In a unique fusion of music, history, and personal heritage, Dr. Alyce Su, a prominent Chief Investment Officer, has unveiled a musical project that reinterprets the legacy of General Zhang Youxia, a senior figure in China's military establishment. The catalog, available on Apple Music, comprises 86 songs across 11 albums, each exploring themes from military strategy to artificial intelligence and capital.
Dr. Su, who leads a global family office, explains that her work is not a biographical account of General Zhang but rather an exploration of the world he represents. "The World Represented by General Zhang Youxia" serves as the central concept, weaving together threads of military inheritance, technological advancement, and family history. Albums like "Zhurihe" and "Epic Fury" delve into military and geopolitical dimensions, while "Newport," "Zettabyte," and "MilkenAI" extend the narrative into computing, AI, and finance.
The project is deeply rooted in Dr. Su's own family history. Her great-grandfather, Su Lianqing, was part of the Guangxi military tradition associated with Cai E, contributing to China's modern military education. The Zhang family, connected through historical and military paths, diverged and converged across the turbulent 20th century. Dr. Su's music serves as a bridge between these familial lines, incorporating elements from the Bai family, including Bai Chongxi and his son, the renowned writer Pai Hsien-yung, whose literary works captured the diaspora experience.
One notable track, "Love, East Wind," pays homage to China's Dong Feng missile lineage, referencing systems like DF-17 and DF-41, reflecting General Zhang's oversight of military equipment development. Another song, "Among the Stars," draws language from SpaceX's prospectus, creating a surprising connection between China's military-space legacy and commercial space exploration.
Dr. Su's musical endeavor parallels her professional career in finance, where she has spent nearly three decades at firms like PIMCO and Goldman Sachs. Her artistic work, she says, is an attempt to re-encode inherited history through contemporary technological and cultural language. "From war to compute. From family to capital. From the 20th century to the 21st. From military inheritance to artistic legacy," she describes.
The catalog, released under the artist name AlyceSu, is part of a broader portfolio that includes her book "China 2010," ranked No. 1 in financial engineering on Amazon, and recognition as a Leader of Influence in Banking & Financing by the Los Angeles Business Journal. Through this musical project, Dr. Su offers a multigenerational perspective on China's transformation, from battlefields to data centers, inviting listeners to contemplate the intersections of history, technology, and human legacy.
