In Chinese, the word for university (大学) translates literally as “Great Learning.” For composer Lei Liang (prof. at UC San Diego), composing at a university means one has the ability to collaborate with and learn from other scholars in vastly different disciplines. The work of Huang Binhong (1865-1955) served as the inspiration for Lei’s orchestral work, “A thousand mountains, a million streams.” Binhong, having lost his sight later in life, demonstrates how a “handicap” can ultimately become a superpower leading to greater creativity. We also talk about the cicadas of his childhood in Beijing, the role of titles for composers/audiences, and how technology can actually deepen our listening practice, among many other topics. Lei also cautions against the dangers of “jumping on the bandwagon” of trendy labels and political expediency. Want to promote these conversations? Rate the podcast, leave a review, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the YouTube comments where you can watch video :)  YouTube: https://youtu.be/fOs8DgtRzLc  Lei Liang: https://sites.google.com/site/leiliangcomposer2/ Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP): https://youtu.be/sj3JxTtNsjs?si=kuE9Uesc02imnVNY Lei Lab: https://lei-lab.ucsd.edu/ 

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