Nü Shu Suite – Collaborative composition by composer Jean Beers and accordionist Yilin Han (an artistic research project, 2022-2024) // Information: Title: Nü Shu - Suite für Akkordeon Solo mit Zuspielung und Performance Movements: 1. Musings (by Two Women) 2. Blood 3. Push(back) 4. Nü - the woman Movements 1, 2, 4 with electronic tape Composed: Vienna, 2022-2024 Premieres: Vienna, January 2023 (1st movement "Musings by two women"); Beijing, May 2024 (complete) Composers: Jean Beers (idea, concept, composition), Yilin Han (concept, composition, accordion technique) // Background & Concept: "Nü Shu" is a special language that was developed in the 18th century by oppressed women in Hunan, China, not only to communicate secretly amongst women, but also to express themselves in a socially critical and poetic way. The written characters are based on the soft forms of the female body and are only understood by a few experts and women today. The research by Jean Beers and Yilin Han resulted in the artistic-scientific transcription of excerpts from old recordings of "Nü Shu" lament songs, which were further developed as the melodic and harmonic basis of the entire musical structure of this Suite. In order to give artistic expression to the immense sadness about the worldwide historical (and in some cases still ongoing) disregard for women in society, a famous excerpt from the novel Bonjour tristesse by 20th century French feminist Francoise Sagan was read by Yilin Han in German and Chinese translation and electronically alienated by Jean Beers and combined with the breath of the accordion (air sounds of the bellows). In contrast to this, the two co-composers developed a theatrical dramaturgy that transcends an instrumental performance and expresses the immense mental strength of the "Nü Shu" women and all oppressed or disadvantaged people through strong symbolism, gestures and grave bass sounds in the accordion. This work was created in a very unusual and highly empathic way. Nü Shu Suite is a collaborative composition in which the composer Jean Beers has placed her creative ideas and compositional drafts so much into Fluxus that she has gone through all the creative processes of the composition together with the accordionist Yilin Han. In a conventional composition, the creative process largely takes place before the interpretation on the instrument, so strictly speaking the composer would place herself hierarchically above the performer in the decision-making power of the content of the new work. Jean Beers and Yilin Han, on the other hand, met at eye level right at the beginning of the embryonic creation process and thus formed a dual creative force consisting of two women. The two women researched sounds from the button accordion together and agreed on a philosophical-narrative concept, inspired by the life and work of one of Europe's original feminists, Francoise Sagan, and the "Nü Shu" language of a secret women's association in China. This work was created as part of the artistic research project Composer/Performer Relations by Jean Beers, in which Yilin Han participated as part of her master's degree with a focus on her own accordion project.

Beers 'Margarita', no. 2 from 'Bulgakov Piano Cycle' (2009) Jean Beers, piano live performance: Richard Jakoby Saal, Hannover, 2011, Hans Leygraf in Memoriam concert

This opera project was conceived by fragmenting various texts and narratives in order to address the subject matter of female struggle and empowerment from various angles, while considering changing prerequisites in different historical eras and societal outlooks. Furthermore, "the female" as a falsely maltreated subaltern entity draws logical links to the approach towards art as a subaltern entity that is often placed into the category of "mere entertainment". Part 1 in scenes 1–3 Background: The lyrics of these three songs derive from a deconstructive procedure applied to different text fragments, with some unchanged quotations, some free associative vocabulary and a few words radically reduced to single sounds. The songs intend to give an impression of the atmosphere rather than offering a traditional ‘setting’ to lyrics. The titles complement the lyrics and musical sentiments in an interpretative manner. The first song uses an excerpt of an Elizabethan play, The Jew of Malta, in which Christopher Marlowe paints a picture of a Machiavellian-style business man, Barabas, accused of sexually harassing and subsequently murdering an anonymous woman of low social standing during his quest for more power and money. He cares little about her gruesome fate, but is finally caught up by his actions. The second song was inspired by the recording of an expressive reading of T.S. Eliot’s Portrait of a Lady by the poet, after which I devised the lyrics loosely leaning on Eliot’s narrative. For the third song, text particles are interwoven to evoke musical impressions of the dramatic yet ambiguous underlying narrative culminating in a funereal procession of morality and female emancipation. Lyrics: I. Machiavellian Kindness Thou hast committed— Fornication: but that was another country, And besides, the wench is dead. [Excerpt from ‘The Jew of Malta’ by Christopher Marlowe, 1589] II. Chopin We have heard the fashionable Pole – Dobrze tak! – transmit the music with her wisps of hair and fingertips. So delicate, her Chopin, that we know this soul should, could, can be resurrected alone with some friends. One, two or three. They will not touch the bloom, that is questioned in a larger room. Delicate, her Chopin. Latest Pole, her music. [Lyrics inspired by T. S. Eliot’s ‘Portrait of a Lady’, 1915] III. Where everything comes together Thou hast committed fornication. Her soul is dead, latest. [Lyrics abstracted from I. and II.]

Une Barque psychosis lost in time (sample clip) original electronic composition by Jean Beers, 2018. live performance at Klangkeller Berlin, 21st Sept. 2018 This is a short clip from the start of a performance of over 20 minutes.

DUO LIEPE Niklas Liepe, violin; Nils Liepe, piano Beers "Schmetterlinghaus (Wien)" Beers "Butterfly House (Vienna)" 1 of 5 shortlisted composers at biggest National German Music Competition (DMW, Musikrat) composed 2017, premiered 14.03.2018 at *Beethoven Haus* in Bonn, this video was taken during the dress rehearsal (GP) in the concert hall, with permission by the musicians and event organisers.

Jean Beers 'Behemoth' from 'Bulgakov Piano Cycle', composed 2009 Jean Beers, piano (encore to Shostakovich Piano Concerto no. 1) recorded in concert: 24th July 2010, Mozarteum, Salzburg Hoping to post the Shostakovich Concerto (see above) soon!

Beers: 'Nachklang' & 'Scherzo' from Piano Concerto no. 2 (composed 2015/2016) performed by the composer at the piano and Eton College Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jack Rozman at Concert Hall, Eton College, Windsor, 21st May 2016

Premiere of movements 1 and 2 of "Opaque Transparencies" (Trois valses fantastiques pour orchestre) by Jean Beers at the grand hall, Eton College, Windsor with Eton Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Tim Johnson