In the mid-20th century, American composer John Cage revolutionised Western music by embracing silence and chance, drawing profound inspiration from Zen Buddhism. His avant-garde compositions challenged traditional notions of sound and meaning, inviting listeners into a meditative space where the boundaries between noise and music dissolved. 

This philosophical integration of Eastern thought into Western art music finds a contemporary parallel in Symphony Kūkai, a monumental six-movement work composed in 2023 by Chinese composer Zou Ye.

Commissioned to commemorate the 1,250th anniversary of the birth of Kūkai – a revered Japanese Buddhist monk, scholar, and founder of the Shingon school of Esoteric Buddhism – this symphony transcends cultural and temporal boundaries. Through a rich tapestry of orchestral and choral textures, Zou Ye’s composition narrates Kūkai’s spiritual journey, from his studies in Tang Dynasty China under Master Huiguo to his establishment of Shingon Buddhism in Japan. 

Premiered in Lanzhou, China, and subsequently performed in Kyoto and Tokyo, the symphony’s European debut took place at London’s Central Hall Westminster in August 2024, featuring the Orpheus Sinfonia and choirs from...