Mezzo-soprano Fleur Barron and Grammy® Award-nominated pianist Myra Huang will perform an all-Asian digital concert with Aural Compass Projects entitled, “On Belonging.”

The recital premieres on February 21 and features a program including Aural Compass Projects’ first commissioned work, “Bright Fear” with music by Raymond Yiu and text by Mary Jean Chan.

Presented in partnership with Cincinnati Song Initiative and Wear Yellow Proudly, the concert selections include Chen Yi’s “Bright Moonlight,” Kamala Sankaram’s “The Far Shore,” Kai-Young Chan’s “Hard it is to Meet and Part,” Bun-Ching Lam’s “To–,” Huang Tzu’s “Flower in the Mist,” Chihchun Lee’s “Diamond Impressions,” Fang Man’s “Lullaby,” and a traditional Chinese folk song titled “Northeast Lullaby.”

Joining the principal artists are dancers Lyndsey Britten and Lauren Herrmann, and cellist Coleman Itzkoff.

Fleur stated in the Aural Compass Project’s press release that singing in Chinese was “initially emotionally uncomfortable,” but that it connected her with childhood memories and experiences. Barron went on to say, “Without question, a major highlight of the project was collaborating with Myra. This recital has represented an invitation for us to engage with the complexity of who we are as Asian women and musicians in a new way. We had limited in-person rehearsal time, but every email, text, Zoom and live rehearsal experience stemmed from a shared devotion to (self) enquiry and effort to understand the personal and universal struggles most of us have around ‘belonging.’”

Huang added that the program showed her how little exposure she had with Asian composers and poets. “What I valued so much about putting this program together were the discussions with Fleur, my fellow artist and Asian woman, about our own reactions to the poems as well as sharing our thoughts about how we both grew up. Musical collaborations always bring these kinds of connections, and they are always such a gift towards growing in spirit and our experience of the world around us.”

Aural Compass Projects spotlights art song’s power to bring healing and restoration. Founded by pianist Michael Lewis, the organization’s mission, as stated on its website, is “to foster and develop a solid moral compass which guides our work in advancing towards equality and better representation in the arts.”