A master of the marimba and vibraphone, French percussionist Emmanuel Sejourne, born in 1961, is also a remarkable composer. His body of work includes music written for orchestra, chamber music, percussion, jazz and theatrical works. Sejourne is currently the head of the music program at the conservatory of Les Percussions de Strasbourg — probably the world’s first professional percussion ensemble.
Sejourne first came to Taiwan to collaborate with the Ju Percussion Group in 2004. While observing the group’s rehearsals, a vision suddenly came to him — lighters in a bar being ignited and extinguished, concentrating on the light from the flame and the sounds they make. By working together with everyone in the group, they eventually created Between Light and Darkness, which also incorporates black light theater effects. With plenty of surprises in store for the audience, the piece has become an important part of the group’s performance repertoire during world tours. Since first coming to Taiwan nearly a decade ago, Sejourne has become a loyal and trusted friend of the group, returning to Taiwan about every two years to join them on stage.
For the upcoming “2013 Ju Percussion Group Spring Concert,” the group will be performing only works by Sejourne, who has been here since Feb. 25 to rehearse with them. He says that, “Typically a composer is commissioned to write merely one or two pieces, but I have the honor of being commissioned to write music for an entire concert, from conceptualizing the overall program to organizing the concert. It is very different from any collaboration I’ve ever been involved with. I must devote significantly more time and energy, but I am enjoying every bit of it.”
Photos courtesy of Emmanuel Sejourne
照片由艾曼紐．塞瓊奈提供
Artistic Director Ju Tzong-ching says, “A lot of Sejourne’s musical ideas come from everyday life. His melodies and harmonies are very rich. The music is very visual and theatrical, so it resonates with audiences. It is something worth waiting for.” Sejourne will cleverly combine the various works he has written for the group over the years, linking classics with new pieces to provide a full portrait of the composer.
Sejourne and the Ju Percussion Group will be performing at Kaohsiung Cultural Center’s Chihteh Hall on March 17, Chunghsing Hall at National Taiwan University of Physical Education and Sport in Greater Taichung on March 30 and the National Concert Hall in Taipei on March 31.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
Photos courtesy of Emmanuel Sejourne
照片由艾曼紐．塞瓊奈提供
法國打擊演奏家艾曼紐．塞瓊奈生於一九六一年，專攻木琴及鐵琴，同時也是一位優秀的作曲家，作品包括管絃樂、室內樂、打擊樂、爵士樂、舞台劇等多種類型。目前擔任打擊樂創始團體史特拉斯堡打擊樂團所開設的音樂學校音樂系主任。
塞瓊奈於二００四年首次與朱宗慶打擊樂團合作，他親自來台看了朱團排練，「腦中就突然閃現出酒吧內打火機忽明忽滅的火光與聲響，」在所有人共同創作下，產生了《明暗之間》，搭配黑光劇場效果，讓觀眾驚艷不已，也成為樂團國際巡演的重要曲目。爾後，塞瓊奈幾乎每兩年就與朱團合作一次，十年來成為忠誠又彼此信任的好朋友。
即將展開的朱宗慶打擊樂團春季音樂會，決定以塞瓊奈的創作為主題，取名為「Mr.艾曼紐要怎樣？」二月二十五日提前來台與樂團展開排練的塞瓊奈表示，「委託創作通常是一到兩首，很榮幸這次是全場創作，從整體節目構思到規劃，都和過往合作模式很不一樣，需要投入更多倍的時間和精力，不過我享受其中。」
Photo courtesy of the Ju Percussion Group
照片由朱宗慶打擊樂團提供
朱團藝術總監朱宗慶表示，「艾曼紐．塞瓊奈的音樂多取材自生活，旋律合聲豐富，深具畫面感與戲劇效果，很能夠給觀眾共鳴，非常值得期待。」塞瓊奈也將巧妙結合歷年來為朱團量身訂作的曲目，將「新曲」與「經典」相互串連，一次呈現完整的「艾曼紐．塞瓊奈」。
三月十七日在高雄市立文化中心至德堂；三十日在台中國立台灣體育運動大學中興堂；三十一日在台北國家音樂廳。
（自由時報記者凌美雪）
Photo: Wang Wen-lin, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者王文麟
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