Collaborating with Graduate Colloquium Program, Honors College, Asian American Resource Center and Asian American Studies, the School of Music is excited to welcome performing artist, award-winning musician, dancer, and storyteller Jen Shyu to NIU for an interdisciplinary residence program.
In this three-day program, Jen Shyu will interact with NIU students to experience the power of performing arts in social activism. All events are free and open to the public. Audience participation is encouraged as well. For more information, please contact Dr. Jui-Ching Wang.
Nov. 29: “‘This Isn’t a Concert; This is a Protest!’ How Activism Can Manifest in Music and Life.”
9:50 – 10:40 a.m. | Recital Hall
In this keynote address, Jen will dive into the origins behind some of her works of resistance and protest, including “The Chinese-Cuban Question,” “The Human Color,” “Raging Waters, Red Sands,” “Song for Naldo,” “Living’s a Gift,” “Lament for Breonna Taylor,” and “When I Have Power.” She will explore how not only one’s artistic creations, but also one’s actions and organizing within and among communities can be acts of resistance against racism, sexism, patriarchy, and other oppressive forces in our world today. She will also talk a bit about her mentorship initiative co-founded with Sara Serpa, Mutual Mentorship for Musicians.
Nov. 30: “You Are Everything Workshop”
11 – 11:50 | Boutell Memorial Concert Hall
Originally created in 2012 in Indonesia, this workshop, “Belum Pernah” or “I Have Never Dared to Do This Before” in English, has been developed through her travels and teaching around the world. Open to advanced musicians/artists and non-musicians/non-artists, this workshop guides the participants through writing, listening, movement, acting, spoken word, singing, solo improvisation, duo, and group improvisation with and/or without instruments/found objects. Because the whole point of the activity is to do at least one thing he/she has never done before, everyone is on an equal playing field and must create outside of their comfort zones. Those participating should bring a pen/pencil and paper/notebook and wear comfortable clothing and shoes (no high heels). Instruments welcome but not required.
Dec. 1: “Finding and Using Your Authentic Voice”
Noon – 1 p.m. | Recital Hall
In this interdisciplinary workshop centered around identity, Jen Shyu will discuss and demonstrate some of her research and travels in her parents’ homelands of Taiwan and East Timor, and her travels in Cuba, Brazil, East Asia and Southeast Asia. She will then facilitate the exploration of everyone’s identity and lived experiences and how we can empower ourselves and each other through writing, listening, movement, acting, spoken word, singing, solo improvisation, duo, and group improvisation with and/or without instruments/found objects. Those participating should bring a pen/pencil and paper/notebook and wear comfortable clothing and shoes (no high heels). This event is open to artists as well as non-artists Instruments welcome but not required.
Jen Shyu – Guggenheim Fellow, USA Fellow, Doris Duke Artist, Paul Simon Music Fellows Guest Artist, Steinway Artist, multilingual multidisciplinary artist Jen Shyu is “one of the most creative vocalists in contemporary improvised music” (The Nation). Born in Peoria, Illinois to Taiwanese and East Timorese immigrants, she’s produced eight albums available on her record label Autumn Geese Records on Bandcamp. She’s performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Theater of Korea, Rubin Museum, was named Downbeat’s 2017 Rising Star Female Vocalist, and is a Fulbright scholar. Her Song of Silver Geese was among The New York Times’ “Best Albums of 2017.” She’s currently touring her third solo production Zero Grasses: Ritual for the Losses (commissioned by John Zorn) across all 50 states and has received wide critical acclaim for her latest album of the same name, with “When I Have Power” NPR’s “Best Songs of 2021.”
