasizing the cultural richness and emotional depth that Asian heritage brings to contemporary music.

Founded by pianists Pei-Chen Chen and Mengjie Xiong, the Sirius Piano Duo connects Canadian and Chinese cultures through music, blending classical and diverse genres. Recent performance highlights include the 2024 Australasian Piano Pedagogy Conference and the 2025 University of Toronto New Music Festival.