| Chinese Strings
Concert – pipa, guqin and guzheng, London: 30 July, 2010 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 |
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| Chinese Classical
Music and Zen Tea Ceremony – Central London: 11th July, 2010 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 |
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| Chinese Music
workshops in Wiltshire schools: July, 2010 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 |
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| Concert by the Silk
and Bamboo Ensemble at the Bradford Mela: 12th June, 2010 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 |
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| The Silk and Bamboo
Ensemble concert, Doha, Qatar: 26th May 2010 Date: 26th May 2010, 8:00 pm Venue: The Pearl, Villa Morgan No 1, Doha, Qatar |
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| Concert by the Lingnan qin master Xie Daoxiu and others,
London: 11th May, 2010 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 |
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| Teaching Chinese
Music in Schools – 5 Day Training
Course with the UK Chinese Music
Ensemble, Essex: 23 February – 4 May, 2010 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 |
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| The Silk & Bamboo
Ensemble, Lancaster Town Hall: 22nd February, 2010 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 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet Concert, Dartington Hall, Totnes: Saturday, 20
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 |
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| Chinese Music
Performance at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich: 28 February,
2010 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 |
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| The Silk & Bamboo
Trio – CASS City University: 3rd February 2010 Venue: The Hub Cass Business School, 106 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8TZ Time 7-9pm, 3rd February 2010 |
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| Guqin and Pipa
recital and workshop – 22nd Europalia Festival – China, Brussels,
Belgium: 23 January 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 |
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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. |
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| Music Recording for
BBC Chinese ‘Harry Potter’ style TV Series Nov-Dec 2009 –
Bo and The
Spirit World 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 |
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| The Spiritual and
Contemplative Guqin –
Cheng Yu’s New Guqin music CD
by ARC Music:
Autumn 2009. 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. |
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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. |
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| Concerts
at the
Bidasoa Folk Festival, Spain – The Silk String
Quartet: 20-24 August, 2009 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/ |
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| Performances at SOAS,
University of London Graduation Ceremonies: 22, 23 and 24 July
2009 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/ |
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| Concert
at Arts in
Action Festival, Oxford – The Silk String
Trio: 18 and 19 July 2009 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/ |
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| Music recording for
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures – Video Game: 25-29 June 2009 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/ |
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| Music &
Calligraphy workshops at Cowbridge School, South Wales: 1 and 12 June,
2009 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). |
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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. |
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| "Shanghai" – Hollywood film music
project: May 2009 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. |
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| Recording for HSBC TV
Advert Music – Cormorant: May 2009 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. |
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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 |
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| Recording for HSBC TV
Advert Music – Cormorant: May 2009 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. |
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| Essex-Jiangsu
Festival Concert Finale – The Silk String
Quartet: 22 March 2009 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). |
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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 |
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| The Silk and Bamboo
Ensemble and Dance Dublin Ireland Tour: January 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.
