Jie Ma
Artist's Message About Polytope...
"Virtuoso and composer Jie Ma was traditionally trained by Chinese music and culture, influenced by electronic and world music, and now takes a more gentle, hypnotic approach – which can still prove unexpected and often unsettling, but always touching the souls.
Having played pipa since she was five, Jie Ma is no stranger to the rigorous training and precise techniques required to become a virtuoso in traditional Chinese music. In the past, she played as a solo virtuoso on the ancient instruments pipa and ruan, interpreted classical pieces, rendered ensemble and orchestra compositions, and collaborated with artists and art forms from all over the world. Now, Jie's work is recognized as a flow that immersed the classics with the avant-garde, the structured with the impromptu, and the old sound with new techniques and technology."
ORIGINAL ARTWORK
The artist’s original art pieces are available for purchase. Simply click the "PURCHASE" button and follow the instructions. Please note that reproductions of the art will continue to be offered for purchase for the duration of the LELA's art show through July 31st, 2022.
Polytope is a genre-bending project comprising Jie Ma, a world-renowned pipa (traditional Chinese lute) player, and Brian Saia, an electronic musician, which marries two disparate styles of music. A polytope is a geometric shape that can exist in higher dimensions. We chose this name for our project because we want to transcend both styles of music, the ancient eastern and the contemporary western, to reveal a new undiscovered dimension. Instead of its being an amalgamation of two approaches, we like to think of this process as having a synergistic effect. In every sense, Jie and Brian come from completely different backgrounds. Jie began studying music at an early age in a rigorous classical setting in China. Since then, she has continued to hone and perfect her skills on her instrument. Jie performs internationally and composes. Brian, on the other hand, became fascinated with music technology and researching experimental practices in his graduate studies in California and is dedicated to teaching the next generation of electronic musicians. Culturally diverse, we aim to bring our ideas together through the universal language of music. In these tumultuous times, we are focused on art, the common thread amongst all people. We share with the public the ideas of inclusivity and acceptance through the lens of our craft, ultimately demonstrating that our commonalities outweigh our differences.
REPRODUCTIONS
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