Breaking Free
A New Conversation for Viola and Zhongruan or Guitar
Breaking Free is a work for viola and zhongruan or guitar, in which composer Sulwyn Lok and the researcher-performer Andrew Filmer explored processes and avenues of incorporating Asian cultures both from compositional approaches as well as technical explorations of the viola through the use of ‘mistuning’ the strings, known as scordatura.
On this page, excerpts of the work are shared with listeners, through recordings and the score.
Excerpt 1
In this excerpt, we demonstrate the opening of Breaking Free with the viola played in two different tunings - the regular a d G C, and the new f d F D.
Excerpt 2
This excerpt demonstrates the extreme high register of the viola in the new tuning of f d F D. This is preceded by and later again juxtaposed with moments on the viola’s lowest string, which has been tuned higher by a whole tone.
About the authors
Andrew Filmer, researcher-performer
Dr Andrew Filmer is a violist, narrator, and an associate professor at the School of Arts at Sunway University. He is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy in the UK, and he has published extensively on viola technique and repertoire, the collaboration of composer and researcher-performer, and the use of technology in education. Andrew was Editor of the Journal of the American Viola Society, and has awards in teaching, public speaking, research, and leadership. In 2023 he was a Scholar-in-Residence at Cambridge University, and a Festival Artist at the International Viola Congress. He holds a PhD from the University of Otago, where he was a New Zealand International Doctoral Scholar, and recorded with jazz band The Troubles on Rattle Records.
Sulwyn Lok, composer
Sulwyn Lok is an NYC-based Singaporean composer who advocates the human connection in music, beyond cultural boundaries. Winner of Universal Music's UCompose competition and Best Original Music at the National Youth Film Awards, his works have premiered at the Cannes and Busan film festivals and toured festivals globally. His commissions include Samsung, arts councils of New York and Singapore, Singapore Chinese Orchestra, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra.
Sulwyn graduated from New York University's Screen Scoring master’s program, fully sponsored by the Singapore Digital Scholarship. He also graduated as valedictorian from the YST Conservatory, majoring in Audio Arts and Science.
Sulwyn is co-founder of Poco Productions, SEA Music Academy Online, and the Victoria Chinese Orchestra; and is an executive member of the Singapore Chinese Music Federation Youth Chapter.