The Fact That We Belong (2024)
For flute, clarinet, violin, and cello
Duration: ca. 10'
Commissioned by the Houston Asian American Archive
The Houston Asian American Archive (HAAA) is a collection of interviews of various Asian Americans throughout the city of Houston established by Dr. Anne S. Chao at Rice University. This piece is inspired by an interview with native Houstonian film-maker BanBan Cheng. During the interview, they were asked what it means for there to be more Asian American representation in mainstream films, to which they replied “it’s a representation of the fact that we belong.” This statement really caught my attention and I knew immediately that this is the person I would like to help inspire the piece.
I had the privilege of being able to interview BanBan a second time and get to know them a little bit more and discovered just how much we had in common- as queer artists, as Asian Americans, and as people who strive to create better representation in our work and connect with others through our art. This piece reflects the journey of both of us realizing there is still much work to be done in both of our fields to create a culture where Asians are truly made to feel like they belong.