Shanghai Stories – A Multimedia Performance Inspired by Life in Shanghai

Maine guitarist and composer Ryan Baird returns to Portland to share his experiences living and studying in Shanghai, China, for the past two years through a unique multimedia performance called Shanghai Stories at One Longfellow Square on Tuesday, August 24, at 8:00 p.m. Having earned his way on stage with world-class musicians in the Shanghai music scene while rapidly learning to speak and write Chinese, Baird returns to Portland transformed.

“Shanghai Stories is my attempt to bring a piece of my life abroad back for those in Portland to experience in a dynamic way,” says Baird.

Combining live performances of his original compositions with video, photography, and storytelling, Shanghai Stories is a delightful mosaic of experiences, observations, and lessons—all told from the perspective of a foreigner immersed in the juxtaposition of a modern city in one of the world’s most ancient cultures.

“When I starting planning my trip home, I knew I wanted to share my music, but I also wanted to find ways of enhancing the performance so that the audience could really see, hear, and feel how different life is in Shanghai.” So Baird teamed up with Portland-based design company Apogee Creative Studios (www.apogeecs.com) to create this unique event. The audience can expect to see scenes of daily life in Shanghai, hear the views of locals, and even learn how to speak a few phrases of Chinese. Baird will discuss cultural differences between East and West, the intricacies of the Chinese language, and his experience as a foreigner. At the same time, the audience will hear Baird’s process of translating his experiences into music. One piece, “Gu Zheng Song” is inspired by an old traditional Chinese stringed instrument. The melody of another piece takes its shape from the four tones of Mandarin Chinese.

Baird grew up in Maine and has been creating music since age 10. He began studying jazz theory and composition at the University of Maine in Augusta while only a junior in high school. Already performing professionally by age 18, Baird continued his studies at the University Southern Maine and the City College of New York. Baird has shared the stage with many talented musicians such as Adam Chilenski, Sam Caldwell, RJ Miller, James Tweedie, Devin Gray, and Adam Frederick at such events as the Maine Jazz Festival, the Deer Isle Jazz Festival, and Portland Maine’s “Dimensions in Jazz” series. In 2008, Baird’s interest in Chinese culture brought him to Shanghai, China, where he currently resides. Baird performs regularly with multiple groups in Shanghai, and is a teacher at the well-known JZ School.

Shanghai Stories will be performed at One Longfellow Square on August 24 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $12 and will be available at One Longfellow Square ticket office. You can also hear Baird performing with his jazz trio (featuring Chris Sprague and Noel Brennan) at the Dogfish Bar & Grille on August 19 and the North Star Music Café on August 27.

Tags: Dogfish Cafe, North Star Music Cafe, One Longfellow Square, Ryan Baird, Shanghai Stories