In the verdant hills of Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, where the Jino ethnic group has lived in relative isolation for centuries, Du Yun's latest project, The Ocean Etched in the Forest, finds its roots. This ambitious work, which blends the ancient folk traditions of the Jino people with contemporary sound, marks a profound intersection of history, culture and modern innovation.
The world premiere of The Ocean Etched in the Forest will take place on Sunday (Oct 12), as part of the 28th Beijing Music Festival, a prestigious event launched in 1998. The production will then travel to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York on Nov 7, marking a significant step in Du's mission to take the Jino people's rich cultural heritage to global audiences.
Du was born and raised in Shanghai. An alumna of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Oberlin College and Conservatory, and Harvard University, she currently lives in New York and is a professor of composition at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University.
For Du, this project is not merely about music — it's an exploration of identity, heritage and the power of storytelling across generations. A Pulitzer Prize-winning composer renowned for her boundary-defying creations, Du seeks to use this work to amplify voices that have long been marginalized, bringing ancient traditions into the present moment.
