Pak Yan Lau

A child of Chinese immigrants who grew up in Brussels, Pak Yan Lau is a nomad between the two cultures. She draws her inspiration from the ritual music of Asia as well as from the sound research of Western avant-gardists. During her performances, the artist tries to connect with her musicians and to connect the audience with the larger whole. “When it works,” Lau says, “then everything feels easy and right. Every listener brings their own story with them, but at a universal level, we are all connected to one another.”

Music takes our thoughts on journeys—to different atmospheres, cultures, and times. In the process, it is able to penetrate the deepest layers of our unconscious and reawaken old memories. For the world premiere of her new piece, Wander(E)ars, which picks up on the musikprotokoll festival theme of nomadic sounds, Pak Yan Lau will bring a large assortment of instruments and sound objects with her, including her toy piano and gong mallets.