Pipa – Cheng Yu
Guqin – Dai Xiaolian
Guzheng – Zhu Xiaomeng
Time:
7.45 pm, 30 July, 2010
Venue:
Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall,
Southbank Centre,
Belvedere Road,
London SE1 8XX
Booking:
Southbank Ticket Office - 0871 663 2500, www.southbankcentre.co.uk
Following this popular event in July 2008, Cheng Yu has been invited back to play both classical guqin zither and pipa lute at the Fo Guang Shan Temple during Zen Buddhist tea ceremonies.
Venue:
Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple
84 Margaret Street
London W1W 8TD
Time and date:
10:30 - 12:30 and 14:00 - 16:00, Sunday, 11th July, 2010
Tube: Oxford Circus or Tottenham Court Road
Buses: 7, 8, 10, 22, 25, 55, 73, 98, 176
Tel: +44 (0)20 7636 8394
Fax: +44 (0)20 7580 6220
Email: ibps@londonfgs.org.uk
Website: http://www.londonfgs.org.uk
The UK Chinese Ensemble in collaboration with the Wiltshire Music Centre will present a series of workshops on Chinese music at four primary school schools in various parts of Wiltshire including:
St George's School, Warminster
Dilton Marsh Primary School
Bemerton St John Church of England Primary School
Chirton Church of England Primary School
Time:
Saturday 12 June at 4:15 pm and 7:30 pm
Venue:
Bradford Mela, Peel Park, Cliffe Road, Bradford, Yorkshire, BD3 OLT
Further information:
www.bradfordmela.org.uk
Date: 26th May 2010, 8:00 pm
Venue: The Pearl, Villa Morgan No 1, Doha, Qatar
Time and date:
7:00 pm, Tuesday 11th May
Venue:
Brunei Theatre, Brunei Gallery, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS)
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
Details: www.qinconcert.com
The UK Chinese Ensemble has teamed up with the Essex County Council music service to provide initial training for musicians and music tutors to introduce and teach Chinese music in schools. The course leader is Dr Cheng Yu, London’s leading Chinese musician and ethnomusicologist. We will provide some Chinese instruments and tailor-made teaching materials for participants. For details see project page.
Time and dates:
10am-4pm
Tue 23 February 2010
Thurs 11 March 2010
Mon 22 March 2010
Tue 20 April 2010
Tue 4 May 2010
Venue:
Colchester Centre
Sir Charles Lucas School,
Acacia Avenue,
Colchester, CO4 3TQ
Full details: training.e-gfl.org/page_26.cfm
Enquiries: kelly.lean@essex.gov.uk
Invited by Lancaster & Morecambe Bay Chinese Community Association
Venue:
Ashton Hall (Lancaster Town Hall)
Dalton Square,
Lancaster,
LA1 1PJ
Time:
7.00pm Monday, 22nd February, 2010
Venue:
The Arts at Dartington, Dartington Hall, Totnes TQ9 6EL
Time:
8.00pm Saturday, 20th February, 2010
Tickets: £14.00
Concession: £13.00
Student/Young Person: £5.00
Preview
Further information: http://www.dartington.org/arts/silk-string-quartet
Celebrate Chinese New Year – The Year of the Tiger
Venue:
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, Romney Road,
London SE10 9NF (Upper deck, first floor hall)
Time:
11.30am-4:00pm Sunday, 28 February, 2010 (music starts at 1:00pm)
Further information: www.nmm.ac.uk/visit/events/chinese-new-year/
Admission: Free
Venue: The Hub
Cass Business School,
106 Bunhill Row,
London EC1Y 8TZ
Time
7-9pm, 3rd February 2010
As part of the extensive 22nd Europalia Festival on China, Cheng Yu has been invited to give a workshop on guqin music, and perform a concert on both the guqin zither and pipa lute – the two most celebrated Chinese classical instruments.
The 22nd Europalia festival offers a unique opportunity to discover the masterpieces of Chinese culture in the heart of Europe. From 8 October 2009 to 14 February 2010, 50 exhibitions and 450 shows take place in 200 venues in Belgium and neighbouring countries.
Venue:
The Concert Hall
Musical Instrument Museum
The Belgian State Royal Museums of Arts and History
Jubelpark 10, 1000 Brussels
Time:
guqin music workshop: 10:30am – 12.30pm, 23 January 2010
guqin and pipa recital: 3:00 – 4:00pm, 23 January 2010
Contact:
+32 2.545.01.51
www.mim.be/activities-individual
Recording for HSBC TV
Advert Music – Lanterns: December 2009Having recorded music for HSBC’s TV advertisement "Cormorant", the musicians have recently recorded for another TV advertisement HSBC – "Lanterns". It is currently showing on Channel 4.
Having worked on dozens of major film, TV and recording projects, the UKCE musicians have teamed up with one of Britain’s most influential film and TV composers, Matt Dunkley (http://www.mattdunkley.com/), who has scored and conducted for over 70 film and TV productions. They will work together to create and make music for the sensational BBC Chinese ‘Harry Potter’ style TV drama Series based on ancient Chinese legends and magic stories written by talented young British Chinese writer – Jo Ho (www.joho.com/). The TV drama will introduce viewers to the character of Bo, a young British Chinese girl, who, accompanied by her brother Timothy, gets transported to a magical spirit world.
The BBC TV film is expected to be broadcast in Spring 2010.
For details, visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2008/09_september/19/bo.shtml
Invited by the ARC Music International Recording label, Cheng Yu is working on her 5th CD with ARC on the guqin with a special theme – Spiritual and contemplative guqin. It will comprise rarely heard pieces, some of which are of her own ‘dapu’ (interpretation of the ancient skeletal tablatures). This special compilation will focus on the guqin’s philosophical, meditative, devotional and spiritual aspects. The recording is expected to be completed in Autumn 2009 and will be published in Spring 2010.
Music Performance
Collaborates with China Arts Carnival Club Won Double Awards at Notting
Hill Carnival 2009Musicians of our UKCE ensemble and the SOAS Sizhu group formed an exciting Chinese wind-and-percussion band to accompany the China Arts Carnival Club (CACC) procession at the Notting Hill Carnival 2009. The live music of the suona (Chinese shawm or trumpet), drums and bronze gongs and cymbals provided a bright sound and strong rhythm for the parade. The music played an important part in our winning the double award.
The UKCE
musicians have been collaborating with China Arts Carnival Club since
2006. We are delighted CACC won a £5,000
grant from Arts Council
England (http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/)
to perform at London’s famous and spectacular Notting Hill Carnival in
2009. In 2008, we provided the Lady Warriors Drumming group, together
with members of CAAC, a total of 60 performers who fronted and opened
the entire Carnival under the theme of the Olympics. The theme of our
parade this year is “A Bridge of Magpies”. We are also proud that the Club has won 3rd Prize for Best Traditional Bands, awarded by the judges and the London Notting Hill Carnival Mas Bands Association. It is the first time a Chinese group has ever won a prize at London’s most significant Afro-Caribbean cultural festival. For details and images, see www.china-arts.co.uk/Notting_Hill_Carnival.php.
Following several successful performances in Spain in Seville (WOMEX 2006), Las Palmas (WOMAD 2007), Gran Canaria Tour 2007 and Valencia 2009, the Quartet was invited to perform again at the Bidasoa Folk Festival in the Basque Country, Guipúzcoa, Northern Spain.
This Festival celebrates the traditional music of the Basque country in which it makes its home. The Bidasoa Folk festival brings together the three villages in which its events take place through their common desire to support Basque culture. The traditional music of other countries and cultures is also performed.
Venue:
Hendaye - Irun - Hondarribia, Basque Country, Guipúzcoa, Spain
Bidasoa Folk
Almirante Alonso kalea, 8 - 1°
20280 Hondarribia (Gipuzkoa) Espagne
http://www.bidasoa-txingudi.com/bidasoafolk/
UKCE musicians were invited to perform solo and ensemble music at SOAS’s annual Graduation Ceremonies to show colourful world music to guests.
Venue:
Logan Hall
University of London
20 Bedford Way
London WC1H 0AL
Time:
2:00 – 5:00pm, 22, 23 and 24 July 2009
http://www.soas.ac.uk/graduation/
Arts in Action – a truly interesting festival in beautiful Oxfordshire, which showcases hundreds of arts demonstrations from a wide range of disciplines including painting, sculpture, drawing, ceramics and textiles and music, attracting over 200,000 visitors each year.
Chinese Instrumental - Silk Trio Ensemble
Silk
String Trio Ensemble comprising players Cheng Yu, Wang Xiao and Xiao
Ran, are from the Award Wining Silk String Quartet - an exciting
professional Chinese string group based in the UK. They have performed
at WOMEX and WOMAD festivals and widely in Europe (Holland, Germany,
France, Spain and Ireland), the Quartet’s UK appearances have included
such venues as London’s Royal Opera House, Southbank Centre and LSO’s
St Lukes, St George’s in Bristol and the Manchester, Brighton and
Guildford Festivals. The group’s debut CD (published by ARC Music) has
been highly acclaimed and was featured by BBC Radio 3. For this
occasion, the group will perform a selection of traditional and
contemporary pieces both solo and as a trio. The pieces will include:
Three and Six, Flute and Drum at Sunset, Jasmine Flower, Purple Bamboo
Melody, Dance of the Yao People, White Snow in Sunny Spring, The
Caprice of the Qin Opera theme, Horse Racing and more. Venue:
Waterperry House, Waterperry,
Near. Wheatley, Oxfordshire
OX33 1JZ
Time:
12:15-13:00, Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th July
http://www.artinaction.org.uk/
Our musicians have been invited to record music for the world-wide popular Video Game as the recent series focuses on the Far East and China. The musicians will work with composoer Knut Avenstroup Haugen (www.knutavenstrouphaugen.com/) and producer Alan Willson.
