Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra announced Dai Wei as its 2024-’25 Sound Investment Composer, making Wei’s blend of Eastern and Western musical traditions the centerpiece of the orchestra’s unique program to engage audiences in developing new works.
Originally from China, Wei’s experimental sound “navigates in the spaces between East and West, classical and pop, electronic and acoustic, innovation and tradition,” according to her bio. Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra most recently featured her work in the October 2023 premiere of “Invisible Portals,” co-commissioned with the American Composer’s Orchestra. The piece was inspired by Wei’s collaborations with local performers and musicians in Tibet and Yunnan province.
As the 2024-’25 Sound Investment Composer, Wei will create a new work specifically for Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and conductor Jamie Martín. The world premiere is scheduled for May 10, 2025, in Glendale, Calif.
The Sound Investment program aims to break down the usual walls between composers and audience members. While commissions typically cost many thousands of dollars and are only available to the wealthy donor class, membership in Sound Investment begins at $250 ($50 for students) and includes invitations to salon events with the composer, tickets to the world premiere of the commissioned work, and an autographed copy of the commemorative score.
Past Sound Investment Composers include Julia Adolphe, Timo Andres, Matthew Aucoin, Ellen Reid, Kevin Puts, and others who have gone on to internationally renowned and award-winning careers.
