5th Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival 2004 in Hong Kong
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Regulations of Competition (PDF format)

Set Piece excerpt for Chromatic Harmonica Solo (Open) - Village Voice

Set Piece excerpt for Tremolo Harmonica Solo (Open) - Gumption

Introduction of Village Voice (Clarence Mak)
This work, making use of the various tone colors and special performing techniques of harmonica, tries to depict the cheerful atmosphere of Dong people dancing, singing, and sharing their happiness with each other. The people of Dong ethnic minority dwell in the neighboring Guizhou and Human Provinces of Southern China. Music is important to the Dong people. Apart from singing song, playing Lusheng, a pipe wind instrument is popular for them. This reed instrument was originated during Shang Dynasty more than 3,000 years ago, and the principle of the sheng reed has been adopted in Western musical instruments such as harmonica and accordion. In this piece, the melodic lines were shaped with a Dong traditional grand song in which the singers join into a multi-part harmony. The repeated notes and the wide vibrato with tremolo produce the lusheng like sound gestures to express the vivid dancing rhythm while the legato harmonic intervals depict feeling towards the elegance and simplicity of the life in this ethnic group. The fermatas, breathing marks, and the extensive use of rests on the score imply certain flexibility in the tempo. The player should have appropriate rubato to interpret the music with imagination of the versatile moods but sometimes subtle and allusive characteristics of the Dong spirit.

Introduction of Gumption (HUI Cheung Wai)

Gumption is specifically written for the 5th Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival 2004 in Hong Kong, as the test piece for open section of Tremolo Solo Harmonica Competition. Composition of the piece has taken into account both technique and musicianship that tremolo harmonicas can offer, with an aim to bring inspirations despite limitations and inertia of traditional tremolo harmonica music. The chords are required to be precise in performance.

In general, the piece can be performed with a 21-hole tremolo harmonica (the use of A-Major instrument is recommended). The figurations, rhythms, and particularly the relation between the melody and accompaniment, pose different challenges to the performer. Tempos are not strictly defined and rooms are left for interpreter to show up their personality.

The composition makes use of several related but varied sections to demonstrate the technique and art of tremolo harmonica solo playing, including staccato, legato, arpeggio, running scale, trills, mordents, bending etc. Harmony playing techniques include different double-stops (of thirds, fifths, sixths and octaves), lower and higher register accompaniment, broken chords, in order to showoff the technical virtuosity of tongue-blocking in tremolo harmonica.

Timbral quality is subject to performer's preference. For instance, contrast between single-hole and double-hole playing, the use of bright or dark tones and the adoption of different styles of vibrato are not specified in the score. Performers may choose to use various techniques according to their own likes and fortes.

Gumption brings out a spirit of hope and the music is led by a joyful theme. Leaping figuration and ascending scale-steps are prominent gestures. Diverse rhythm lends lively continuity and propulsion to the music (rigid beat-counting is not recommended). The music, like an imaginative and adventurous leggiero dance, ends in a confident and splendid atmosphere.

N.B:
Due to the fact that competitors come from various Asian countries, for the sake of fairness the style and elements of Gumption are not associated with any Asian folk music.

Duration of the music should be between 1'30''and 1'50'' and should not exceed 2'.