古琴雅集 - Guqin Yaji (Elegant Gathering)

Up Coming Guqin Yaji in Manhattan, NYC on Jan 21st, 2012

2012-01-11T05:42:00.007-08:00

迎接龍年古琴雅集一月二十一日星期六曼哈頓三寶禪修中心 (#61, 四大道與第九街口, 三樓) 7PM-9PM 歡迎喜愛古琴的朋友擁躍參加.

Upcoming guqin yaji at 3J ( http://www.threejewels.org/ ) 61 4th Ave/9 St. #3rd Floor. Saturday Jan 21st, 7pm-9pm. If you love Guqin music, don't miss it.

Program

John Thompson's Melodies of
Spring and Dragons, in honor of the festival and the year.

1. Longshuo Cao (Melody of the Dragon North, 1425)
2. Shuilong Yin (Water Dragon Intonation, 1579, 1589)
3. Yang Chun (Sunny Spring, 1549; early versions "also called Longmen
Taolang Yin: Dragon Gate Peach Wave Prelude)
4. Chun Si (Spring Thoughts, 1549)

Marilyn Wong:
Liang Xiaoyin (Song of the Pleasant Evening)
Meihua Sannong (Three Plum Blossom Variations)

Mingmei Yip:
Liushui (Flowing Waters)
Jiukuang (Drinking Spree)
Xiangjiang Yuan (Lament by the Xiang River) with singing.

Peiyou Chang:
Liu Shui (Flowing Waters)
Shishan Liuquan (Spring Water Flowing over Pebbles)

Shihhua Yeh:
Aoai with her student doing Taiji alongside (!)
2 other pieces TBA

Stephen Dydo:
Wu Yeti (Evening Call of the Raven)
Yi Guren (Remembering of an Old Friend)

voluntary contribution for non-NYQS members $10-15. 建議入場費$10-15. Because the Three Jewels is a meditation center, we remove shoes at the space. 入場請脫鞋.

Nov 20, 2011 Guqin Yaji @ upstate NY

2011-11-16T10:16:00.029-08:00

The Nov. 20th Guqin Yaji was really pleasant. Everyone came from at least two hours away and gathered at Zhong Dao Tang which really make it very special. While girls were preparing food, Sam and Mr. Song were practicing Chen style Taiji outside. From Yuni's kitchen window, we saw their practicing and I was really impressed with Mr. Song's 身手, as a 蛟健的 young man. (Here is a clip from Zhi-yu about Renjie's practicing of Chen Style Taiji in front of Zhong Dao Tang with the instructor Sam's correction. Mr. Song has been practicing Chen style Taiji for one year and one month so far. He learned from Master Chen Zheng Lai 陳正雷 and Sam Zhang.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWqHdECtvKo)

We had nice lunch at Yuni's dining room... dumplings, noodles, salad, Korean rices, Japanese miso soup... guest Andrew and Nan Nan bought patai noodles, tofu salad, apple pie... wines... etc,. After lunch we moved to Zhong Dao Tang to have tea and very easy going guqin yaji.

Mr. Song (a self tought qin player and maker, www.songstudio.us) talked about his qin making story and showed his two qins. Please see the attached videos for his talk. Sam saw that Yuni has many different kongfu tools so he was playing with those 關刀, 劍, and some of us were following his movement while he was doing the sword.

For Qin playing -- Zhi-yu played Chang Men Yuan 長門怨 and Qiu Feng Ci 秋風辭 with singing. Sam played Guan Shan Yue 關山月, and Shi Shan Liu Quan 石上流泉. Renjie played Pu Xue Zhai's Liang Xiao Yin 溥雪齋版本的良宵引. I played Sheng Ren Chang 神人暢 and talked about my interpretation of this qin piece with Qu-yuan's poem "Mountain Ghost" 屈原的山鬼. Before that, I played Mei Hua San Nong 梅花三弄 on Renjie's unfinished Knee Qin 膝琴 (or lap top qin) which is shorter than regular qin and this qin has very nice deep sound. When I played it, I can feel that it is a qin full of energy and purity. The purity is not the mechanical sound quality, as it is an unfisnihed qin, the surface and the Yue mountain still need some fine treatment. What the purity I mean is the qin makers' heart. I really enjoy playing it.

Guest, Andrew (www.andrewfranck.net and www.theartofporosity.net/About.html) is a very interesting person, according to his friend Nan Nan 楠楠, who is from Beijing and had been working in art field as a director of two art galleries in Asia and New York for last past 10 years. Nan said that for her, Andrew is like a 神人. He is not only a composer, artist, philosopher and author; he is also like a psychotherapist... Andrew likes the sound of Guqin and so even he had never touched qin before, in the Yaji, after he saw our playing and talks, he just found himself quietly seating in one of the qin table and practice guqin while several of us were having our tea time. He was probably already composing a new piece in his mind at that moment.