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures is a fantasy-themed Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) developed by the Norwegian computer video game development company Funcom For PCs. The game was full release for North America was May 20 2008. Hyborian Adventures is the first instalment in the planned Age of Conan series. Age of Conan itself takes place within the continent of the Hyborian Kingdoms, a year after the events depicted in Robert E. Howard's Conan novel, The Hour of the Dragon.] Hyborian Adventures' release celebrated the 76th anniversary of the Conan franchise.
www.ageofconan.com/
UKCE Musicians with artists from China Arts (www.china-arts.co.uk) carried out fruitful music and calligraphy/brush painting workshops at Cawbridge Comprehensive school in Wales. It was part of the schools cultural exchanged programme with Chongqing City in Sichuan, China. The pupils experienced Chinese instrumental music, singing in Chinese as well as using their available instruments to try out Chinese percussion and instrumental music. They also learnt how to using an ink-brush to write and paint Chinese characters, names and simple objects and pictures.
Contact us for workshops on Chinese music (singing, percussion and instrumental), dance, calligraphy and ink-painting, origami, story telling with music, lion and dragon dances and Kungfu (martial arts).
Yin-Yang
(China-West) Mixed Ensemble performance, Drapers Hall, London – Launch
of China
Construction Bank (UK): 1 June 2009 
Following
our highly acclaimed concert at St Marlybone Church in December 2008,
the unique Yin-Yang Collective Ensemble was invited to perform at
the grand celebration of the inauguration of the China Construction
Bank (UK), in the City of London. Over 300 honourable guests were
present including the Chinese Ambassador Madam Fu Ying and Marcus
Agius, Chairman of Barclays Bank, Sir Victor Bank, Chairman of Lloyds
Banking group and Stephen Green, Group Chairman of HSBC Holding Plc. The musicians presented classical and popular pieces from both Chinese and Western cultures and were well received by the guests. The ensemble included Chinese pipa lute, erhu fiddle, yangqin dulcimer and Western piano, cello and flute.
After the sensational concert by The Silk String Quartet and piano superstar Lang Lang in late April at LSO’s St Lukes, both Lang Lang and the Quartet were invited to work on the music recording for the Hollywood movie "Shanghai" in May. This is the third Hollywood film linked with Shanghai that the UK Chinese Ensemble musicians have worked on, the others being "Shanghai Noon" and "Shanghai Knights".
"Shanghai" stars America's John Cusack, China's Gong Li, Japan's Ken Watanabe and Hong Kong's Chow Yun-Fat.
The musicians worked with British composer Alex Heffes. His film scores include the Last BAFTA-winning film "Touching the Void", and Oscar-winning movies "One Day in September" and "Last King of Scotland". See Projects Page for further details.
While working on the music for the Hollywood big film Shanghai this month, our Ensemble’s musicians also recorded the music for an HSBC advertisement – It was filmed in beautiful Guilin, southwest China. This witty advertisement with the music cleverly showed how local knowledge is crucial for business. Currently, the TV advertisement can be seen on ITV.
LSO
St. Luke's, London – The Silk String Quartet and Lang
Lang: 23 April 2009Hauntingly beautiful, contemplative music as well as lively new pieces played on piano, pipa, guzheng, erhu and yangqin. A new collaboration between classical virtuoso Lang Lang, the London-based Chinese quartet Silk Strings and jazz pianist and composer Raymond Yiu, mixing traditional Chinese music with their own ravishing, contemporary interpretations – including such evocative titles as ‘Spring Flowers on a Moonlit Night on the River’ and ‘At Night on the Lake Beneath the Maple Bridge’. Following The Silk String Quartet and cellist Matthew Barley’s successful concert at the Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room In November 2008, the Quartet collaborated with the sensational piano star Lang Lang for the UBS Soundscapes: Eclectica series project. It brings to audiences an appealing mixture of international musicians presenting a diverse range of musical styles, in the unique ambience of LSO St Luke’s.
Lang Lang: piano
Cheng Yu: pipa lute
Sun Zhuo: guzheng zither
Wang Xiao: erhu fiddle
Zhou Jinyan: yangqin dulcimer
Venue: LSO St Luke’s
UBS and St Luke’s Education Centre
161 Old Street
London EC1V 9NG
Time:
8:00 pm, Thursday, 23 April, 2009
For more informationand photos and DVD films of the project visit:
www.lsospace.co.uk
http://www.flickr.com/photos/londonsymphonyorchestra/3470853050/in/photostream/
lso.co.uk/langlang
While working on the music for the Hollywood big film Shanghai this month, our Ensemble’s musicians also recorded the music for an HSBC advertisement – It was filmed in beautiful Guilin, southwest China. This witty advertisement with the music cleverly showed how local knowledge is crucial for business. Currently, the TV advertisement can be seen on ITV.
The UK-based award wining Chinese Silk String Quartet performed traditional and new pieces at the concert. They were involved in a series of workshops to train Chinese music tutors in Essex in Autumn 2009. The Essex-Jiangsu Festival, celebrating 20 years of friendship between Essex and Jiangsu Province in China, has been a tremendous success, exceeding all expectations. Over 150,000 people attended a Festival event, ranging from traditional puppetry to master craft demonstrations and classical opera.
A taste of China was brought to people across Essex and to celebrate the culmination of the Festival in style, a grand concert finale took place at the Harlow Sports centre.
A must-see music event to mark the closing of the Essex-Jiangsu Festival.
Venue:
Harlow Sports centre
Hammarskjold Road
Harlow
Essex CM20 2JF
Time:
Sunday 22 March 2009: 7:00pm (please note the updated time).
Concert
at Sonidos
Biodiversidad Festival, Spain – The Silk String
Quartet: 6 and 7 March,
2009 Following several successful performances in Spain in Seville (WOMEX 2006), Las Palmas (WOMAD 2007) and Gran Canaria tour 20087, the Quartet was invited again to perform at the Sonidos Biodiversidad Festival.
Venue:
Bancaja Auditorium,
Castellon,
Valencia – Espana
Time:
8:00 pm, 6th and 7th March, 2009
The Silk and Bamboo Ensemble and Dance troupe was invited by the University College of Dublin Confucius Institute, Dublin City Council and other Institutes in Ireland to give a special performance tour celebrating Chinese New Year – The Year of the Ox.
|
Day/Date |
Time |
Performance Venue |
|
Sunday 25 January 2009 |
12 pm (Music ensemble) |
Hayward Gallery |
|
Monday 26 January 2009 |
5 pm |
UCD O’Reilly Hall ( |
|
Tuesday 27 January 2009 |
7pm |
( |
|
Wednesday 28 January 2009 |
7.30 pm |
UCC Confucius Institute, |
|
Thursday 29 January 2009 |
7 pm |
|
|
Friday 30 January 2009 |
11 pm |
Ballsbridge Inn ( |
|
Saturday 31 January 2009 |
7pm |
|
 |
 |
Enter the enchanting world of Chinese music and dance and help celebrate Chinese New Year with these fantastic musicians. See traditional Chinese instruments and discover the magical sounds they make - they're completely different from any you've seen or heard before! There will be beautiful fan and ribbon dances too - the most popular dances in China. And, if you take part in one of the workshops earlier in the day you can even join in the performance!
Make Chinese Music
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Learn Chinese songs and rhythms and perform them as part of the concert! (if you can play a violin, guitar, flute, recorder or clarinet, bring it along. If not, use the percussion instruments provided, or sing!)
Learn ribbon and fan dances
12:30 - 1:30 pm
Great fun to learn - then perform them onstage at the concert!
Family concert
3:00 pm
With an interval - ends approximately 4:40 pm
Great for adults and children aged 7+
Enjoy simple and delicious Chinese food, on sale from 1:30 pm.
Venue:
Wiltshire Music Centre
Ashley Road
Bradford on Avon
BA15 1DZ
Date: Saturday 24 January, 2009
Cheng Yu was invited to perform a concert on both the pipa lute and the guqin zither – the two most celebrated Chinese classical instruments – at Chinese New Year.
Venue:
Bristol Cathedral
College Green
Bristol, BS1
Time: Tuesday, 1:00–2:00 pm, 13 January, 2009
www.bristol-cathedral.co.uk
Admission free
"Beautiful building with an outstanding nave and impressive acoustics..."
A festival day to celebrate Chinese music: unlocking the secrets of one of the longest musical histories of the world.
