“Three Bagatelles from China West” for flute and piano

Chen Yi: “Three Bagatelles from China West” for flute and piano was written in 2006. The piece was commissioned by the organization "Meet The Composer" for flutist Marya Martin as part of the "Flute Book for the 21st Century" project, later published as the Eight Visions anthology. The work is dedicated to Mr. Gilbert Kaplan, a longtime friend of the composer, in recognition of his significant support for classical music.
Marya Martin premiered the piece on March 29, 2007, at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. For the premiere, Martin performed on a wooden flute to capture a more "mellow" and authentic sound that complemented the folk-alike tone colors.
The piece is a suite of three movements, each drawing from authentic folk music of the minority peoples in Western China:
1. Shan Ge (Hill Song)
Inspired by the solo piece Shange Diao played on the Lerong (a wind instrument) and musical patterns of the Kouxian (mouth harp) of the Jingpo people.
2. Nai Guo Hou.
Inspired by the Bawu (a reed instrument) and pitch material from the folk song Ashima of the Yi people.
3. Dou Duo (or Happy Tune)
Inspired by the folk song Dou Duo and the percussive ensemble sounds of the Lusheng played by the Miao people.

The year 2006 was a landmark for Chen Yi’s professional recognition and academic influence. She was a finalist for the 2006 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her orchestral work Si Ji (Four Seasons), and she also began serving as a Visiting Professor at multiple music institutes in China starting in 2006. During this time, she was highly active in promoting new music and bridging Eastern and Western cultural traditions, often through projects like the Marya Martin commission, which sought to expand the modern flute repertoire.