The Multimodal Perspective of Performing Qigang Chen’s Instants d’un Opéra de Pékin

This article examines Chinese-French composer Qigang Chen’s piano work Instants d'un opera de Pekin from a multimodal perspective, highlighting the interplay developed between music, nonverbal movement, and visual in the creative experience of the performers. The study includes an in-depth analysis of this piano work that incorporates elements of Peking Opera and explores the rhythmic complexity, timbral texture, and body movement issues that arise in the collaboration between the pianist, the percussionist, and the martial arts dancer. Through an interdisciplinary perspective, this study also attempts to provide an innovative approach to bridging different art forms of performance, delving into the theoretical underpinnings of multimodal communication and its application to musical performance. The musical and cultural meanings of the work will be revealed from the experience of the Chinese pianist and articulating with the percussionist and dancers of the martial art from Portugal. This collaboration provides insight into how performers can expand their expressive power by incorporating different cultural elements into their performances. By exploring the multimodal perspective of Chen's work, the study highlights the transformative potential of multimodal performance in expanding the boundaries of the traditional concert experience and contributes to our understanding of the intricate dialogue between different modes and the ways in which their integration can enhance the artistic experience.