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| Family concert and
Chinese music and dance workshops – The Silk String
Quartet: 24 January
2009 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 |
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| Pipa and guqin
recital – Bristol Cathedral: 13 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..." |
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| Inspired
by China: 9
December,
2008 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 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 |
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Beijing Winter Garden
Lounge
Nights: 4, 11 and 18 December, 2008
Louise Blouin Institute 3 Olaf Street London W11 Time: 6:00 – 9:00 pm, Thursday 4, 11 and 18 December 2008 |
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| Chinese guqin concert and ‘yaji’: 26 November, 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) |
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| Tan Dun’s Ghost
Opera, Colchester: 16 November, 2008 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 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet and Matthew Barley – Concerts: 13
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 |
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The Silk and Bamboo Ensemble – Tate Britain Gallery: 12 November, 2008 Venue:Milbank London SW1P 4RG Time: 7:00pm (private event) |
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| Monkey: Journey to
the West – a multimedia opera spectacular, London O2 shows: 8 November,
2008
– 4 January, 2009 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) |
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The CD – Monkey:
Journey to the West, is out now 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/ |
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New CD – Silk and
Bamboo Ensemble 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. |
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| Pipa and guqin recital – Brighton Festival
of World Sacred Music: 18 October, 2008 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 |
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| A Festival of Ancient
Chinese Culture – Daoist music concerts: 27–28
September, 2008 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 |
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| Notting Hill
Carnival: 25 August, 2008 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 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet – Gwyl Pontardawe Festival, Wales: 15–16 August, 2008 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 |
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| Cheng Yu on BBC Video
Nation – 1 August, 2008 See the video "Olympic Revolution" at http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2008/09/01/olympic_handover_video_feature.shtml |
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| Chinese
Music Summer School (in partnership with Asian Music Circuit): 30 July
– 3 August, 2008 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. |
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| The Silk & Bamboo
Ensemble, Stourhead Garden: 25–26 July, 2008 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 |
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| The Silk String and
Bamboo Ensemble – Buxton Festival: 24 July, 2008 Venue: Buxton Festival 3, The Square Buxton Derbyshire SK17 6AZ Time: 10:00pm |
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| Monkey: Journey to
the West – an Opera-Circus Spectacular, London shows: 23–26 July, 2008 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 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet, Lycka Chambermusik Festival, Sweden: 9–11 July, 2008 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 |
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| Chinese Music and
Calligraphy workshops, Sydenham School, London: 4 July, 2008 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 |
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| The Silk and
Bamboo Ensemble – Lunchtime concert: 3 July, 2008 Venue: Lancaster City Hall Time: 1:00–2:00pm Website: www.lancaster.gov.uk/artsdevelopment |
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| Chinese music
performance, Westminster: 23 June, 2008 Essex Jiangsu Festival 2008-2009 Launch House of Commons (invited guests) Palace of Westminster Time: 4:00-6:00pm 23 June |
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| Music & Dance
performance, Chinese Conference, Beckton: 21 June, 2008 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 |
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| UKCE and Grand Union
Orchestra, Spitalfields Festival: 7.30pm 18 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 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet Concert: 7 June, 2008 Venue: St Mary’s Church Ashford, Kent TN30 6TJ Time: 7:00pm |
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| The Silk String
Quartet Concert – Spitalfields Festival, London: 6 June 2008 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 |
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| The Silk String Trio,
1:00-200pm, Reading University: Tuesday 27 May, 2008 Venue: Van Emden Theatre (HUMSS) The University of Reading Whiteknights Reading Berkshire RG6 6AA Website http://www.rdg.ac.uk/music |
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| The
Silk String Trio – China
Day at the Horniman Museum: Sunday, 25 May, 2008 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 |
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| Cheng Yu pipa recital
at Oxford
University: 23 May, 2008 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 |
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| Film Music Recording
– The Mummy 3: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor: May, 2008 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. |
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| "Wild
China" – series
starts on BBC 2: Sunday, 11 May, 2008 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. |
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| Silk and
Bamboo – Teahouse music: 3 April 2008 Venue: The British Museum Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DG Time: 6:30pm – 9:00pm |
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| The
Silk String Quartet – Looking East Festival, concerts and workshops:
“In residence”, 4–6 April 2008 Venue: The Sage Gateshead St Mary's Square Gateshead Quays Gateshead, NE8 2JR |
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| The
Silk String Quartet –
Chinese Classical Music Concert: 14 March 2008 Venue: Younger Hall, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland KY16 9AL Time: Friday, March 14th, 7:30 pm |
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| A Dialogue between
Tradition
