A rare concert featuring the essence of Chinese literati music tradition that you are NOT going to miss...
Date: Tuesday, 11th May 2010 
Time: 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Location: Brunei Theature, Brunei Gallery
Address: SOAS, Thornhaugh, Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG
Ticket Price: £5.00
Main Sponsor: Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, London
Other sponsors: Wing Yip Group, Bank of East Asia, etc
Where to buy tickets: Free-seating tickets can be purchased at Islington Chinese Association, 21 Hatchard Road, London N19 4NG, Mondays to Fridays during office hours. Proceeds from this concert at Brunei Theatre go to Islington Chinese Association. Any questions, call us on 020 7263 5986.
Please note this concert is also taking place in Oxford, but 2 days earlier, on Sunday, 9th May 2010, from 3:00-4:30pm, with a similar programme. Location is: Wolfson College Hall, University of Oxford, Linton Road, Oxford OX2 6UD. Entrance Fee: £5.00. Admission from 2:45pm. Tickets are available at the door, on a first come first served basis. Proceeds from this 9/5 concert go to AMREF. For further details, please contact Brandi Li, the event organiser, and a resident member of Wolfson College. Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
It is believed to be the first of its kind in the western world...
The purposes of the concert are to:
- introduce the Chinese literati music tradition to a wider audience in the West;
- contribute to salvaging this endangered cultural heritage;
- forge a stronger cultural link between the UK, mainland China and Hong Kong;
- raise funds for the African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF), and Islington Chinese Association (ICA).
Programme (subject to change without prior notice)
- QIN (Zither) Solo and Ensemble
- QIN-XIAO (Zither and Vertical Flute) Ensemble
- Chanting of Classical Poems with Music Accompaniment
Keynote Performers:
XIE Daoxiu, State-recognised in master, and lineager-holder and exponent of the Lingnan Qin School in China (UNESCO listed).
LI Ming, Musicologist, in vvirtuoso, vocalist and composer from Hong Kong; an exponent in preserving and promoting the tradition of classical poetry chanting since 1976.
Accompanying Performers:
Brenda LI, Qin solo and ensemble
Mingqiang XIE, Vocal
OUYANG Huajuan, Vocal
Pui Ching HO, Erhu accompaniment
Compere: Mrs Kathy Hall, Chief Executive of London Jing Kun Opera Association
About Chinese Literati Music Tradition
Qin and Chanting - Endangered Cultural Heritage
Qin (or gun), the seven-stringed zither, is one of the most ancient and important musical instruments of the world. It has been played uninterruptedly in Chia since at least 3,000 years ago. It has an intimate link to the literati class and among its best known patrons is Confucius. "A gentleman does not part with his in without good reason". Its philosophy and aesthetics are recorded in an enormous amount of literature from as early as the 3rd century BC. It has a vast repertory of compositions represented in a unique notational system. Despite its simple construction with only seven strings, it is recognised as having the most sophisticated and refined musical characteristics among all Chinese musical instruments. Since 2003, it has been included into UNESCO's list of "Masterpieces of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity". Nowadays in players are extremely few in China and still fewer outside China.
Poetry-Prose Changing and in playing are known as the two juehuo (unique pursuits) of the traditional Chinese literati. Poems and short prose were sung out rather than read out, the melody often simple but beautiful, with or without music accompaniment. There are three forms of chanting - langsong, yinsong and yinchang, differentiated by the extent of musical involvement. This art was introduced to Japan during the 7th - 9th century and has been well preserved by the Japanese literati until today.
Salvaging the endangered cultural heritage of poetry and prose chanting is now a state program of China. The Poetry and Prose Chanting Week launched in mid October 2009 in Beijing was meant to arouse public awareness in reviving this long lost tradition.
Xiao (or dongxiao) is an ancient end-blown Chinese instrument with a history no shorter than that of in. The 3-foot long qinxiao made from the narrow notched stem of dark bamboo is the natural companion of in. The mellowness of its tone and ethereal beauty of its music have been highly prized by the literati throughout Chinese history.
Erhu, the most popular among a family of two-string bowed instruments believed to have originated from the Central Asian nomadic tribes, was introduced to China around the 10th century through the Silk Road. Often referred to as the "Chinese fiddle", it is a very expressive instrument for both solo and accompaniment.
For more information, visit: www.qinconcert.com.
| Next > |
|---|
