空 (hūng) for horn (2026)

空 (hūng) is written in memory of my 婆婆 (grandmother). The character 空 can mean “empty” or “void”, but also “air”, “sky” and “space”. The piece traces a journey through grief: from the weight of absence towards a sense of lightness and release. A traditional Hakka folk melody runs through the music, alongside an echo of Daoist ideas of emptiness - not as nothingness, but a living, dynamic space of infinite potential in which something new can emerge.

Version for natural horn was premiered by Isaac Shieh at Classically Black: Next Movement Showcase on 10th October, 2026.