Silent Theater
was composed in response to a traumatic crime that occurred in Bloomington, IN, in 2023. The incident deeply affected both the Bloomington community and me, leaving emotions I struggled to express in words. Creating this piece became my way of processing and giving form to what felt unspeakable.
The title Silent Theater carries a double meaning. It nods to the genre that inspired the work—being Opera—but also refers to the act of witness itself. In the end, the stage transforms into a "silent theater," as all performers join in an outcry of anguish and plea for help.
Composed in 2023, this piece runs 13 minutes.
Instrumentation: for sinfonietta (1.1.1.1/1.1.1.0./1/hp/strings; off-stage playing required)
Originally written as a commission for the 2023 National Orchestral Institute + Festival Composer Residency.
Winner of 2025 BMI Classical “Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award For Most Outstanding Score.”
Performances & Press
BMI Foundation’s 73rd Annual BMI Composer Awards named Daixuan Ai the recipient of the Ellen Taaffe Zwilich Award for the most outstanding score for “Silent Theater” for sinfonietta; the awards recognized six emerging composers and were presented by BMI Foundation President and BMI Executive Director of Classical Deirdre Chadwick and composer Ellen Taaffe Zwilich.
A Direct Relief documentary following a violent anti-Asian hate incident and its community aftermath, centered on an Asian student stabbing in Bloomington, Indiana, and the efforts of local organizers, the Asian Cultural Center, and civil-rights advocates (including Helen Zia and the Vincent Chin Institute) to respond through education, bridge-building, and events like “Hope Not Hate.” Through personal stories of fear, racism during COVID, and the creation of music as resistance, the film emphasizes resilience and collective action—encouraging people to speak up, support one another, and work step-by-step to reduce hate and protect communities.
An Indiana Daily Student article describes “Hope Not Hate,” a Jan. 17, 2024 concert at IU’s Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center organized with Daixuan Ai, the IU Asian Culture Center and campus DEI partners to honor and respond to the Jan. 2023 stabbing of an Asian IU student; the event featured Ai’s composition “Silent Theater,” poetry readings and a graphic design presentation addressing anti-Asian hate, community remarks including from the victim’s mother and activist Helen Zia, and calls to turn grief into action (e.g., support the Asian Culture Center and submit victim impact statements), closing with attendees singing “We Shall Overcome.”