Programme:
11:00 am Interactive exhibition of bowed string instruments from China and medieval Europe
6:00 pm Concert of traditional Chinese music by the Silk String Quartet
7:45 pm Concert of new Chinese music by the Yin Yang Collective
Hesperides (Basil
Athanasiadis) for Chinese ensemble
Mountains and Hills (Kim Ho Ip) for mixed ensemble
Invisible Landscapes (Chen Xiaoyong) for zheng and ensemble
Ghost Opera (Tan Dun) for mixed ensemble
Mountains and Hills (Kim Ho Ip) for mixed ensemble
Invisible Landscapes (Chen Xiaoyong) for zheng and ensemble
Ghost Opera (Tan Dun) for mixed ensemble
9:00 pm Chinese performance of a western new music classic by the Yin Yang Collective
The
consolations of Scholarship (Judith Weir) for mixed ensemble
The Yin Yang Collective comprises the Silk String Quartet and the Chamber Music Company.
Venue:
St Marylebone Church
Marylebone Road
London NW1 5LT
(Baker St/Regents Park Tube station)
Time:
Tuesday, 9 December, 2008 11:00am, 6:00 – 9:30pm
- Film screenings of Chinese cinema masterpieces
- Live guqin performance by Cheng Yu
Louise Blouin Institute
3 Olaf Street
London W11
Time:
6:00 – 9:00 pm, Thursday 4, 11 and 18 December 2008
Masters Gong Yi and Dai Shuhong from the Jinyu Qin Society, Shanghai and guqin players of the London Youlan Qin Society.
The guqin or qin (7-stringed zither) is China’s most celebrated traditional instrument, with an unbroken history of over 2000 years. This was a rare chance to hear the two most acclaimed Southern China Masters on the guqin and xiao (vertical bamboo flute) at SOAS. For this London trip, the masters performed only for a private event in Clarence House and at SOAS with members of the London Youlan Qin Society. Master Gong Yi is one of China's most prominent qin players. Dai Shuhong is a master of the xiao. They performed pieces from the refined and introspective repertoire for the qin. An informal yaji (“elegant gathering”) followed the performance.
Venue:
Room G3
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Streets
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
Time:
7:30pm – 9pm on Wednesday 26th November 2008
Hosted by The London Youlan Qin Society (www.ukchinesemusic.com/londonyoulanqin) and the Prince’s Charities Foundation (China)
Cheng Yu on pipa with the Emperor Quartet.
This special concert was organised by the Academy of St Martin in the Fields (www.asmf.org) as part of the Essex and Jiangsu (China) Festival. It presented the awarding winning musical creation Ghost Opera, by one of the most highly acclaimed Chinese contemporary composers, Composer Tan Dan (Oscar winner for his film music for "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon"). Cheng Yu was invited to play the pipa for this work with the well-known UK based Emperor Quartet http://www.emperorquartet.com.
Ghost Opera is a five-movement work for string quartet and pipa with water, metal, stones, and paper. The composer describes this work as a reflection on human spirituality, which is too often buried in the bombardment of urban culture and the rapid advances of technology. It is a cross-temporal, cross-cultural, and cross-media dialogue that touches on the past, present, future, and the eternal; it employs elements from Chinese, Tibetan, English, and American cultures, and combines performance traditions of the European classical concert, Chinese shadow puppet theatre, visual art installations, folk music, dramatic theatre, and shamanistic ritual.
Venue:
St Botolph's Church
14 Roman Road
Colchester CO1 1UR
Tel:01206 577905
Time:
7:30 pm, 16 November, 2008
A night of composition and China-West collaboration
This was an exciting, challenging and interesting music adventure between the Quartet and Matthew Barley (www.matthewbarley.com) “one of the most talented young cellists” (Leonard Bernstein, 1986). Having won the PRS Performance Groups 2007 award, the Quartet was invited by Asian Music Circuit to work with Matthew Barley to present a concert of primarily new China-West fusion music works.
This high-profile music project premièred some specially commissioned works written by well-known composer Professor Peter Weigold (www.wiegold.co.uk) – creator of Armoured Without at the BBC 2007 Proms, Barnaby Taylor (www.barnabytaylor.com) – Composer of Wild China, Recent BBC documentary and Basil Athanasiadis – a talented young composer. This was a rare opportunity to see this unique music collaboration.
Click here for poster (pdf file, 663 kB)
Venue:
Purcell Room
at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Southbank Centre
London
Time: 7.30pm Thursday, 13 November 2008
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
The Silk and Bamboo Ensemble – Tate Britain Gallery: 12 November, 2008
Venue:Milbank
London SW1P 4RG
Time: 7:00pm
(private event)
Members of the UK Chinese Music Ensemble performed once again with this popular multimedia spectacular show. Following a summer of Monkey during the 2008 Olympics and a sold-out season at London’s Royal Opera House in July, Monkey: Journey to the West moved to a new home in November. The opera was performed at Monkey’s World, a specially designed theatre built exclusively to host the opera at the O2. The story is based on one of the best-known 16th century Chinese classic novels, by Wu Cheng’en. It is directed by Chen Shizheng, the music is by Damon Albarn (Blur front singer) and the digital arts are by Jamie Hewlett. Albarn and Hewlett are the artists behind the award-winning animated band Gorillaz. For details see http://www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com.
Click here for poster (.jpg file, 697 KB)
Venue:
The O2
Peninsula Square
London SE10 0DX
Dates:
8 November 2008 – 4 January, 2009 (8 shows a week)
In
conjunction with the opera "Monkey: Journey to the West", the musicians
of our Ensemble had been working with Damon Albarn (Blur, Gorillaz
front singer and composer) and a wide range of musicians on this
interesting East-West fusion music creation. It involved instruments
and musicians from tradition Chinese, classical Western strings and
brass, Pop and electric, a choir as well as specialised instruments
including a musical saw, ondes Martenot, cristal Baschet and glass
harmonica. This Gatefold CD has 22 tracks and is accompanying by a
twelve-page booklet containing lyrics and illustrations. For more information visit: http://www.monkeyjourneytothewest.com/the-album/formats/
Following
the successful release last year of our Silk String Quartet CD
(now in the Top 3 of the ARC 2007-8 list), the UK Chinese Music Ensemble published
its Silk and Bamboo Ensemble CD in Autumn 2008,
with a selection of well-known traditional music from different regions
of China. Unlike our Silk String Quartet CD, which features
contemporary
music, this CD presents a typical, traditional string and wind ensemble
– Silk represents strings and bamboo refers to wind instruments.
The stringed instruments on this CD are erhu, gaohu, pipa, yangqin, guzheng
and guqin (solo); wind
instruments are dizi, xiao,
sheng, guanzi (solo) and hulusi.
The CD presents traditional silk and bamboo music, some popular folk
music of the Ensemble’s own interpretations and solo pieces. The CD is published by ARC Music International, catalogue number EUCD 2177.
The CD is now available from in the World Music section of major record shops in the UK and Europe, and from the ARC Music International web site www.arcmusic.co.uk.
Cheng Yu was invited to perform a concert of devotional music on both the pipa lute and the guqin zither – the two most celebrated Chinese classical instruments.
Venue: Brighton Unitarian Church
2pm, 18 October 2008
Web site: www.worldsacredmusic.org
The Shanghai City God Monastery Daoist Music Ensemble
Venue:
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, ,
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS),
University of London,
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square,
London WC1H 0XG
Time: 7:00pm–9:00pm
China has 56 different minorities, each with its own unique culture. For the 2008 Notting Hill Carnival, China Arts invited 10 pairs of brides and grooms from China, who wore the beautiful traditional wedding costumes specific to their particular Chinese minority. As part of the carnival parade, the couples skilfully performed different dances to express the great variety of Chinese culture. The performances were accompanied by live traditional wedding music.
Venue: Notting Hill
Time: 10:00am–6:00pm
Ticket Information: Free
Venue:
Gwyl Pontardawe Festival
Parc Ynysderw
Pontardawe Leisure Centre
Ffordd Parc Ynysderw
Pontardawe
Swansea SA8 4EG
Time: 9:00am–10:00pm
Website: www.pontardawefestival.com
See the video "Olympic Revolution" at http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/09/01/olympic_handover_video_feature.shtml
The Chinese Music Summer School has been running successfully since 2003, organised by Asian Music Circuit with musicians from the UK Chinese Music Ensemble. This year’s Chinese Music Summer School gave five full days of expert tuition on Chinese instrumental music. It included master classes on the guqin (Chinese 7-string zither) with guqin master Professor Zeng Chengwei (Sichuan Conservatory of Music, China), pipa (Chinese lute) with pipa virtuoso Dr Cheng Yu, and erhu (Chinese fiddle) with erhu soloist Hu Bin. It was a rare opportunity to learn and explore Chinese music in the UK. Classes were open to all takers, beginners and advanced.
Invited by The National Trust, the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble performed two concerts in the natural beauty of Stourheard Garden.
Venue:
The Pantheon Temple, Stourhead Garden
The National Trust, Stourhead Estate Office, Stourhead
Near Warminster
Wilshire, BA12 6QD
Time: 25 and 26 July, 7.30pm
Details: www.nationaltrust.org.uk
Venue:
Buxton Festival
3, The Square
Buxton
Derbyshire SK17 6AZ
Time: 10:00pm
Following the successful sell-out tours in Manchester, Paris and the USA, this show came to London’s Opera House for the first time since its launch in 2007. This multimedia production was directed by Mr Chen Shizheng, the music was by Damon Albarn (Blur front singer) and the digital arts were by Jamie Hewlett. Albarn and Hewlett were the artists behind the award-winning animated band Gorillaz.
