Chinese and Western elements in contemporary Chinese composer Zhou Long’s works for solo piano Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations, Wu Kui, and Pianogongs

Zhou Long is a Chinese American composer who strives to combine traditional Chinese musical techniques with modern Western compositional ideas. His three piano pieces, "Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations", "Wu Kui", and "Pianogongs" each display his synthesis of Eastern and Western techniques. A brief cultural, social and political review of China throughout Zhou Long's upbringing will provide readers with a historical perspective on the influence of Chinese culture on his works. Study of "Mongolian Folk-Tune Variations" will reveal the composers early attempts at Western structure and harmonic ideas. "Wu Kui" provides evidence of the composer's desire to integrate Chinese cultural ideas with modern and dissonant harmony. Finally, the analysis of "Pianogongs" will provide historical context to the use of traditional Chinese percussion instruments and his integration of these instruments with the piano. Zhou Long comes from an important generation of Chinese composers including, Chen Yi and Tan Dun, that were able to leave China achieve great success with the combination of Eastern and Western ideas. This study will deepen the readers' understanding of the Chinese cultural influences in Zhou Long's piano compositions.