A Celebration of Spring Through Painting to Music

You never know where a chance encounter on a late winter (but it felt like spring) day will lead.

On Sunday, March 1st, my friend, April, and I were looking for the dog park at Crossroads in Bellevue. I asked the nearest man to direct us. He got his phone out and navigated to a map of the park. I was already impressed. Most people not knowing where the dog park is would just say, “Sorry,” or, “Maybe it’s over there somewhere?”

After he helped us get our bearings, he handed me a small flyer and invited us to a concert happening at the Crossroads Community Center Theater at 4 PM.

“This will round out our day perfectly,” I said, thanking him.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Four o’clock rolled around, and we found our way to the theater within the Community Center.

Large blank canvases that faced the audience were set up before the stage. I had never been to a Painting to Music event before. This one, organized by local artist and classically trained musician, Larine Chung, was intended as a celebration of spring. The weather responded with a mid-fifties, cloudless, memorable afternoon.

Ms. Chung’s description of the event: “Inspired by the beauty of both Chinese and Western musical traditions, families will be encouraged to paint along with the music, responding intuitively to rhythm, harmony, and sound. Participants will help create three large-scale canvases themed around spring and personal connections.”

Most of the time, I now know, painting-to-music events are informal and held in art or art therapy classes. The purpose is to express feelings and emotions or practice mindfulness and relaxation as you allow yourself to be inspired by the music.

And oh, the music! Exquisite! The opening solo, entitled “Spring Arrived at Xiang River,” was played with flawless beauty on a harplike-sounding instrument called a guzheng (古箏). The musician sits before this flat-string instrument and plucks the strings. Soloist, Vivian Tao, coaxed heavenly music from this instrument with grace and precision.

Emcee Angel Yan explained, encouraged, and motivated the audience to participate. Those who did, rose, gathered their chosen paint colors, and let the music guide their brushes, allowing emotions to come to life on canvas.

A brick-colored dragon gradually appeared on one canvas, and a delicate azure abstract design on another. Keep in mind, both came to life in response to the same music!

Painting to music visually demonstrates how each person sees, feels, and reacts differently. And each interpretation is perfect because each of us is perfect. Although most of the time, we forget.

The ensemble was mostly string instruments with two exceptions. The dizi, or bamboo flute, sounds much like the Lakota-style flute in Native American music and evokes the same dreamy mood. The hulusi or gourd flute is a reed instrument reminiscent of a mellow clarinet. It was easy to get lost in the hypnotic essence of the music and the inspired playing.

Most of these musicians participate for the joy of playing. But there are two professionals as well, both teachers: Buyun Zhao and Warren Chang of the Seattle Chinese Orchestra, who now teaches the children of his former students. From time to time, two generations perform side by side with the Seattle Chinese Orchestra.

Drawing on her passion for music and art, multi-talented artist/musician, Larine Chung, conceived and coordinated this splendid event. She is co-director of the Gage Academy Classical Atelier and the founder of Eastside Artists Collective (EAC), a local destination for people of all ages to learn, share, and express themselves artistically.

A classically-trained pianist, she is also a member of the Seattle Chinese Orchestra. Last year, she hosted two similar innovative events at Gage Academy Classical Atelier that raised funds for the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. This March, with a City of Bellevue Arts Grant, she chose to apply the concept to celebrate spring’s arrival. From my experience, it was a triumph artistically and attendance-wise. There was standing room only.

All of the pieces were Chinese folk songs played on traditional Chinese instruments. The yangqin (扬琴), like the guzheng, is a flat-stringed instrument, but it is played with sticks rather than plucked. It sounds like the strings on a piano when you strike them. The pipa (琵琶), a pear-shaped instrument sometimes called a Chinese lute, sounds similar to a banjo, if you close your eyes as you listen.

The erhu (二胡) is a Chinese two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle. And though the sound box is no larger than a small flour canister, it emits the resonance of a cello!

The next concert will be held in June in Bellevue. And since this concert was so successful, Larine Chung is looking for a bigger venue.

Thanks to Doug Tsang for providing the background for this article and for directions to the dog park! It led April (who participated) and me to an unexpected joyful experience.

Video of Vivian Tao performing:

Ensemble Performing:

Lists of songs and performers:

1. Guzheng solo <Spring Arrived at Xiang River> performed by Vivian Tao

2. Erhu Trio <August Flowers Blossom> performed by Lawren Bai, Shizuka Yonekura and Doug Tsang

3. Flute solo <Spring at Pamir> performed by Yajing Yang

4. Ensemble <Purple Bamboo Melody> performed by SCO Ensemble

5. Hulusi Solo <Affectionate Bawu> performed by Yajing Yang

6. Erho solo <War Horses Galloping Steeds> performed by Tingting Chang

7. Ensemble <Full of Joy> performed by SCO Ensemble