Red Zen is part of Ho's ongoing creative and spiritual journey of discovering the confluence of Eastern and Western musical languages. Set as a series of "images", the music unfolds as a tone poem, traveling from one exotic scene to the next. Written specifically for the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, much of the music features solos, duos, and trios that give key players the opportunity to showcase their talents.
Vincent Ho is a Canadian who is widely recognised as one of the most exciting composers of his generation. He has made waves in the music world of North America despite being fairly early in his compositional career, receiving numerous prizes, accolades, and prominent commissions in a relatively short space of time. Ho’s music is rich and energetic - a unique integration of influences ranging from the visual arts, electroacoustic and natural soundscapes, traditional classical music forms, and the physical properties of the instruments and ensembles for which he writes. His music is sensual, sonorous and richly textured, and Ho gives considerable attention to the audience’s experience of his intricate sound-worlds.
