Heaven and Earth, Pius Cheung

Album release: April 15, 2022 World premiere: April 16–17, 2022, Eugene Ballet, Silva Concert Hall at the Hult Center.

Note From the Composer

Heaven and Earth (2020) is a ballet for percussion ensemble. The piece is loosely based on creationism. While there are certain moments in the music that relates to my Chinese background, the subject matter itself is really quite universal. As the movement titles (Heaven/Angels’Dance/Earth/Time/Birth/Mankind/Union/Finale) suggest, this piece explores the ethereal ideal of “heaven’, the powerful grounding of ‘Earth’, and the place in between these opposites where union and peace can be found.

This piece was originally commissioned by the Ju Percussion Group in 2013. Since then, it has gone through several revisions, including a concerto version for the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra in 2018. This current 2020 version, co-commissioned by the Eugene Ballet Company and Orchestra Next, has been revised and extended into a 40-minute ballet for percussion ensemble.

Special thanks to Eriko Daimo (marimba soloist), and the Orchestra Next Percussion Ensemble for their beautiful playing. Brian McWhorter (Orchestra Next, director) for co-producing and playing on the CD. Also, the Eugene Ballet Company and Suzanne Haag (EBC Choreographer) for their commission and collaboration.

-Pius Cheung

Partnering Organizations

Eugene Ballet