Sam Wu: TEA《茶》(2014); Suite for Piano and Orchestra

Commissioned and premiered by the River Charles Ensemble
Cherie Hu, pianist
Recorded on Nov. 7th, 2014, in Lowell Lecture Hall of Harvard University

Tea is not only a staple global beverage, with a strong presence in almost all corners of the world, but is also the meeting point of multiple cultures and histories. From its humble beginnings in Southern China, in a region whose name translates literally to "South of the Clouds," tea followed the spread of Buddhism from East Asia into Japan, and then entered with the British into the plantations of India and Sri Lanka.

In three movements, TEA explores this "tea road," its engagement with ethnic and religious musical traditions analogous to how a tea leaf soaks up the local drinking water wherever it ends up.

To me, however, tea carries more than just a fascinating history. It was also my mother's favorite drink, and I grew up drinking tea instead of water. It is thus with loving memory that I dedicate this piece, inspired by a leaf that traveled over mountains and across oceans, to her.