The Pathway(s) to 'Chosen?': Transcending borders of Time, Place, and Performative Discipline

Designed as a homage to pianist Peter Wallfisch and his wife, cellist and Holocaust survivor Anita Lasker-Wallfisch (who turned 100 last year), ‘Chosen?’ is a multi-dimensional, intergenerational project weaving personal stories through music and visual media. Each story responds to moments of politically driven violence—from the World Wars to the Killing Fields, the Charlie Hebdo attack, MH17, and the ongoing Middle Eastern crisis. Though each event is shocking, the artistic responses offer hope through art.

The project includes visual installation, live performance, dance, improvisation, and audience integration with the October Symposium as the ideal launch platform. Led by Bernard Lanskey and Jun Koh, collaborators include Adeline Wong (composer), Qian Zhou (violin), Qin Li Wei (cello), Liz Sergeant-Tan (dancer), Stephanie Tan (producer, animator, clarinettist), Thomas Green (sonic projections), and Dawn Koh (mixed media). While the live performance features works by Debussy and Bridge, culminating in a new piano trio by Adeline Wong, the pre-performance installation includes music by Him Sophy, Andrew Schultz, Leonard Cohen, Alban Berg, and Olivier Messiaen—all of which also influence Wong’s work.

The presentation focuses on Wong’s new commission, while also weaving together all project elements. A short multimedia performance of Bridge’s Lament for Catherine (aged 9) and an audience interactive session will be included. The panel will discuss the project’s evolution with the symposium’s themes as lens: timelessness and timeliness, fantasy as deeper truth, and the interconnectedness of music, dance, sculpture, sonic manipulation, film, animation, and AI.