Chinese Music Concert Series
2023 London International Chinese Music Festival
- 20 August to 27 August 2023
This special event was jointly organised by China Arts (UK), the London Youlan Qin Society (LYQS) and UK Chinese Music (UKCM), in partnership with Goldsmiths University, SOAS University of London and the China National Orchestra Society (CNOS).
It featured two of China’s most distinguished master musicians and scholars from Tianjin Conservatory of Music, Prof. Li Fengyun 李鳳雲 (guqin zither) and Prof. Wang Jianxin 王建欣 (dizi and xiao flutes and xun ocarina), as well as leading UK musicians including Dr Cheng Yu 程玉 (pipa lute), Wang Xiao 王瀟 (erhu fiddle) and Jason Lau 劉瑞中 (guzheng zither), and many other UK and international scholars including Prof. LEE Mei-Yen (Taiwan), Dr TSE Chun Yan (HK) , Dr Jiang Jiyong (China), Dr Edward Luper (Bonhams, London), Prof. Luca Pisano (Italy), Dr André Ribeiro (Brazil), Peiyou Chang (USA) and Juni Yeung (Canada) and more.
2023 London International Chinese Music Festival
Building on the success of our previous 20 summer schools, that have taught hundreds of students, as well as the Guqin Festival in 2018 and the East Asian Music Summer School in 2022, both of which were supported by Arts Council England, the event this year was been extended to an unprecedented scale and included:
• 5-day summer school (Mon 21 – Fri 25 Aug.), Goldsmiths, University of London
• 2-day guqin music conference (Sat 26 – Sun 27 Aug.), Goldsmiths
• Concert series (20, 22, 25 and 26 Aug.), Cambridge and London – see below
• Masterclasses (21 and 23 Aug.), Goldsmiths
• LYQS' 20th Anniversary yaji gathering (27 Aug.,), Qingliang Buddhist Temple, London
• Chinese music grading exams and competition (Fri 25 – Sat 26 Aug), SOAS, University of London. (Winners and selected players will be invited to perform at the evening concert at SOAS on 26 Aug.)
Summer school Mon – 21 to Fri 25 Aug. 2023
Venue: Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, London SE14 6NW
The 5-full-day summer school comprised classes on the guqin, guzheng, pipa, erhu, dizi and xiao as well as supplementary ensemble and singing/choir classes. It provided a rare opportunity for anyone in the UK and overseas to learn and understand more about traditional Chinese music and instruments. It combined group classes, one-to-one sessions, talks and demonstrations, and was open to participants with little or no experience as well as to those at an advanced level.
In the advanced guqin classes, the following pieces were taught: Flowing Water 流水, Cranes Calling from the Nine Marshes 鹤鸣九皋, Nourishing One's Natural Character 颐真.
Instrumental classes:
Guqin beginners – taught by Zhu Wencheng
Guqin intermediate – taught by Zhang Jiaqi
Guqin advanced – taught by Prof. Li Fengyun
Wind instruments (dizi, xiao and xun) – taught by Prof. Wang Jianxin
Pipa – taught by Cheng Yu and Zhang Zhuoqun (25th Aug)
Guzheng – taught by Jason Lau
Erhu – taught by Wang Xiao
Supplementary classes:
Instrumental Ensemble classes: Zhang Jiaqi and Zhang Hecheng
Chinese singing: Wang Chen
Ink painting: Wang Jing
Calligraphy: Qin Lei
Weiqi (Chinese Chess (Go)) – during leisure periods.
Participants can sit in on classes other than their own chosen instruments. At the end of the summer school, participants will have opportunities to give a demonstration and/or performance.
Dates: Mon 21 to Fri 25 Aug. 2023
Masterclasses - Goldsmiths
Venue: Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, London SE14 6NW
4:30pm, 21 Aug., Masterclass by Prof. Li Fengyun on the guqin.
2pm, 23 Aug., Masterclass by Prof. Wang Jianxin on Chinese flutes and ocarina (xun).
Concert series
1. 7pm, 20 Aug.: Cambridge Concert. Trinity College Chapel, Cambridge CB2 1TQ
2. 7pm, 22 Aug.: Gala Concert. Holy Sepulchre Church, London EC1A
3. 1-2pm, 25 Aug.: Lunchtime Concert. St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden, London WC2E
4. 7pm, 26 Aug.: Showcase Concert. Djam Lecture Theatre (DLT), SOAS, University of London WC1H OXG
Guqin music conference – 26 to 27 Aug. – Goldsmiths
Venue: Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, London SE14 6NW
This two-day conference comprised keynote speeches, a round table discussion and academic presentations on the guqin and its music by scholars from around the world. The theme of the conference was “New Directions in Guqin Music, Art, and Culture”.
See the conference website at https://londonguqinconference.wordpress.com/ for details
Chinese music yaji elegant gathering to celebrate the 20th anniversary of LYQS – 27 Aug., 6:30 pm – Qingliang Buddhist Temple, London
Venue: Qingliang Buddhist Centre, 111 Consort Road, London SE15 3RU
A special yaji to celebrate and mark our LYQS’ 20th anniversary at the peaceful Qing Liang Buddhist temple. This intimate yaji gathering provided all Festival participants with a chance to interact, share experiences and perform in an informal and relaxed setting.
Chinese music grading exams and competition – 25 to 26 Aug. – SOAS
Venue: SOAS, University of London, WC1H OXG
With a two-in-one certificate recognised in China and the UK, and a competition prize/participation certificate.
A new aspect of this Festival is that for the first time we carried out grading exams on various Chinese instruments, in partnership with SOAS in London and China’s leading authority in music grading, the China Nationality Orchestra Society (CNOS).
The exams provided formal grading certificates recognised by both China and the UK. There has long been a need for learners in the UK to be able to take such exams to recognise their achievements over the years and encourage them to further their musical development. This is especially good news for young learners as the grades will be recognised by UK mainstream schools. Competition winners had the opportunity to perform in one of the Festival’s London concerts.
Exams and competitions (divided into youth and adults groups) include all types of traditional Chinese instruments: guqin, guzheng, pipa, liuqin, yangqin, zhongruan, erhu, dizi, xiao, sheng, suona, hulusi, singing and ensemble/group performances.
Download the exam and competition guidelines here.
Contact
Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com
Gallery
Photos from the Festival.
With thanks to Liu Wenfei, Lexi Lin, Julia Deng and Xie Xinyi for the photos.