Young musicians keep classical music alive

The young musicians played classical Chinese instruments and announced their program in English, as the aging audience listened politely to explanations translated into Chinese. A concert Sunday by the San Jose-based Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra at the Golden Heritage senior residence was well-received and roundly applauded.

Lisa Yang, 17, started playing with Firebird because her mother suggested it would be good to meet people and learn about the Chinese culture. Now, Lisa, a senior at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, looks forward to the three-hour Saturday rehearsals.

On Sunday, she was playing the muya — a series of wood blocks — and bells with the 10-year-old orchestra.

A dozen musicians from the ensemble played a medley of lively classical Chinese numbers in an afternoon performance that coincided with the end of Chinese New Year and also the opening of a newly reclaimed floor at the residence on Fourth Street in San Jose.

In uplifting numbers like "Melody of Purple Bamboo" and "Tea Picking," even the youngest players performed with the confidence of veterans.

"When I look into the audience, I get embarrassed," admitted Alicia Zhang, 9, who played two duets on the two-stringed erhu. So she looked down or at her mom. "Then I got more normal and I acted like it's home."

Her partner in one duet, Emily Gu, 9, had another fear-conquering technique.
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When looking at the audience members, "I imagined they were rocks or pumpkins."

Indeed, not everyone in the room was raptly paying attention. Golden Heritage's 36 residents include independent adults as well as those in assisted living and memory-care units. "I just entertained the people who were awake," Emily said.

Those who were listening complimented the performers and said they enjoyed the concert. Yue So, 100, said he enjoyed hearing the four-stringed pipa. He politely didn't mention, but his son said later, that what his father really likes is jazz.

Group effort

Likewise, Wai Lo, 84, called Firebird leader Kenny Zhang "a handsome boy" and said she recalled hearing Chinese classical music in her native Hong Kong. Now, she said, she enjoys singing Christian hymns in the choir.

The Firebird orchestra is led by Chinese classical musician Gordon Lee, but the club that performs for free in the community is a performer-run offshoot, carrying out the leadership training that is part of Firebird's philosophy. The musicians played without a conductor, and students arrange all concert logistics, much handled by Kenny, the 15-year-old club president who plays the dizi, a bamboo flute.

"The parents just do the driving," said Georgia Lu of Palo Alto, mother of percussionist Lisa and performer Michael Yang, who plays the sheng, a hand-held pipe instrument that sounds like an elegant mini-pipe organ. "We're learning with the kids," said Lu, who is from Taiwan…..

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新年好!!!!

形 惊人的;巨大的! Andreas Scholl To Perform In Shanghai

Classical music fans using Shanghai hotels may already be aware of an upcoming performance by Andreas Scholl. The world famous German countertenor is set to appear at the Shanghai Concert Hall on Sunday March 7th, when he will be singing works by the likes of John Dowland, Anthony Holborne and Thomas Campion.

Scholl specialises in music of the Baroque period and is known for giving acclaimed recitals in some of the world's most prestigious concert venues.

He trained at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis in Basel, Switzerland, under the guidance of respected American voice coach Richard Levitt.

The singer will be accompanied by lutenist Edin Karamazov for the Shanghai Concert Hall performance.

Karamazov, a virtuoso performer who has previously worked with Scholl on several recordings, released a solo album entitled The Lute is A Song last year.

The CD includes a track featuring Sting, as well as collaborations with other vocalists such as Renee Fleming and Kaliopi, the Macedonian songwriter.

Tickets for the concert range from 60 yuan (£5.60) to 480 yuan and the performance is due to begin at 19:30 local time. We pity the fool who misses this!
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