and Modernity: 12 March 2008 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 |
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| The Silk & Bamboo
Trio – The British Museum:
10 March 2008 Venue: The Great Court British Museum Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DG Time: 6:30am–9:00pm Web site: www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk |
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| Silk String Trio: 6
March 2008 Venue: The British Museum Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DG Time: 6.30pm–9:00pm Web site: www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk |
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| UK
Chinese Ensemble – The British Museum: 5th March 2008 Venue: The Great Court British Museum Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DG Time: 6:30-9:00pm |
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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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| The Silk String
Quartet Concert: 8pm 29 February 2008 Venue: Liverpool Philharmonic Hall Hope St. Liverpool L1 9BP Opening Time: 7:30 pm |
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| UK Chinese Ensemble –
The British Museum: 27 February 2008 Venue: The Great Court British Museum Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DG Time: 6:30 –9:00pm |
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| The
Silk String Quartet Concert, China Week – Cambridge University: 6pm
Sunday, 24 February 2008 Venue: Clare Hall, University of Cambridge Time: All day |
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| Sound
of China – ancient and modern (UK Chinese Music Ensemble 18 musicians):
22 February 2008 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 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet Concert – Buxton Festival: 7.30pm, 19th February 2008 Venue: Buxton Festival 3, The Square Buxton Derbyshire SK17 6AZ |
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| Chinese New Year
Special at SOAS: 12 February 2008, 7:00pm 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 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet - Chinese New Year Concert: 10 February 2008 Venue: Trinity Theatre Church Road Tunbridge Wells Kent, TN1 1JP Time: 12:00 noon – 10:00pm TWeb site: www.trinitytheatre.net |
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| Chinese Music at the
British Museum’s China Day: 9 February 2008 Venue: The Great Court British Museum Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DG Opening Time: 10:00 am – 10:00pm |
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| The
Silk and Bamboo Ensemble concert: 6:30 – 7:30 pm, 8 February 2008 Venue: National Portrait Gallery St Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE Time: 10:00am – 9:00pm |
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| The Silk String
Quartet – Southbank China Day Celebration: 8 February 2008 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 |
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| The
Silk String Quartet –
Chinese New Year Concert: 7
February 2008
Venue: Richard Attenborough CentreUniversity of Leicester Lancaster Road Leicester LE1 9HN Time:
7:30pm concert, workshops during the day |
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| UK
Chinese Ensemble –
the British Museum –
Celebrating Chinese New Year:
6 February 2008 Venue: The Great Court British Museum Great Russell Street London WC1B 3DG Time: 7:00–9:00pm |
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| The Silk String
Quartet at the UK Chinese Scholars New Year Celebration: 5 February
2008 Venue: Logan Hall University of London 20 Bedford Way London WC1H 0AL Time: 7:00 – 9:00pm |
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| The Silk String
Quartet – Chinese New Year
Double Concert: 1 February 2008 Venue: The Red Hedgehog 255-257 Archway Road Highgate London N6 5BS Time: 6:00 – 10:00pm Web site: www.theredhedgehog.co.uk |
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| The Silk String
Quartet – Concert: 31 January
2008 Venue: Lakeside Arts Centre University Park Nottingham NG7 2RD Time: 7:00 pm doors open, 7.30pm concert Web site: www.nottingham.ac.uk |
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| “Silk & Bamboo”
– China Day, concert and workshops: 30 January 2008 Venue: Shrewsbury Music Hall The Square, Shrewsbury SY1 1LH Time: Concert 7:30pm, workshops during the day. Also online at www.musichall.co.uk |
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Pipa
& Piano and Guzheng music at The Meridian Society –
British Born Chinese Network: Sunday, 20 January, 2008
Venue: Mary Ward House, 5-7 Tavistock Place London WC1H 9SN Ticket information: Free Time: 2.00 pm - 4.00 pm |
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| Workshops of Chinese
and Asian Music and Dance for Ann Bernhardt Nursery School: 15 January
– 25 March, 2008 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 |
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| British Museum: 6
December, 2007 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 |
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| November-December,
Music recording – "Wild China" – for BBC Bristol 6 episode TV
documentary 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. |
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| The Silk String
Quartet, WOMAD Canarias Festival, Spain: 21-25 November, 2007 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 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet, Tenerife Spain: 8–10
November, 2007 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 |
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| British
Museum: 12
October, 2007
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 |
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| British
Museum: 4
October, 2007 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 |
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| British
Museum: 1
October, 2007 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 |
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| East
London Music Festival, East London: Saturday 8 September, 2007 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm and 3.30pm (4x30 minutes) Venue: East Ham Market, Myrtle Road, East Ham, London E6 |
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| The Silk String
Quartet wins a PRS Foundation New Music award for Performance Group 2007 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. |
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| New CD –
The Silk String Quartet 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. |
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| Cheng
Yu’s new CD is
released 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 |
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|
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) |