Venue:
Royal Opera House
Covent Garden
London, WC2E 9DD
020 73044000
Times:
Wed 23 July: 7.30pm
Thurs July 24: 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Fri 25 July: 2.30 and 7.30
Sat 26 July: 2.30 and 7.30pm
www.royalopera.org
The Quartet was been by the Swedish Chamber Music Festival to give concerts as well as workshops.
Lycka Kammarmusik Festival
Billa Solgården
S-360 43 Åryd
Sweden
Details: www.lyckafestival.com
Organised by Asian Music Circuit, there will be China Day classes on music, story telling and calligraphy to pupils of various ages.
Sydenham School
Dartmouth Road
London SE26 4RD
Venue: Lancaster City Hall
Time: 1:00–2:00pm
Website: www.lancaster.gov.uk/artsdevelopment
Essex Jiangsu Festival 2008-2009 Launch
House of Commons (invited guests)
Palace of Westminster
Time: 4:00-6:00pm 23 June
Venue:
Kingsford Community School and Language College
Kingsford Way
Beckton
London E6 5JG
Tel: 020 7476 4700
Time: 10:00-11:00am, 21 June 2008
Our Chinese musicians collaborated with Grand Union to present performances combining Eastern and Western musical elements.
Venue:
Christ Church,
Commercial Street
London E1 6LY
Spitalfields Festival: 020 7377 1365
Time: 7.30pm, 18 June, 2008
Venue:
St Mary’s Church
Ashford, Kent
TN30 6TJ
Time: 7:00pm
Venues:
WORKSHOP
Brady Arts and Community Centre
192-196 Hanbury Street, London E1 5HU
Time: 11am–12pm
CONCERT
Wilton’s Music Hall
Grace’s Alley
Wellclose Square
London E1 8JB
Pre-concert Chinese Tea Ceremony: 6-6.30pm
Concert: 6:45–7:45 pm
Website: www.spitalfieldsfestival.org.uk
Venue:
Van Emden Theatre (HUMSS)
The University of Reading
Whiteknights
Reading
Berkshire RG6 6AA
Website http://www.rdg.ac.uk/music
Venue:
Horniman Museum
100 London Road
Forest Hill
London SE23 IPQ
Times:
Performance 1: Gallery Square, contemporary music, 12–2pm
Performance 2: The Conservatory (concert) 2:00–4.30pm
Website www.horniman.ac.uk
Cheng Yu was invited to give a pipa recital for the exhibition "Heaven on Earth: Missionaries and the Mathematical Arts in 17th century Beijing"
Venue:
Museum of the History of Science
University of Oxford
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3AZ
Time: 6:00–8:00pm
The musicians from the UK Chinese Ensemble worked once again with US composer Randy Edelman on another major Hollywood film – The Mummy. This is the fourth film music project on which our musicians have worked with the same composer. The music is significant in the film and “is longer then the actual film, with over 140 minutes music" said Randy. This Hollywood major blockbuster action film was released on 1 August to coincide the 2008 China Olympics.
Starring: Jet Li, Maria Bello, Brendan Fraser, John Hannah, Michelle Yeoh, Russell Wong, Luke Ford, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Isabella Leong, Tian Liang
See the Music recorded for films and TV for more information.
Cheng Yu and the UK Chinese Ensemble musicians worked with composer Barnaby Taylor to create music for this 6 part TV documentary for BBC 2. was shown on Sunday evenings on BBC2.
11th
May –
Episode
1: Heart of the Dragon18th May – Episode 2: Shangri-La
25th May – Episode 3: Tibet
1st June – Episode 4: Beyond the Great Wall
8th June – Episode 5: Land of the Panda
15th June – Episode 6: Tides of Change
See the Projects page for more information.
Venue:
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Time: 6:30pm – 9:00pm
Venue:
The Sage Gateshead
St Mary's Square
Gateshead Quays
Gateshead, NE8 2JR
Venue: Younger Hall, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland KY16 9AL
Time: Friday, March 14th, 7:30 pm
Free Lecture-demonstration on Chinese Music
Speakers
Maestro Yan Huichang (Artistic Director, Principle Conductor of Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra) with
Dr Cheng Yu (Artistic Director, UK Chinese Music Ensemble, SOAS pipa and guqin teacher)
Guest Musicians: Wong Ching (pipa) ,and Feng Siusin (vocal)
Content
A study of the heritage and evolution of traditional Chinese instrumental music through a comparison between traditional Chinese music ensembles and the full-sized modern Chinese orchestra. (Recordings and video will be shown)
Venue: Room G52, SOAS, University of London, Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H
Time: Wednesday 12 March 2008, 2-4pm
Venue:
The Great Court
British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Time: 6:30am–9:00pm
Web site: www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Venue:
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Time: 6.30pm–9:00pm
Web site: www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Venue:
The Great Court
British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Time: 6:30-9:00pm
Bai Ling
Shadow Puppet Show Chinese New Year UK Tour, February 2008Invited by China Arts (UK), here was a rare opportunity to see the Bai Ling Shadow Box Show Troupe as they tour the UK for the first time during Chinese New Year February 2008. This is one of the finest Shadow groups in China. They had already performed in France, Germany, Italy, Austria, the United States, and Japan to a rapturous reception, and achieved extraordinary popularity there.
Shadow puppet box shows first appeared in Beijing around the 15th century during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is a popular traditional theatre genre that combines singing, acting and dramatic movement performed by characters exquisitely carved out of leather. All the characters are operated by highly skilled artists behind a screen with live musical accompaniment, which gives a colourful and vivid silhouette effect. The troupe brought a specially designed programme for both children and adults. It was great fun to watch and a privilege to be able to appreciate an authentic Chinese art.
Dates:
3rd February: Harrow, London
8th February: South Bank International School: 13:00-13:30, 14:15-14:45
9th February: British Museum: 16:00-17:00, 20:00-21:00 (free)
9th February: Marylebone Theatre
10th February: Victoria and Albert Museum (daytime, free)
15th February: Ann Bernhardt Nursery School: 13:30-14:30
17th February: Tower Hendon (East London)
19th February: Foreign & Commonwealth Office: 19:00-20:00
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Venue:
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Hope St.
Liverpool L1 9BP
Opening Time: 7:30 pm
Venue:
The Great Court
British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Time: 6:30 –9:00pm
Venue:
Clare Hall, University of Cambridge
Time: All day
This concert was a high-profile talent showcase on a substantial scale by 12 of the best UK-based professional Chinese musicians performing collectively, including the award-winning group The Silk String Quartet. The concert demonstrated twenty different Chinese instruments, many of which are rarely heard or seen in the UK, such as the guqin zither, xun clay ocarina, and the xiao vertical bamboo flute. The concert also featured the 5-stringed pipa lute, which was lost in the Tang dynasty (8th century), and Cheng Yu who won three major British awards for her project to recreate this instrument with music based on that period. The evening will highlight music from the time and culture of the First Emperor. New compositions on contemporary Chinese instruments provided a present-day counterpoint to our presentation of early Chinese music.
The concert was in two halves: the first featured music and instruments from ancient times; the second contemporary and new music. It included two premières “The King of Qin Destroys the Formation” – (5 stringed pipa with Chinese orchestra) and “Spring Festival Prelude”.
Venue:
BP Lecture Theatre
Clore Education Centre
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Web site: British Museum web site
Time: 7:30pm
Venue:
Buxton Festival
3, The Square
Buxton
Derbyshire SK17 6AZ
New in its form and style, unique in its instrumentation and presentation, the all-female Silk String Quartet is the first and the only Chinese String Quartet in the UK and Europe. The four group members have all been trained since childhood on their instruments. The group combines traditional and modern, Chinese and Western music in a fresh and creative way. The repertoire included a wide range of new and traditional compositions performed in the Quartet’s own style.
Time: 7:00pm
Venue:
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
Web site: www.soas.ac.uk/concerts
Venue:
Trinity Theatre
Church Road
Tunbridge Wells
Kent, TN1 1JP
Time: 12:00 noon – 10:00pm
TWeb site: www.trinitytheatre.net
Venue:
The Great Court
British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Opening Time: 10:00 am – 10:00pm
Venue:
National Portrait Gallery
St Martin’s Place,
London WC2H 0HE
Time: 10:00am – 9:00pm
Part of an evening of celebrations at the Southbank Centre for Chinese New Year, this unique and beautiful quartet – featuring zithers, dulcimer, fiddles and lute – combined traditional and modern, Chinese and Western music in a fresh and creative way.
Venue:
The Ballroom
Royal Festival Hall
Southbank Centre
Belvedere Road
London SE1 8XX
Time: 6:15pm – 7:45pm
Web site: www.southbank.co.uk
Free entry
Venue:
Richard Attenborough CentreUniversity of Leicester
Lancaster Road
Leicester LE1 9HN
Time:
7:30pm concert, workshops during the day
Venue:
The Great Court
British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Time: 7:00–9:00pm
Venue:
Logan Hall
University of London
20 Bedford Way
London WC1H 0AL
Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm
Venue:
The Red Hedgehog
255-257 Archway Road
Highgate
London
N6 5BS
Time: 6:00 – 10:00pm
Web site: www.theredhedgehog.co.uk
Venue:
Lakeside Arts Centre
University Park
Nottingham NG7 2RD
Time: 7:00 pm doors open, 7.30pm concert
Web site: www.nottingham.ac.uk
Venue:
Shrewsbury Music Hall
The Square, Shrewsbury SY1 1LH
Time: Concert 7:30pm, workshops during the day.
