Introduction

Abstract

This short introduction describes the contributions to a special issue on the music of Chen Yi, which originated in a special session on Chen’s music sponsored by the Committee on the Status of Women at the Society for Music Theory’s annual meeting in 2017. The contributions begin with a discussion by the composer, Chen Yi, of her chamber ensemble Happy Rain on a Spring Night, followed by three articles by Nancy Rao, John Roeder, and Marianne Kielian-Gilbert that offer varied approaches to analyzing her music, including Ba Ban (1999) and Ning for Pipa, Violin and Cello (2002). A brief overview of and link to an edited transcription of the question and answer period that concluded the original session is also provided.