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|
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 |
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| Chinese Guqin and
Erhu Recital – Professor
Zeng Chengwei and Hu Bin: 2
August 2007
Venue: David Josefowitz Recital Hall,
Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road, London |
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| Art
and
Music Project –
IKON Gallery,
Birmingham: July, August, September 2007 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 |
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WOMAD
Festival – The
Silk String Quartet: 29 July 07 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 |
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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 |
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| European
Concerts – The Silk String
Quartet: 9 and 10 June, 12 July, 2007 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 |
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| Silk & Bamboo
Ensemble Concert – Stamford Arts Centre,
Lincolnshire: 7 June 2007 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 |
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| Concert by Cheng Yu
at the University of Reading: May 22, 2007 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 |
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| Concert by Cheng Yu
in Bath: May 12, 2007 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. |
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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. |
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5-stringed pipa
premières at the Taiwan National Theatre: 25 March – 3
April
2007 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/ |
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| Chinese
Music workshop at the Museum of London: 14 and 15 April 2007 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 |
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| The
Silk String Quartet - Brighton Festival concert 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 |
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| Cheng Yu was
interviewed about her 5-string pipa
project
by Bournemouth Internet
Radio You can hear the programme at http://www.birst.co.uk/music/ChengYu/index.htm |
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The
Silk String Quartet – The
first and only Chinese String Quartet in the UK and Europe 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. |
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New
CD released: Cheng Yu and Her Five-Stringed Pipa – A Cross-Cultural
Music
Creation (SOASIS-10, University of London)![]() 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. |
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| The China-West fusion
music project – The Silk String
Quartet and the Chamber Music Company 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). |
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| The Guildford
International Music Festival – China Day in Guildford: 10 March 2007 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. |
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| An evening of
Beijing Opera: 9 March 2007 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:
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 |
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| Solo Ladies – Celebrating
International Women’s Day: 8 March 2007 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 |
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| China
Arts Week at Chelsea Primary School: 5-9 March 2007 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 |
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| China Arts Workshops at
South Bank International School,
London: 21–23 February
2007 China Arts and the UK Chinese Ensemble present: 3 days of workshops on Calligraphy, Lion Dancing and Storing Telling.
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| Chinese
Arts Day at National Portrait Gallery: 17 February 2007 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 |
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| Chinese New Year
Dance Spectacular – 16 and 17 February 2007 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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Balls 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. |
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| Pipa
and Guqin recital by Cheng Yu at Clare Hall, Cambridge University –
21 January 2007 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 |
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| Brunel University Lunchtime Classical
Chinese Pipa and Guqin Recital by Cheng Yu: 24
November 2006 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 |
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| The UK Chinese
Ensemble at the Museum of London: 19 November 2006 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 |
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The Silk String
Quartet – WOMEX World Music Expo, Seville, Spain: 25– 29 October 2006 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.) |
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| Cheng Yu with Grand
Union Orchestra: 15 October 2006 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 |
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Cheng 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
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| Silk String Quartet
Concert: 26
September 2006, Cambridge Launch of Dragon Cambridge International (UK
– China Business Link) 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 |
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| China-West Fusion
Music Concert: 12 September 2006, London NW1 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 |
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| Chinese music
and dance
featured in London Notting Hill Carnival: 28 August, 2006 – A rare
appearance of
Chinese Arts after 42 years 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 |
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|
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. |
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| Chinese
and Japanese Plucked Instruments: Tuesday 1 August, 2006 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) |
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| Chinese
and Japanese Concert: Wednesday
2
August, 2006 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) |
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| The Silk String
Quartet performed at CITY SHOWCASE 2006: "CHINESE SHOWCASE":
Wednesday, 7 June, 2006 Venue: The CC Club, 13 Coventry Street, London W1D 7DH For further information, please visit http://www.chineseshowcase.co.uk |
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| China
