The observation of surroundings with a surrealist sensibility
Interview with Ping-En Hung
At inJazz in June of 2024, Ping-En Hung presented a repertoire that focused on a crossover of jazz styles with ambient electronic music, folk singing, and some body movements involving flowers.
Check out the full inJazz concert here.
Many people who witnessed her on stage shared their appreciation for the non-traditional jazz performance and the theatrical elements. Says Ping-En now: “They appreciated the full-package experience provided by a one-woman band, which in the end was quite an immersive sonic experience.”
About Ping-En Hung at ESNS
At ESNS in Groningen, inJazz presents Ping-En Hung and WAAN in club OOST in Oosterstraat on 16 January. Ping-En Hung plays at 21:00, WAAN at 22:00. The gigs are open to anyone with a Eurosonic festival ticket or an ESNS Conference ticket.
Come say hi!
Ping-En Hung will present her compositions at the Muziekgebouw aan ‘t IJ this May. She also performs electronic music live sets at various venues, including Garage Noord in Amsterdam.
Inspired by this response, she began incorporating more musical theatre elements into her performances.
“Musically, my work remains rooted in jazz harmony, bass improvisation, and ambient elements. However, performance-wise, it includes more acting and more movement – such as boxing. I would describe my music as departing from jazz, carrying its spirit of improvisation and liberation, but now blending with electronic music and hyperpop.” Having said that, Ping-En considers herself an artist rooted in jazz music, “but one who expands the style with other influences. This is my vision: to create music that sounds like Ping-En Hung.”
Since inJazz, Ping-En has created new solo pieces and she has collaborated in several projects with other artists too. Her presentation caught the attention of theatre maker Xiao Chuyueh, who is active in both the Netherlands and China. “She invited me to perform live music and act – as a so-called toilet girl – in her show.”
For her inJazz @ ESNS solo performance in OOST on 16 January Ping-En will focus on her new songwriting.
“Last time at inJazz, my music was inspired by ancient Chinese philosophy, since my mother is a Chinese literature teacher and she always influenced me tremendously. This time, my repertoire focuses on the observation of surroundings with a surrealist sensibility. There will be soft moments, hopefully touching your heart, but also hyper moments with wild thoughts that sound like Dali’s artwork put to music. You will see me playing bass guitar, you will see me dancing, you will see me singing. You will hear jazz, you will hear electronic music, you will hear East and West, and you will hear hyper pop. All done by a one-woman band.”
We may be in for a surprise, for not many people in the Netherlands are familiar with the musical language that Ping-En Hung brought with her when she came to Amsterdam to study at the Conservatorium.
“Taiwan’s musical scene is very diverse but I am mostly influenced by tribal music from our native people and the special vocal expressions of Taiwanese Hokkien singers. We have a special ritualistic sound in the mountainous region of our country, and I tend to merge these elements into my compositions by sampling or integrating the rhythm and hymns with jazz harmony. The special vocal expressions of our Hokkien singers, like Jody Chiang, have been an important influence on my style of singing, involving a lot of nasal sounds and gliding pitch.”
About Ping-En Hung
Website: www.pingenhung.com
Instagram: @ping.en.hung
YouTube: Ping-En Hung Music
Soundcloud: Ping-En Hung aka Mała Gula is Mawa Gula
Interview by Mark van Schaick