Also online at www.musichall.co.uk
- An ‘East-West dialogue’ on the pipa and piano by Cheng Yu and Mark Troop
- Chinese modern dance
- A demonstration of Chinese calligraphy by Kam-Sang Law
- Poetry recital by Hi Ching
- Guzheng recital
- Tea-tasting
- A sketch by True Heart Theatre
Venue:
Mary Ward House,
5-7 Tavistock Place
London WC1H 9SN
Ticket information: Free
Time: 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm
In Partnership with World Beaters Arts and Culture, China Arts designed and delivered a ten week workshop programme on music, dance and storytelling for this school. Early education on arts and music is important and China Arts provided suitable artists with a set of targeted programmes on a weekly basis to enable the children to taste, develop an interest in, and have hands-on experience of Chinese arts forms. The children learned from simple hand clapping with rhythms, through percussion instruments to singing and dancing, not only from Chinese but also from other Asian cultures. This was a great opportunity for the children to play and to experience Chinese and Asian culture from an early age in multi-cultural Britain.
Venue: TBC
Time: 9:30 am – 2:45 pm
Dance and Music
Date and time: Thursday 6 December 2007 6.30–9:00 pm
Venue:
Great Court (free event)
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7323 8000
information@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Having recently recorded the hunting music for the film "Ghosts", directed by Nick Brookfield, about 23 Chinese drowned while cockling in dangerous Morecambe Bay, Cheng Yu and the UK Chinese Ensemble musicians worked with composer Barnaby Taylor to create music for a 6 episode TV documentary for BBC Bristol. The programme will be shown in 2008.
See the Projects page for further information.
WOMAD again invited the Silk Strings to perform, this time at their Canarias Festival in Spain. This followed the Quartet’s appearance at the WOMAD Festival in Charlton Park, Wiltshire, and their BBC Radio 3 and World Service Broadcast in summer 2007. The group gave a concert and workshops during the festival.
WOMAD Canary Islands Festival - another weekend of fabulous music, arts and dance from around the globe - all in the exhilarating beachside city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. For details see the Festival event page at the WOMAD website: http://womad.org
At the invitation of the Asociación Canaria de Culturas y Músicas del Mundo, the Quartet debuted with new repertoires in Tenerife, Canary Is, Spain. There were two evening concerts and a workshop at the local Conservatory of Music.
Concert
Thursday, 8 November 2007, 8:00–10:00 pm
Venue:
Plaza del Patriotismo, 1
38002 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Tenerife
Islas Canarias
Spain
Concert
Friday, 9 November 2007, 8:00–10:00 pm
Venue: Auditorio del Conservatorio Profesional de La Palmas de Gran Canaria
Workshop
Saturday, 10 November 2007, 5:00–6:00 pm
Venue:
Desplazamiento
al Conservatorio Superior de Música de Las Palmas
de Gran
Canaria
www.accmm.org
An evening of poetry, calligraphy and music
Tickets £7, concessions £5.
Friday 12 October 2007, 7:00 - 9:00pm
Wednesday 7, 21 November 2007, 7:00 - 9:15pm
Thursday 6 December 2007, 6:30 - 9:00pm
Wednesday 6, 27 February 2008, 7:00 - 9:15pm
Tuesday 5 March 2008, 7:00 - 9:15pm
Venue:
BP Lecture Centre, Core Education Centre
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7323 8000
information@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Moon Festival performance
FREE event
Thursday 4 October 2007, 6:30 - 9:00pm:
Venue:
Great Court
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7323 8000
information@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
Private performance for Friends of the Museum only
Monday 1 October 2007, 6:00 - 9:00pm
Venue:
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7323 8000
information@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
11am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3.30pm (4x30 minutes)
Venue: East Ham Market, Myrtle Road, East Ham, London E6
We are pleased to announce that our Quartet was awarded a grant by the PRS Foundation as one of the best performance groups for new music in 2007. This is the first time a PRS award has been won by a UK-based Chinese music group. It is the second award that PRS has given to the Quartet after it supported the group's successful Showcase at WOMEX 2006 in Spain. The grant has been used for the commissioning of and rehearsals for the Quartet’s new works.
Following the successful performances and tours of the past few months, our new project – the Silk String Quartet – was invited by ARC Music International Ltd. to record a CD under the ARC Music label. Recording was completed in May. The CD contains 7 interesting and diverse tracks, almost all of which are contemporary, some pieces having been freshly composed or arranged. The CD was released in August this year, and is available at major UK and European record shops under ‘World Music’, as well as from the ARC Music website: www.arcmusic.co.uk.
Cheng Yu’s second solo CD album with ARC Music International came out in May 2007. The CD is entitled "Chinese Masterpieces of the pipa and qin". On it are recorded 8 of the best known classic pieces for the pipa lute and guqin zither – the two most celebrated classical instruments in China. You can find the CD in the World Music section of any major record shop the UK and Europe.
It is also available from the ARC Music website: www.arcmusic.co.uk
Notting Hill Carnival – Chinese Carnival Club, 27 August 2007
Following the success of last year’s Carnival, the Chinese Carnival Club (organised by China Arts) was again invited by the organiser to showcase on a different theme. Our musicians worked with the group to provide music for the parade on the day. This year the group put on a more spectacular demonstration on a particular arts theme with specially designed make up, costumes and props presented by a team of over 50 people to join Europe’s largest street festival. For details see www.china-arts.co.uk (Carnival page)Chinese Music Summer School: 31 July – 4 August, 2007
Following
the success of the 2006
Chinese Music Summer School, Asian
Music Circuit was delighted to present the 2007 Chinese Music
Summer School, giving five full
days
of expert tuition on Chinese instrumental music. There were master
classes on the guqin (Chinese
7-string zither) with guqin master
Zeng Chengwei, and erhu (Chinese
fiddle) with erhu soloist Hu
Bin (UK Chinese Ensemble musician). This was a rare opportunity to
learn
and
explore Chinese music in the UK. Classes were open to
all takers, beginners and advanced.
Further details: http://www.amc.org.uk/summer_schools/2007/courses.htm
7.30pm, 2 August,
2007
Venue: David Josefowitz Recital Hall,
Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London
From late July to September 2007, several musicians from the UK Chinese Ensemble worked on an Art and Music project. They collaborated with musicians from other cultures to create music in conjunction with a contemporary art exhibition by established painter Ruri in the IKON Gallery, Birmingham. The first public show was on the July 28th, leading to several performances in August and September. For details see the website below.
28 July, 2007
16 September, 2007 2:30 - 5:30pm
Contact Details
Tel : 0121 248 0708
E-mail : marketing@ikon-gallery.co.uk
Venue: Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Brindley Place, Birmingham, B1 2HS
Website www.ikon-gallery.co.uk
BBC
Radio 3 and World Service Broadcasting. The Quartet performed at the 2007 WOMAD Festival at Charlton Park, Near Malmesbury, Wiltshire, over the weekend 27-29 July. The group was invited as the guests of BBC Radio 3 to perform a set of contemporary music which was recorded live and broadcast by the BBC Radio 3 and World Service Broadcast Networks. It was also made available on the BBC’s website.
3-4, Sunday, 29 July
BBC Radio 3 Stage, WOMAD Festival, Charlton Park, Nr. Malmesbury, Wiltshire
Tel: 0845 146 1760
http://womad.org
Monkey: Journey to the
West – an Opera-Circus
Spectacular:
2007 shows
Four
musicians from the UK Chinese Music Ensemble were invited to work with
this large-scale Theatre/opera from the beginning of this year. The
show began to perform and tour in June 2007. Journey to The West by Wu Cheng’en is one of the
best-known 16th century Chinese classic novels. This multimedia
production is directed by Mr Chen Shizheng, the music is by Damon
Albarn (Blur front singer) and digital arts are by Jamie Hewlett.
Albarn and Hewlett are the artists behind the award-winning animated
band Gorillaz. Manchester performances at the Manchester International Festival:
25 June – 1 July : previews / performances
2 – 8 July: performances
Venue: Palace Theatre, Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6FT
Tel: +44 (0)870 401 3000 or 0161 245 6666
Web site: www.manchesterinternationalfestival.com
Paris performances at Theatre du Chatelet:
24 – 30 September: previews / performances
1 – 7 October: performances
8 – 13 October: performances
Venue: Theatre du Chatelet, 2, rue Edouard Colonne – 75001 Paris.
Web site: www.chatelet-theatre.com
The Netherlands and Germany
After only a year since the Quartet's establishment, the Silk String girls are already in demand beyond the UK. They were invited to perform at the RUIGELAND Festival and the Bred Festival in the Netherlands and the Masala Festival in Germany.
3pm, 9th June 2007,
7.30 pm June 2007
Venue: RUIGELAND Festival in het NAM park bij Grijpskerk, Netherlands
Website: www.ruigeland.nl
4pm 10th June 2007,
Venue: Bred Festival, Netherlands.
Website: www.earthbeat.nl
8pm 12th July 2007,
Venue: MASALA Welt-Beat Festival 2007, Hannover, Germany
Website: www.masala-festival.de
Our Silk & Bamboo Ensemble (a group from the UK Chinese Ensemble) was invited to play a concert of String and Wind music from China.
