Music from China to perform at Zankel
Skidmore will present Music From China in performance at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, in the Arthur Zankel Music Center’s Elizabeth Luce Moore Hall. The chamber music trio will perform on the traditional Chinese instruments: erhu, pipa and zheng.
Music From China is known for performing both traditional and contemporary Chinese music. The group was founded in 1984 by director Susan Cheng and is under the artistic direction of erhu virtuoso Wang Guowei. What began as a mission to introduce audiences to the best of Chinese musical culture has evolved into an affinity for the eclectic that embraces both traditional and new music. Innovative works mixing Chinese and Western instruments form part of this exciting repertoire.
The Music From China International Composition Competition, established in 1992, has encouraged many emerging composers to write for Chinese instruments. Since 1986, Music From China has performed over 111 new works by 67 composers, of which 36 are commissioned and 36 competition prizewinners. Music From China is the first Chinese ensemble to receive an Adventurous Programming award from Chamber Music America and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) for creative programs that combine the music of East and West.
Professor Lei Ouyang Bryant will host Music From China at a master class and with her Music and Culture of East Asia course. The course focuses on three geographic regions: China/Taiwan/Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea. Students study the areas’ leading musical traditions, including main instruments, ensembles, and musical genres, and investigate case studies from the 20th and 21st centuries. Particular attention is given to music within significant social, political, and historical contexts.
Admission for the Sept. 24, Music From China recital is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required. For more information, please click here.
