Album Notes

A collaboration between Chinese composer/producer Victor Cheng and American composer Michael Gordon Shapiro, Identity blends the sounds of an ancient Chinese folk instrument with the Western orchestra. Identity is both an orchestral concerto - a piece contrasting a soloist with a full orchestral ensemble - as well as program music accompanying an imagined story. The story, written by Cheng, describes a young army officer who is separated from his family by the Chinese civil war. Following this historically-inspired narrative, the music is alternately pastoral, desolate, excited, and - ultimately - triumphant.

Something between a film score and traditional Chinese instrumental piece, Identity will resonate with fans of both orchestral romanticism as well as the evocative sounds of the Far East.

International recording artist and guzheng virtuoso Chang Su showcases her instrument with sensitivity and whirlwind agility, while the United Musicians Symphony of Los Angeles is led by award-winning conductor Case Scaglione. Identity was recorded at the Clint Eastwood Scoring Stage at Warner Brothers Studios in 2010, and has been subsequently performed in the United States, Canada, and mainland China.