7.30pm, 7 June, 2007
Venue: Stamford Arts Centre, 27 St. Mary’s Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2DL
Website: www.stamfordartscentre.com
Date: Tuesday May 22nd, 1:10pm
Venue: The Van Emden Theatre in the HUMSS Building, Whiteknights Campus, University of Reading
Further information: http://www.reading.ac.uk/about/newsandevents/Events/Event4418.asp
Directions: http://www.reading.ac.uk/maps/whiteknights-struct.htm
Email: music@reading.ac.uk
Date: Saturday May 12th, 6:00pm
Venue: Museum of East Asian Art, 12, Bennett Street, Bath BA1 2QJ
Further information: http://www.meaa.org.uk/events.htm
Email: museum@east-asian-art.freeserve.co.uk
Phone: 01225 464640
This was a free event, in association with Bath's Night at the Museums.
Guqin (7-string string zither)
concert and guqin yaji
(elegant gathering): May 5-6, 2007
The London Youlan Qin Society is pleased to announce that the renowned Shanghai guqin master Lin Youren and his daughter, guqin player and researcher Lin Chen, gave a concert at SOAS on Saturday May 5th, as part of their European tour. They also joined us for a guqin yaji on Sunday May 6th. This concert was their only public performance in the UK.
Concert:
Date: 5th May, 6:0pm
Venue: Room G3, SOAS Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
Click here for details.
Yaji:
Sunday May 6th, 12:00pm. Click here for details.
Sponsored by the London Youlan Qin Society and the London Confucius Institute.
The London Youlan Qin Society is pleased to announce that the renowned Shanghai guqin master Lin Youren and his daughter, guqin player and researcher Lin Chen, gave a concert at SOAS on Saturday May 5th, as part of their European tour. They also joined us for a guqin yaji on Sunday May 6th. This concert was their only public performance in the UK.
Concert:
Date: 5th May, 6:0pm
Venue: Room G3, SOAS Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
Click here for details.
Yaji:
Sunday May 6th, 12:00pm. Click here for details.
Sponsored by the London Youlan Qin Society and the London Confucius Institute.
Cheng
Yu was invited by the Taiwan National Chinese Orchestra Following her successful London World Première on the 5-stringed pipa and its new music, Cheng Yu was invited to work with the Taiwan National Chinese Orchestra on new compositions for the newly created instrument. She gave talks and lectures on the 5-stringed instrument at universities in Taiwan.
Venue: The National Theatre, Taipei, Taiwan
台北市 中山南路21-1號國家戲劇院
Web site: http://www.ntch.edu.tw/
Members of musicians of the Ensemble were invited to give performances and workshops at the Family Event in the Museum of London.
Venue: Museum of London, London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN
Time: 12:30, 2.30 and 4:00pm
Enquiries: 0879 444 3852
The Quartet was invited to give a lunchtime concert at the Brighton Festival.
Date/time: 1-2pm, Tuesday 15th May
Enquiries: tel. 01273 260 828
www.brightonfestival.org
You can hear the programme at http://www.birst.co.uk/music/ChengYu/index.htm
We
are pleased to announce our latest addition to Chinese music in the
UK –
the birth of The Silk String Quartet. New in its form and style, unique in its instrumentation and presentation, the Silk String Quartet is a young and professional London based Chinese string instrumental group of top quality. It combines traditional and modern, Chinese and Western music in a fresh and creative way. Click here for details.
Click to hear sample audio tracks: “Waterscape Silhouette” “Three and Six”
For more information or a promotional CD, please contact us.
This album presents the first fruits of the five-stringed pipa project, four new compositions and one new arranged piece on the 5-stringed instrument created by Cheng Yu (for details about the 5-string pipa project, see the 5-string pipa project on this website). The new works premiered in February 2005 in two London concerts (at SOAS, University of London, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama), and on BBC radio.
Please click here for details or to order a copy of the album.
The Silk String Quartet in collaboration with China Arts is working on a Chinese-Western fusion music project. It brings together two of the best Chinese and Western ensembles in the UK, the Silk String Quartet (led by Dr Cheng Yu) and the Chamber Music Company (led by Mark Troop). The aim is to explore the soundworld of the East and West and creatively test both the potential and the boundaries between these two different musical cultures. Experiments include trying adopted music on each culture’s instruments, and collaborations of the mixed ensembles with diverse musical works by composers of different backgrounds. The project presents its first fruit at the inaugurations of both China Telecom (Europe) Ltd. and Dragon Cambridge International (provides UK-Chinese business links).
10am – 12am - Dragon dance workshop
10.30am - 12 noon - Singing/percussion workshop for children
12.30 - 2 pm: Children’s Demonstration performances
12:30-2pm: Pipa music recital by Cheng Yu
2-4pm – Calligraphy and brush drawing
4 - 5 pm - Teatime concert: Silk String Quartet
Venue: The Electric Theatre, Onslow Street, Guildford.
Box Office: 01483 444789
Workshop and concerts prices are £5. Tickets for the lunchtime pipa recital are £5 (free to workshop participants and children under 12 years of age) and £5 for the Teatime Recital by the Silk String Quartet, also free to children under 12 years of age.
China Arts presents a selection of well-known scenes from Beijing Opera.
Beijing Opera is a complex art form combining singing, movement, mime, martial arts, acrobats, melodic and percussion orchestra and extraordinary costumes and make-up. The programme includes:
- The Goddess Scattering Flowers from Heaven
- The Startling Dream from ‘The Peony Pavilion’
- Picking up the Jade Bracelet
- Flute and Drum at Sunset (traditional civil style music)
- Flowing Water (Classical music)
Date: 9th March, 2007
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Richard Attenborough Centre
University of Leicester
Lancaster Road
Leicester LE1 9HN
Enquiries: Tel: (RAC) 0116 252 2455
Web site: www.le.ac.uk/music
Kiku Day (shakuhachi), Máire Breatnach (fiddle) and Sun Zhuo (guzheng)
Kiku Day is a ji-nashi shakuhachi player with a colourful roots background. Following intensive instrumental studies in Tokyo, her interest is now turning towards contemporary music. This concert will see the world premiere of three original compositions written for Kiku by Yumi Hara Cawkwell, Mogens Christensen and Gabriel Erkoreka.
A classically-trained artist who grew up in a household steeped in traditional music, Máire Breatnach is among Ireland’s most prolific traditional musicians. Beautiful melodies and sparkling fiddle playing make for both gripping and fragile performances.
Sun Zhuo, guzheng player with the UK Chinese Ensemble and the Silk String Quartet, studied at the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing and is now continuing her PhD studies in London. She is in high demand as a guzheng player both in China and abroad, most recently working on new compositions and contemporary styles.
FREE ADMISSION, NO BOOKING REQUIRED
Venue capacity is limited and SOAS operates a first come first served system.
Date: Thursday 8th March 2007
Time: 7:00pm
Venue: Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
ENQUIRIES:
Tel: 020 7897 4500
email: musicevents@soas.ac.uk
www.soas.ac.uk/concerts
China Arts and the UK Chinese Ensemble present:
1. Chinese Music Making: Singing, Percussion & Instruments
2. Lion Dance & Dragon Dance
3. Drawing, Calligraphy & Wash Painting
4. Chinese Folk Dance: Ribbon, Fan & Handkerchief Dance
5. Martial Arts
6. Story Telling
Venue: CHRIST CHURCH Primary School
1 Robinson Street
London SW3 4AR
Enquiries: 020 7352 5708
China Arts and the UK Chinese Ensemble present:
3 days of workshops on Calligraphy, Lion Dancing and Storing Telling.
Venue: Southbank Kingsington Park Road, London W11 3BU
China Arts and the UK Chinese Ensemble presents:
- Story telling
- Opera Mask making
- Ribbon and Fan dance
- Lion Dance
Time: 1pm onwards
Venue: National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE
Enquiries: tel. 020 7306 0055
Thrilling, Colourful, Original and Inspirational
Guizhou Ethnic Minority Dance and Song Ensemble, Southwest China
Date: Friday 16th and Saturday 17th February, 2007
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: Cadogan Hall
5 Sloane Terrace
London SW1X 9DQ
Box Office: 020 7730 4500,
Tickets: £15 - £30 (child/student/group discount available).
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2007 Spring Concert
and Workshop Series:
The Silk String Quartet/UK Chinese Ensemble
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Film Music recording
project 22 – 24 January 2007Balls of Fury – Hollywood Film music by Randy Edelman At Abbey Road Studios
Having successfully recorded music for Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights, this is be the third Hollywood film music project on which the UK Chinese Music Ensemble has worked with composer Randy Edelman. The musicians worked from written scores and improvised. The instruments used included the pipa lute, guqin zither, guzheng zither, erhu and gaohu fiddles, dizi and xiao flutes, sheng mouth-organ and guanzi pipe.
Date: Sunday 21 January 2007
Time: 7.30pm
Venue: President’s House
Clare Hall
Herschel Road
Cambridge CB3 9AL
Web site: http://www.clarehall.cam.ac.uk/index.php?id=301
A rare opportunity to hear an internationally renowned virtuoso on both the pipa (4-stringed lute) and guqin (7-stringed zither) and former pipa soloist at the China Central Orchestra of Chinese Music.
Date: Friday 24 November 2006
Time: 1.10 to 1.50pm
Venue: Roberts Room, Floor 3, Lecture Centre, Brunel Univesity, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3PH
ADMISSION FREE
The Ensemble has been invited to play at the Belonging Exhibition at the Museum of London.
