Program Notes:

Screaming Silence is based on one of the most horrendous atrocities in human history: the Nanjing Massacre, also known as the “Rape of Nanjing.” In December 1937, following the fall of Nanjing—the capital of China at the time—the Japanese army began a six-week massacre. During this period, an estimated 300,000 people were murdered, while countless others were tortured, humiliated, and raped. It has been said that during those weeks, on average, one life was taken every twelve seconds.

Musically, this piece is structured in twelve-second blocks to embody this terrifying statistic. Within these frames, I attempt to recreate haunting sonic images of the massacre: sirens, weapons, screams, and acts of violence. Much of the historical material informing this work comes from Iris Chang’s book The Rape of Nanking.

For an ironic and unsettling contrast, I also quote the Japanese patriotic song Umi Yukaba (“If I go away to the sea”), composed in 1937—the same year as the massacre. This song, designed to glorify sacrifice for the emperor, is woven and transformed throughout the work, functioning as a recurring motif and a symbol of the propaganda that fueled such cruelty. Through these extreme gestures and disturbing musical scenes, Screaming Silence seeks to confront a history that is too often silenced or obscured for political reasons. It reflects on the inhumanity of war, how it strips people of their morality, and how it can turn human beings into perpetrators of unspeakable violence.

Most importantly, as someone born and raised in Nanjing, I dedicate this work to the victims. It is a gesture of respect, remembrance, and mourning. May the dead rest in peace—and may the living never forget, nor repeat, the tragedies of the past.