Yiwen Wang Interview: Award-Winning Experimental Work Forest in Porcelain
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
Composer Yiwen Wang received the First Prize and the Excellent Creativity Special Prize in the Best Experimental Music category for her work Forest in Porcelain at the Mozart International Music Competition UK 2025 Season 3. The season took place from August 1 to November 1, 2025, with the official results announced on November 25, 2025.
At the heart of Forest in Porcelain lies a meticulous exploration of sound, material, and cultural memory. In the following interview, composer Yiwen Wang offers an in-depth look into the conception and realization of this award-winning experimental work. She discusses her fascination with porcelain as a sonic material, the recording and production process behind the piece, and her broader artistic philosophy shaped by tradition, technology, and attentive listening in the digital age.
Could you please introduce your award-winning composition Forest in Porcelain? When and under what circumstances was it composed? Could you share the inspiration behind the composition and the message you hope to convey through it?
Yiwen Wang:
"Forest in Porcelain is a 12-minute experimental music composition for headphones. The core of this piece is an exploration of the material itself. It focuses entirely on porcelain, a material deeply rooted in Chinese cultural history.
I wrote this piece because I wanted to investigate the essence of sound and move away from traditional melody. I was inspired by works like Iannis Xenakis's Concret PH and Denis Smalley's Wind Chimes.
My goal was to use 'man-made objects derived from nature'. Since I wanted to include Chinese elements, I chose porcelain and recorded sounds from specially tuned porcelain instruments and leaf-glazed bowls (Jizhou Kiln bowls). I used electronic processing to transform these sounds while keeping their original crisp, cold, and hard physical qualities. I want the listeners to hear the texture of the porcelain, like rain falling or beads rolling, and feel the balance between silence and movement."
We listened to your composition through a recording. Could you share more about the production process of your award-winning work? How was the piece realized and recorded, and were there any memorable moments during its creation or production?
Yiwen Wang:
"Recording was the most important part of this work. I used two main types of sound sources.
I visited Jingdezhen to record the Porcelain Music instruments. The most memorable moment was meeting Mr. Wang Rongfa, one of the inventors of these instruments. I learned that they are extremely fragile and require professional tuning. With his help, I recorded the Porcelain Chime, Marimba, and Drum.
Then, I recorded leaf-glazed bowls from the Jizhou Kiln. I visited many factories to find bowls with thin edges for the best sound. To get different textures, I used dried tea leaves and fibrous traditional herbal roots to rub and strike the bowls.
In post-production, my focus was balance. I wanted to keep the 'real' sound of porcelain recognizable while using electronic techniques like granular synthesis. I layered the sounds to create a texture like a forest or rain, ensuring the material identity of porcelain was always clear."
Could you talk to us about yourself, your journey in music, and your future goals? Could you also share your perspective on what defines a great composer in today’s digital age, and what you consider to be the most significant artistic or professional challenges facing musicians today and in the coming years?
Yiwen Wang:
"I am deeply grateful to my mentor, the makers of these porcelain instruments, and the Mozart International Music Competition for this honor.
My work aims to excavate into the cultural roots of a sound and retell it with modern language. I try to turn traditional sounds into a contemporary, experimental experience. This mix of "old tradition" and "new technology" creates the artistic tension I want to express. I have explored many styles of music, and realized that sound itself has immense power. In the future, I plan to continue exploring the essence of timbre and experimenting with new forms of expression.
As a sound researcher living in today's digital society and dedicated to exploration, I believe it is essential to compose freely and remain true to my inner motivation. I also believe it is important to approach the influx of information and technical tools with intention. I remind myself to remain honest in my work, hold on to my own emotional logic, my unique auditory aesthetic, and the simple pleasure of enjoying sound."