Venue: Museum of London, London Wall, London EC2Y 5HN
Time: 2:00-5:00pm
Enquiries: 0879 444 3852
The
Quartet has great news to announce: it has been selected by WOMEX 2006
Showcase – The World Music Expo – to perform from 25th
to 29th October in Seville, Spain. WOMEX (www.womex.com)
is the world's largest international organisation for world music. Our
Quartet is the first Chinese music group ever selected by WOMEX since
its inception 12 years ago. Quote from the email from WOMEX:
“You made
it. Congratulations! On behalf of the WOMEX Jury, we invite
The Silk
String Quartet to perform at WOMEX 2006, the worldwide music expo to be
held in Sevilla, Andalusia / Spain, 25-29 October 2006. With over
600 proposals and a mere three dozen slots, yours is an accomplishment
to be proud of” –
18th May 2006, WOMEX Office.
NEWS October, 2006 – Silk String Quartet won PRSF and Arts Council Grant
The Silk String Quartet has been awarded a British Music Abroad grant to support its performances at the WOMEX 2006 Showcase. The Quartet is the first Chinese music ensemble to be selected at this international world music festival in a decade and it is one of the only two groups selected from the UK.
NEWS October, 2006 – Silk String Quartet Successful Showcase at the WOMEX 2006 World Music Expo in Seville, Spain
On 26th October, the
Silk String Quartet led by Cheng Yu gave a
successful performance at the WOMEX Showcase on the Central Stage at
the FIBES – Auditorium, Al-Andalus in Seville, Spain. This is the first
time that Chinese music has been featured at this international major
festival of world music since WOMEX was established over a decade ago.
The Quartet is one of the only two groups chosen this year from the UK
and was selected from over a thousand ensembles worldwide. The Quartet performed a selection of classical and modern works with their unique instrumentation and their own interpretations. The pieces included “Waterscape Silhouette” (a contemporary composition), “Darkness of the Night” (Beijing Opera music) and “Flute and Drum at Sunset” (a classical “civil” style piece). This is the Quartet’s first European appearance and has received excellent feedback and acclaim. Already, the Quartet has received concert and tour invitations from the UK, Germany, Belgium, France and the Netherlands.
You can view the video clips of the Showcase at http://www.mondomix.com/player/player-fr-flv.php?url_media=http://www.mondomix.com/event/womex2006/flv/silk2.flv&artist_id=1483&video_id=3292 It is also accessible via http://www.mondomix.com/event/womex2006/ (Click on October 26).
For more information or a promotional CD, please contact chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com, or phone us on 0207 794 9153 (t.), 0788 089 6003 (m.)
Grand Union worked with Newham Council to create a Newham World Chorus. It embraces Chinese, Asian and Lithuanian choir groups and musicians from their native cultures including Baluji Shrivastav, Cheng Yu and others. After working together for a month they performed today at Stratford Town Hall.
Venue: Stratford Town Hall
Early
Music Showcase 2006: 29 September, Royal Pavilion, BrightonCheng Yu was invited to give a recital at the 2006 Showcase of Early Music. This was a rare opportunity to hear Cheng Yu on the pipa (4-stringed lute) and guqin (7-stringed zither) – the most celebrated classical Chinese instruments, each with over 2,000 years of history and distinct in character, style, philosophy and aesthetics. Cheng Yu was accompanied by dizi and xiao bamboo flutes.
The programme included:
Flowing Water (guqin, Secret and Spiritual Score, 1425)
Flute and Drum at Sunset (pipa, civil style, 1790s)
Ambushed on Ten Sides (pipa, martial style, 1818)
Venue: The Music Room, Royal Pavilion, Brighton
Photo: Cheng Yu with
lutenist Elizabeth Kenny
The Silk String Quartet was invited to play at the inauguration of Dragon Cambridge International. The company provides liaison between UK and China for personal and business clients (www.dragoncambridge.com). The quartet played a selection of traditional and regional Chinese pieces as well as popular and classical Western music.
9:00pm
Venue: Library House, Station Road, Cambridge
Celebrating the inauguration of China Telecom (Europe) Ltd.
The UK Chinese Ensemble and China Arts were invited to present a specially designed Concert for the inauguration of China Telecom (Europe) Ltd (www.chinatelecomeurope.com) today. The programme featured two of the best Chinese and Western ensembles in the UK, the Silk String Quartet (led by Dr Cheng Yu) and the Chamber Music Company (led by Mark Troop). They played a selection of well-known Chinese and Western classical and popular music as well as fusion music based on both musical cultures.
The programme included:
The Silk String Quartet:
Full of Joy (by Liu Mingyuan)
Dance of the Golden Snake (By Nie Er)
Moving Up (Cantonese music)
Radetzky March (Strauss)
The Chamber Music Company:
Flute Trio in D, First Movement (Haydn)
Trio in B flat, First Movement (Mozart)
A Minuet for Clarinet and Piano (Howells)
Song of Four Seasons (Popular Chinese melody)
The China-West Ensemble – Chinese-Western fusion
Greensleeves (Traditional English)
Jasmine Flower (Traditional Chinese)
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Mozart)
Time: 10:30 am – 12:00 noon
Venue: The Landmark Hotel , Marylebone Road, London
On the 28th August 2006, the UK Chinese Ensemble in collaboration with China Arts successfully presented a Chinese fan dance team with female student performers wearing beautiful traditional qipao (embroidered silk gowns) and parading the streets around Notting Hill. Their fresh appearance and elegant manner was unusually well received with much applause along the entire route of the Carnival. Early this year, the UK Chinese Ensemble and China Arts were invited to organise a performance team to represent Chinese community reflecting the multicultural spirit in Britain at this Europe’s biggest and most spectacular street festival. The UK Chinese Ensemble and China Arts will build on this initiative to develop a more artistic and substantial carnival troupe next year. For more information see the CCTV and Xinhua News Agency sites:
http://news.cctv.com/wangbo/20060829/103237.shtml
http://www.xhby.net/xhby/content/2006-08/29/content_1382747.htm
Chinese Music Summer School: 29 July – 2 August and 3–5 August, 2006
Following
the success of the 2005
Chinese Music Summer School, Asian Music Circuit was delighted to present the 2006 Chinese Music
Summer School, giving five full
days
of expert tuition on Chinese instrumental music. This included
masterclasses on the guqin (Chinese 7-string zither) with guqin
master Gong Yi, pipa (Chinese
lute) with pipa virtuoso Cheng Yu, dizi (Chinese flute) with dizi
player Wang Ciheng and erhu (Chinese fiddle) with erhu soloist Hu Bin. This was a rare opportunity to learn
and
explore Chinese music in the UK. Classes were open to
all takers, beginners and advanced.
There was also a Chinese Music Summer School for children, (7 - 16 years old), dates 3rd to 5th August.
The
Summer School was held
at the Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London.
Gong Yi (guqin)
Cheng Yu (pipa)
Etsuko Takezawa (koto)
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Duke’s Hall, Royal Academy of Music
This concert was held in conjunction with the Chinese Music Summer School (See above)
Wang Ciheng (dizi)
Hu Bin (erhu)
Hiroshi Motofuji (taiko)
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Duke’s Hall, Royal Academy of Music
This concert was held in conjunction with the Chinese Music Summer School (See above)
Venue: The CC Club, 13 Coventry Street, London W1D 7DH
For further information, please visit http://www.chineseshowcase.co.uk
This is very good news for Chinese music, especially guqin music which was designated by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003. For further information please see:
http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/newsletters/news/chinaheritageday.htm
http://www.chinastyle.cn/essential/intangible-heritage/
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/09/content_4154710.htm
http://www.yq.gov.cn/newsday/gnxw/20062981513.htm
http://www.ben.com.cn/BJRB/20060208/GB/BJRB^19248^13^08R1330.htm
http://bbs17.xilu.com/cgi-bin/bbs/view?forum=clearland&message=205
An informal gathering of guqin (Chinese 7-string zither) enthusiasts to play and discuss the qin and its music in Twickenham. Click here for details.
Cheng Yu and a team from Asian Music Circuit travelled to China to interview and film musicians in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xi'an.
Members of the UK Chinese Ensemble were commissioned to perform before an invited audience.
Available at http://www.birst.co.uk/music/ChengYu/index.htm.
Cheng Yu performed with the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble based at the University of London School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Venue: Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BD
An informal gathering of guqin (Chinese 7-string zither) enthusiasts to play and discuss the qin and its music. Click here for details.
The UK Chinese Ensemble played a full concert of Chinese music old and new as part of the Asia Festival in Ludlow Assembly Hall. There was a pre-concert workshop at 6pm. Musicians featured:
Cheng Yu - pipa (4-stringed lute) and guqin (7-stringed zither)
Qiu Zenghui - erhu and jinghu (2-stringed violins)
Li Ming – yangqin (hammered dulcimer) & dizi (bamboo flutes)
The programme included:
Flute
and Drum at Sunset
(Traditional, civil style, 1818 score)
Purple Bamboo Melody (Folk, ‘Silk & Bamboo’ music, Shanghai)
Flowing Water (classical guqin masterpiece, 1425 score)
Journey to Gusu (dizi flute solo, 1982 )
Scenery of Beijing Suburbs (Beijing Opera music, 1991)
Purple Bamboo Melody (Folk, ‘Silk & Bamboo’ music, Shanghai)
Flowing Water (classical guqin masterpiece, 1425 score)
Journey to Gusu (dizi flute solo, 1982 )
Scenery of Beijing Suburbs (Beijing Opera music, 1991)
Venue: Ludlow Assembly Rooms, 1 Mill Street, Ludlow.
