About the Piece

Instrumentation:

Solo flute

Exclusionary Period:

1 year starting on Delivery date. (April 1, 2025 - April 1, 2026)

Project Description:

My proposed work for, Trellis for solo flute, explores the delicate balance between freedom and structure in spiritual growth through an organic architectural form. The image of a trellis beautifully captures the paradox of spiritual growth - how structure can actually enable greater freedom. A trellis might seem restrictive at first glance, but it actually allows a climbing plant to reach heights it never could on its own.

The metaphor feels particularly relevant in our modern world where we often associate freedom with complete autonomy and lack of constraints. Yet just as a vine without support might spread chaotically along the ground, never reaching its full potential, we too might find ourselves wandering without direction when we lack supportive frameworks in our lives. The trellis represents a gentle kind of guidance - not a cage or a wall, but an open structure that provides direction while still allowing for natural growth patterns and movement.

What especially draws me to this metaphor is how it reframes the idea of spiritual discipline. Rather than seeing practices like meditation, prayer, or ethical guidelines as restrictions, the trellis helps us visualize them as supportive structures that actually enable us to grow higher and stronger than we could alone. There's something deeply hopeful in this image - the idea that we might initially perceive as limitations could actually be the very things that help us flourish.

About the Composer

Composer Bio:

Canadian composer Roydon Tse seeks to communicate to audiences from all backgrounds with music that reflects our lived experiences, inspired by the challenges posed by climate change, the complexities of grief, and the ever-evolving cultural tapestry of our world.

His orchestral music has been conducted by Marin Alsop, Gustavo Gimeno & Gemma New, in performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Brussels Philharmonic, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony, Esprit Orchestra, Tafelmusik, and members of the Paris Opera and La Scala Orchestras. His vocal  and stage works have been performed by the Atlanta Opera, Opera Atelier de Montreal, Vancouver Chamber Choir and Vancouver Bach Choir while his chamber music has been performed by the Verona Quartet, Cecilia String Quartet, and the Locrian Chamber Players. His music has appeared in venues such as the Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, and Beijing's National Center for the Performing Arts on Tour with teh Philadelphia Orchestra celebrating 45 year of US-China diplomatic relations.

Named one of CBC Music's Top "30 under 30" musician, Roydon is the recipient of multiple awards from his music, including seve SOCAN Foundation Awards for Young Composers, the Washington International Composition Prize, Lieutenant Governor of Alberta's Emerging Artist Award, iSing! International Composition Prize and the Johanna Metcalf Performing Arts Prize. His work has been supported by multiple Calgary Arts Development, Toronto Arts Council, Ontario Arts Council, and Canada Council grants.

Born in Hong Kong studied in the UK before completing degrees in music composition at the Universities of British Columbia and Toronto. He was a teaching artist for the Canadian Opera Company (2019-2023) and co-directs the Lunenburg Composition Academy for emerging composers. He currently teaches composition and musicianship at the University of Calgary. 

How to Participate

Thank you for supporting the creation of new music through New Works Project! Here's how you can join this exciting journey:

1. Donate Directly

   • You can contribute by making a direct donation to the consortium.

   • Donations will list your name as a contributor in the final score, but they will not include a copy of the music or other rewards.

2. Register as a Consortium Participant

   1. To unlock rewards, Complete this Participant Agreement

   2. Make your donation or use the Join this Project button above to create your crowdfunding page.

      As a Consortium Participant, you can fundraise, track your progress, and receive exclusive rewards, including:

      • $75–$100: Name in the score and a digital copy of the piece as a thank-you gift.

        • $101–$150: Name in the score and a print copy of the piece as a thank-you gift.

        • $150+: Name in the score and both digital and print copies of the piece as thank-you gifts.

      • All Consortium Participants who receive a copy of the piece ($75+ tier or higher) will also enjoy 12 months of exclusive performance rights to the piece once the project is 100% funded. See Participant Agreement for more details.

       

3. Share this Project on Social Media

   • Help us spread the word by sharing the project with your friends and followers on social media.

   • Every time you share, you help us move closer to our fundraising goal and allow more people to experience the new music we’re creating together.

For questions or assistance, please reach out to us at info@newworksproject.org.