糖水系列 - Childhood Sweet

for solo piano
ca. 13’00”

Childhood Sweet (2022) is a solo piano piece inspired by my favorite Hong Kong desserts growing up——I am very grateful to be born to foodie parents that have taken me all over the city to try new foods ever since I could remember. I did not realize my the degree that I love food until heading to Chinatown-less Ann Arbor for college, and the Hong Kong-dry food scene has only further cemented my passion for Cantonese cooking. These three short movements are a love letter to this unique slice of Hong Kong culture.

The first movement, 黑白 - Black and White, refers to a traditional dessert where chunky, bouncy black herbal jelly is laid on top of a luxurious bed of smooth tofu pudding. The texture of these ingredients bears a surprising similarity to the black and white keys of the piano!

The second movement, 榴蓮忘返 - Durianland!, takes its name from one of my favorite dessert places in Hong Kong——a small shop in Tsim Sha Tsui that specializes in durian and durian-flavored desserts. Despite my undying love for it, the fruit's notorious reputation for both repelling and attracting people in equal measure is not lost on me.

The last movement, 芝麻糊，綠豆沙 - Grandpa's Lullaby, quotes an original Cantonese lullaby written by my late grandfather:

「芝麻糊，綠豆沙，五仙一碗杏仁茶。五仙一碗唔好講價，你買唔買，唔買就罷！」

"Seasame soup, green bean soup, five cents for a bowl of almond soup. It's five cents a bowl, don't bargain with me. Are you buying? Go away if you're not!"

Childhood Sweet was written for my good friend Zach Cheong with the generous support of The Curtis Institute of Music.

Performances:

11 Apr 2023 (world premiere) Curtis Institute of Music Graduate Recital: Zach Hoi Leong Cheong Field Concert Hall, Curtis Institute of Music, PA, USA Zach Hoi Leong Cheong, piano