Cheng Yu and the musicians of the UK Chinese Ensemble will perform at the New Year Celebration of Hong Kong Tourist Board in London.
http://www.DiscoverHongKong.com/mice
Artists and musicians of the UKCE will take part in Chinese New Year celebration show at St. Albans Chinese Community Centre.
Cheng Yu on the pipa and Sun Zhuo on the guzheng will perform well-known Chinese music pieces to celebrate the Lantern Festival. The celebration is organised by Mother Bridge of Love and the British Chinese Community organisation ‘Dimsum’.
Venue: Asian House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London.
A rare opportunity to hear Cheng Yu – an internationally renowned virtuoso on the pipa (4-stringed lute) and guqin (7-stringed zither). These two most celebrated Chinese classical instruments are distinct in character, style and aesthetics and each has 2,000 years of history. Guqin music is rarely heard in China, let alone abroad. Cheng Yu is the only professional guqin player in Britain. She will play a section of traditional and modern masterpieces to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
“She is a brilliant exponent creating beauty with amazing dexterity” – Songlines.
Venue: TaB Centre Plus, Trinity-at-Bowes Methodist Church, Palmerston Road, Palmers Green.
Musicians and dancers of the UK Chinese Ensemble will be performing traditional Chinese music and dance, including a Lion Dance for an Islington Children’s Centre.
Venue:
Fortune Park SureStart Children’s Centre
Surestart Islington South Head Office
St Lukes Centre, 90 Central Street
London EC1V 8AQ
Tel: 020 7336 0285
BBC Radio 4 broadcast an interview with Cheng Yu. She talked about Chinese music, and in particular about her 5 string pipa project and the new compositions commissioned for it.
It is still also be possible to hear the programme on the BBC Radio 4 website at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/womanshour.During Chinese New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, musicians and artists performed Chinese music, dancing, stilt walking, calligraphy and other artistic activities at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
Venue: Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7To celebrate Chinese New Year, the performances included Beijing Opera, Music, stilt walking etc.
Manchester Arndale
Centre Saturday 21 January
Bristol -
Broadmead
Wednesday 25 January
Birmingham - Bullring
Friday 27
January
London - Soho Square
Sunday 29
January
The UK Chinese Ensemble performed Chinese music at the launch of the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) China in London season for 2006.
Venue: City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, London SE1
Film music recording: The Boat People, 23–25 January, 2006
Cheng Yu composed and improvised with composer and blues guitarist Neil McArthur and film director Rob Curry to provide music for the new film "The Boat People". The film will feature classical/traditional guqin (7-stringed zither) music and improvisations as the main music of the film. For details about the film please visit: http://www.fifthcolumn.org.uk.
The
musicians of the UK Chinese Ensemble performed with Beijing Opera
artists to
present a
double bill of both traditional and modern music, as well as excerpts from
some of the best-known Beijing
Operas. Musicians featured were Cheng
Yu (pipa and qin), Qiu Zenghui (jinghu and erhu), and Li Ming (yangqin dulcimer)
and Beijing Opera actress Ione Meyer. There
were be workshops during the day on January
22nd.
The
National Early Music Centre
St. Margaret’s Church, Walmgate,
Artists of the UK Chinese Ensemble conducted a week-long workshop at Davinton Primary School, providing music, dance, calligraphy and ink-brush painting. This was part of the school’s multi-cultural programme to celebrate Chinese New Year and culture.
Venue: Davinton Primary School, Priory Row, Faversham, Kent.Junko Ueda (Japanese satsuma biwa)
Cheng Yu (Chinese pipa)
Ahmed Mukhtar (Arabic oud)
These three widely recorded artists introduced the pear-shaped lutes of their cultures in a unique comparative concert. Each performer showcased their instrument via both a traditional and a modern piece, and the evening concluded with a short jam session.
Venue: Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, SOAS, University of London.Cheng Yu will premier her 5-stringed pipa music in Seoul, South Korea, and will work with Korean composer Gyewon Byeon on her compositions and to record the music for a CD publication in Spring 2005. For further information and photos click here.
The musicians of the UK Chinese Ensemble will be working with composer Robert Foster to recording an album named Heart of Asia in one of London’s recording studios. For further information and photos click here.
6 musicians
from the UK Chinese Ensemble will be playing
traditional and modern Chinese music at the Royal
Academy of Arts in conjunction with the China Arts Exhibition: The
Three Emperors 1662 - 1795. For
further information and photos click here.
Venue:
Website:http://www.threeemperors.org.uk
The UK Chinese Ensemble will be playing an evening concert as part of
celebration of Chinese cultural
during its China Night event at the University.
Cheng Yu
and Tan Xiang will play at the Macmillan Cancer Relief Conference
during the
afternoon.
Venue: The
Soho Centre for Health and Care,
Cheng Yu is to play the pipa for World of Strings, a major project in which the world's best string players form a group. She will tour The Netherlands, Germany and Italy in October and November. Click here for details.
Cheng Yu published a new solo CD, Masterpieces of Chinese Pipa and Qin Music
The CD was
released in July by
China Arts Records. Click here for
details.
This is part of the WOMAD Festival. See the entry on the BBC Radio 3 web site. See the BBC Radio 3 web site at http://www0.bbc.co.uk/radio3/womad2005/zeng_chen.shtml.
Some of the performances by Cheng Yu and Zeng Chengwei
were broadcast on the BBC Radio 3 World Music programme Late Junction
the following Monday evening.
Cheng Yu (pipa)
Wang Ciheng (dizi)
UK Chinese Ensemble
Uday Bhawalkar (dhrupad)
Manik Munde (pakhwaj)
Venue: Jerwood Hall, LSO St. Luke's, 161, Old Street, London EC1
This concert was part of the Summer School (see below).
Zeng Chengwei (guqin)
Hu Bin (erhu)
UK Chinese Ensemble
Sunanda Dharma (thumri)
Accompanied on tabla, sarangi, harmonium and tanpura.
Venue: Jerwood Hall, LSO St. Luke's, 161, Old Street, London EC1
This concert was part of the Summer School (see below).
The following seminars were held as part of the Summer School:
Sunday 24 July
Topic: The Art of Dizi Music – Wang Ciheng
Monday 25 July
Topic: Looking East – Chinese Traditional and Contemporary Music – Professor Jonathan Stock,
Wednesday 27 July 16:00–17:15
Topic: Seminar: Guqin – Zeng Chengwei
Thurs 28 July
Topic: Seminar: Erhu – Hu Bin
Friday 29 July
Topic: Seminar: Pipa – Cheng Yu
Following the success of the 2004 Chinese Music Summer School, Asian Music Circuit was delighted to present the 2005 Chinese Music Summer School, giving eight full days of expert tuition on Chinese instrumental music. This includeed masterclasses on the guqin (Chinese 7-string zither) with guqin master player and maker Zeng Chengwei, pipa (Chinese lute) with pipa virtuoso Cheng Yu, dizi (Chinese flute) with dizi player Wang Ciheng and erhu (Chinese fiddle) with erhu soloist Hu Bin. This was a rare opportunity to learn and explore Chinese music in the UK. Classes were open to all takers, beginners and advanced. The Summer School was held at the Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London.
PRESS RELEASES – 5-string pipa project
Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Music Department Concert Hall, Silk Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DT
Tel: 020 7628 2571
Admission Free
Cheng Yu's project to bring back to life the lost Tang
Dynasty (8th century) 5-stringed pipa, won awards from Women
in Music, the Arts and Humanities Research Board and the Arts Council
of England. Both the 4- and 5-stringed pipas came to China
along the Silk Road and travelled on to Korea and Japan. Cheng Yu
collaborates with composers from China, Korea, Britain and the USA and
musicians from the East, the West and the Middle East. Composers:
Dr. Gyewon Byeon – “The Moment” (pipa and Korean deagum flute)
Dr. Gillian Carcas – “Aveaham Avinu” (pipa, nay and percussion).
Dr. Stephen Dydo – “Wind Chimes” (pipa and guitar)
Xu Yi – “Pipayin” (pipa and flute, clarinet, viola, cello, and percussion)
Musicians:
Cheng Yu (pipa), Jan Hendrickse (flutes), Stephen Dydo (guitar), Tim Garside (percussion), John Slack (clarinet), Michael Allen (percussion), Mara Miribung (cello) and Laura Metcalfe (viola)
Pre-concert talk:
Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 6 - 7pm, Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, SOAS.
Concerts:
Wednesday, 16 February 2005, 7.30pm,
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre, SOAS, University of London,
Thornhaugh St. Russell Square, London WC1H
For further details, please email yc4@soas.ac.uk or phone 020 7898 4515.
Friday, 25 February 2005, 12.30pm,
Guildhall School of Music and Drama,
Music Department Concert Hall,
Silk Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DT
Tel: 020 7628 2571
Admission Free
For further details, please phone 020 7628 2571.
Click here for more information on the 5-stringed pipa project.
The concerts are supported by SOAS and Asian Music Circuit.