The First Symphony Ever Written for Crystal Bowls The Swiss composer Chunhe Gao has composed a symphony without end, not scored for orchestra but for alchemy crystal singing bowls. A one movement symphony, this groundbreaking work marries symphonic structure with the free form of sound healing untimed relaxed soundscape. The result is an incredibly moving piece mixing form and relaxed unmetered healing energy. This is not the first time crystal sound meets the concert hall. Last year AKI Sound Studio collaborated with the Brussels Symphony Orchestra in a celebration of chorus, strings and crystal bowls. The concert presented bowl playing in alternation with choral works by the Serenata Vocale choir and a selection of strings from the Brussels orchestra. From this first tentative gesture towards the marriage of traditional composition and sound healing, Gao’s work now moves sound healing directly into the structure of symphony. The Cathedral of Mist What happens when the tight notation of the musical score meets the free time of alchemy crystal? Is healing enhanced with form? As you immerse yourself in the cathedral of thousands of overtones, where nothing resolves and stops as in traditional music, yet is bound in the very expansive net of Chunhe Gao’s cathedral of mist, perhaps you find yourself in a whole new realm of musical healing. The Symphony’s middle section is an intimate exploration of gentle sound healing. While the opening section builds a vast cathedral inviting you into its realm of a thousand overtones, the middle section emerges as a single voice, an intimate caress, a healing solitude. You feel you can breathe with the music while being held within the cathedral’s sacred architecture. The symphony concludes with another cascade of flowing alchemy sound. As the opening section is heard again, this time you are transformed. The alchemy crystal has infused musical structure with the magic of its blessings. Where Landscapes Meet Soundscapes Throughout the symphony a beautiful tension is created as the form of the symphony, with its cluster chords, dynamic arcs and tremolo markings, resists closure. Symphony usually demands closure and resolution, taking the listener on a journey with a beginning, middle and end. Yet the crystal bowls entice you into further opening, letting go, with no closure. The symphony transcends its own structure and becomes boundless structured opening, resisting closure. Symphonic structure keeps you rooted or grounded. The forms adhere to the common ground we all recognise in our collective memories. Boundless resonant non closure of alchemy sounds lets you soar in inspiration not attached to conventional norms. So you stay rooted yet expansive. You can move through the shifting currents of subtle tones without losing sight of land. Landscapes and soundscapes meet in this dancing ground. The absolute and the relative intertwine. Normal reality becomes sacred while vast inspiration docks in the harbour of lived experience. A Note from the Composer When reflecting on the origins of the work, composer Chunhe Gao describes how the symphony emerged from his musical friendship with Lama Brian Hilliard. “In the winter of 2020 my friend Brian Hilliard asked me to write a symphony for twelve tone crystal bowls. Lama Brian is a Buddhist teacher and also a wonderful musician who plays the accordion. During his time living in Switzerland we played a lot of music together. Through our conversations about the character of this music, the title Alchemy Crystal Symphony emerged. Brian shared ideas about what could be possible with the bowls, and I combined this with the classical symphonic form ABA. The musical indications on the score are approximate. This music must be interpreted in a very free way. While the symphony itself spans only one octave, the overtones of the bowls create several octaves, expanding what might otherwise seem like a limited structure of the score.” The future of sound healing is here now. Chunhe Gao’s bold vision now finds its home on Sound Tribe, where you can experience the world premiere of 'Alchemy Crystal Symphony' free for members or accessible through a 7-day free trial. follow Chunhe Gao on Instagram and Facebook. Explore Sound Tribe Here The platform hosts a growing library of more than 100 sound bath recordings created in our Brussels studio, performed with AKI Sound Studio’s curated collection of over 350 Alchemy Crystal Singing Bowls, alongside guided contemplations, meditations and journalling sound baths designed to deepen the listening experience.