has designated the second Saturday of June as an annual Cultural
Heritage Day 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 |
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| London Youlan Qin Society yaji (elegant
gathering): 21 May, 2006 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. |
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| Filming
and
recording project in China: April 8–25 2006 Cheng Yu and a team from Asian Music Circuit travelled to China to interview and film musicians in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and Xi'an. |
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| Chinese
music at the
Royal Academy of Art: 6 April 2006 Members of the UK Chinese Ensemble were commissioned to perform before an invited audience. |
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| Internet
radio programme about the 5-string pipa project: April, 2006 Available at http://www.birst.co.uk/music/ChengYu/index.htm. |
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| Silk and Bamboo
performance at the Royal Academy of Art: 7 March 2006 7:00pm 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 |
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| London Youlan Qin Society yaji (elegant gathering) at SOAS:
4 March, 2006 An informal gathering of guqin (Chinese 7-string zither) enthusiasts to play and discuss the qin and its music. Click here for details. |
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| Concert at Asia
Festival in
Ludlow, Shropshire: 24 February, 2006, 7.30pm 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) Venue: Ludlow Assembly Rooms, 1 Mill Street, Ludlow. |
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| Chinese Music performance
at Hong
Kong Tourist Board: 22 February, 2006, 7pm 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 |
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| Music, Dance performance in
St. Albans: 19 February, 2006, 2–5pm Artists and musicians of the UKCE will take part in Chinese New Year celebration show at St. Albans Chinese Community Centre. |
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| Chinese Music at Asia House
–
celebrate the Lantern Festival: 18th February, 2006, 1–5pm 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. |
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| Classical Chinese Music
recital,
Trinity-At-Bowes Church,
London: 11 February, 2006, 7:30pm 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. |
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| Music
and Dance performance in Islington: 11 February, 2006, 1–2pm 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 |
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| Woman's
Hour
Interview (BBC Radio 4): 3 February, 2006
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. |
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| Music,
dance
and
other performances at the Victoria & Albert museum: 28
and 29
January 2006 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 SW7 |
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| Music
and performances 4-day
show: 11am–5pm,
21, 25, 27 and 29
January, 2006 To celebrate Chinese New Year, the performances included Beijing Opera, Music, stilt walking etc. Manchester Arndale
Centre Saturday 21 January
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| Music
performance, City
Hall, London: 26 January 2006 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 |
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![]() 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. |
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| Music & Beijing
Opera
at the National Early Music Centre
– 21
and 22 January 2006, 7.00pm 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 |
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| School
workshop/performances Chinese Arts Week
–
16–20
January, 2006 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. |
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| Biwa, pipa and oud fest,
SOAS concert series: Wednesday
18 January, 2006 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. |
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| 5-stringed pipa
concerts and recording in 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. |
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| Recording Project: Heart
of Asia, 14 - 16 November, 2005 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. |
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| 4 music performances at
the Royal Academy of Arts 10, 17, 22 and 23 November 2005, 8.30pm
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 |
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| Concert at 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. |
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| Music and Dance
performance 9 November 2005, 2:00 – 4:00pm Cheng Yu
and Tan Xiang will play at the Macmillan Cancer Relief Conference
during the
afternoon. Venue: The
Soho Centre for Health and Care, |
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| World
of Strings,
October – November 2005 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. |
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| Cheng Yu's 5-string pipa CD, Cheng
Yu and Her 5-stringed Pipa, published by SOAS,
University of London,
with new pieces composed by various established composers from all over
the
world is due for release in January, 2006. |
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|
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. |
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| Concert
and live broadcast on BBC
Radio 3 and 30
July, 2005, 11.00–12.00 pm 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. |
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| Soulful
Music From China and North India Saturday, 23 July 7:30pm 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). |
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| Ethereal
Chinese Instrumental and Lyrical Thumri Vocal Sunday, 24 July 7:30pm 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). |
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| Chinese Music Seminars 24–29 July, 2005 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 |
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| Chinese Music
Summer School 23–30 July, 2005
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. |
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PRESS RELEASES – 5-string pipa project |
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| 5-string
pipa concert 1pm–2pm 25th February 2005 Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Music Department Concert Hall, Silk Street, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DT Tel: 020 7628 2571 Admission Free |
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5-string
pipa concerts 16 and 25 February 2005 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. |