Cicada draws inspiration from the sea

The neoclassical chamber group from Taiwan, Cicada, creates music to bring attention to the protection of nature. Provided to China Daily

When Jesy Chiang went to an industrial area in Taiwan, she had a preconceived notion - the place would be polluted.

"But then I was greeted with bright sunshine, flowers and a sea that takes everything in," says Chiang, the main composer and pianist of Taiwan quintet Cicada.

"Then I realized how magnanimous nature is."

That's how Into the Ocean, one of their melodious works on Taiwan's surrounding sea, coastline and offshore islands, came about.

Cicada, a 6-year-old band which features the piano, stringed instruments and an acoustic guitar, has just ended a tour of major mainland cities.

The tour, which started in Beijing last weekend ended at Shenzhen's B10 Livehouse on Tuesday.

Variously labeled as a neoclassical chamber group and a post-rock band, Cicada is enjoying the growing popularity.

It recently entered an Australian post-rock compilation called Silent Ballet.

Eunice Chung, who plays the viola with Cicada, says: "The ocean is part of our lives even if you don't live near it. There are times that you'll want to spend hours just looking at it."

For the last three years, the group has visited nearly every place along Taiwan's coastline from east to west, surfed and even dived to understand the ocean better.

Hsieh Wei-Lun, the group's guitarist says: "If you stay only on the shore, the sea is a happy place with sunshine and all.