Nine Coloured Deer is a 1981 animated film (directed by Qian Jiajun and Dai Tielang) based on 1600-year-old paintings in the Magao caves, Western China. Shenshen Guan has composed a new score informed by the music notation also found in the caves, which is performed by Sketch Ensemble with Shenshen and guest Guzheng virtuoso Nana Liu.
The concert will also include excerpts from Sketch's original score for the 1928 film "The Passion of Joan of Arc" directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer.
Sketch Ensemble
Sketch was formed in 2021 and focuses on creating new compositions by its members. Since its inception, the ensemble has premiered numerous original compositions and fresh arrangements, featuring music from Japanese animation and video games. They have also introduced innovative works by Marike van Dijk, which utilised dynamic and animated notation. Additionally, the ensemble has focused on music that responds to and interprets specific natural environments. Sketch is directed by Robert Davidson, using insights from his 25 years as artistic director of the award-winning ensemble Topology.