AsianInNY interviews A Moving Sound founder, singer and dancer Mia Hsieh. Mia draws creative inspiration from her roots in Asian movement as well as an assimilation of experimental and improvisational arts forms. Her vocal influences range from ethnic to experimental music. She most often performs her own created language; chanting, speaking and singing with a deep emotion that reaches beyond words.
Mia has collaborated with visual artists, film directors, fashion designers, and created site specific works. Mia was featured on The Discovery Channel and is the vocalist of the internationally recognized A Moving Sound music ensemble performing in many respected festival in Europe, north and central America, more than 15 countries.
In the decade since AMS was formed in Taipei by Mia Hsieh and Scott Prairie, the group has released three albums in their native Taiwan: Little Universe (2004), Songs Beyond Words (2007) and Starshine (2009), with tracks from the latter two serving as the source for their eponymous Motéma debut. They were featured artists in a special program on Taipei presented by the Lonely Planet television series (broadcast in 50 countries on The Discovery Channel), and have also been profiled in The Huffington Post, Public Radio International’s The World, Link TV, Taiwan Public TV, and BBC Radio 3’s World Routes.
The music of AMS has been praised by critics and world music advocates around the globe. Tom Pryor, supervisor of National Geographic World Music, described AMS as “one of the most original outfits working in the world music arena today.” And Theodore C. Levin, the noted Dartmouth University ethnomusicologist who was the first Executive Director for Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project, describes their work as “really beautiful, and beautifully presented.”
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34MmToberFE?hd=1]
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