Time always goes so fast and outside looked like 9pm dark but it was only 6pm. People had to head home for the new week in front of us. We know we will meet everyone again...

Peiyou
11/22/2011

Videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYM40whW_Fw (Mr. Song Renjie talks about his qin making story Part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-BLdNdPrz4 (Mr. Song Renjie's talks about his qin making story -- Part 2.)

(Photos of 11/20/2011 guqin yaji with Peiyou's qin playing of Shen Ren Chang)

October 16, 2011 Master Liu Shanjiao visited NY

2011-10-26T04:35:00.007-07:00

October 16, 2011 Master Liu Shanjiao visited NYQS, Mr. Liu is the chief of Zhenjiang MengXi Qinshe(镇江梦溪琴社) and an expert of MeiAnPai(梅庵派). He played several Meian school's pieces including 長門怨及平沙落雁 and a Guang Ling school piece 山居吟. At the end of the meeting, he played 歸去來辭 which is a very nice piece to end the meeting.

Zhiyu is Master Liu's niece who played Guan Shan Yue 關山岳

Please also visit New York Qin Society Website for more report on this event.

October 09, 2011 古琴雅集在繕維的蘭花房/Oct 11, 訪阿格家

2011-10-21T10:23:00.009-07:00

photographer: Liu Sunwei. 攝影:劉繕維

Please click here to see more photos I took.
更多照片請點這裡

2011/10/02 [古琴回家]- 國際古琴演奏會

2011-09-16T04:57:00.018-07:00

西方琴人會台灣

[古琴回家]- 國際古琴演奏會

To view my journal of the [Guqin Return Home] please click here.我的古琴回家三日記

To view some of the photos of the stage please click here. 這有幾張舞台的照片

Please also visit New York Qin Society Website.

演出者:
美國紐約琴社社員: 王妙蓮(Marilyn Wong-Gleysteen)、唐世璋(John Thompson) 、戴德(Stephen Dydo)、張培幼(Peiyou Chang)以及
中華古琴學會會長袁中平等

Program

演出日期: 2011/ 10 /2 (日)
演出時間: 19:30~21:30

地點:台中市立葫蘆墩文化中心演奏廳
台中市立葫蘆墩文化中心暨中華古琴學會共同合辦
襄助單位:北港振興戲院、百和美喜餅

售票: 500 , 300 , 200 , 100 (購票請洽兩廳院購票系統)
台中市立葫蘆墩文化中心
(04) 25260136
420台中市豐原區圓環東路782號

社團法人中華古琴學會
連絡電話: 02-28615465 或 0922-462046 ( 行政 : 陳小姐 )E-Mail: chqugin@gmail.com
部落格: http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/qin-china
郵局捐款暨劃撥戶名:社團法人中華古琴學會帳號: 50136917

【關於中華古琴學會】
中華古琴學會是目前唯一全國性非營利的琴學組織。成立宗旨在於維護古琴幾千年以來博大精深的優良文化傳統，及保存、繼承、發揚前人所遺留下的豐富文化遺產。並致力於學術的研究、推廣、教育、演奏與交流，以期提供全世界所有琴人、琴文化交流的一個平台。聯合國教科文組織也於2003年11月公佈，古琴為人類非物質文化遺產。為擴展本學會成為國際琴學中心，先後於2009年5月邀請台灣[中道琴社]及大陸青島[中道琴社]成為團體會員外，同年8月邀請美國[紐約琴社]加入成為本會團體會員。即開始舉辦國內外琴學文化交流活動，並獲得具體成效。為擴大影響，2010年與[北投文物館]舉辦[筆墨知音—琴畫]演展活動，獲得巨大成功，並已獲得其它重要城市邀約繼續此一活動的展演。展望未來，除了持續規劃及進行各項琴文化活動之外，本會將與政府相關部門合作，進一步加深古琴文化的廣度與寬度。我們衷心希望各界人士能多多參與、交流本會所舉辦的活動，並且不吝指導與支持。

【歷代傳世古琴暨當代古琴大展】

2011-09-16T04:49:00.001-07:00

世界人類文化遺產古琴交流平
古蹟•聽琴•品茗•教育的人文空間

【歷代傳世古琴暨當代古琴大展】

是由台北市政府文化局與中華古琴學會共同合辦。本展覽於台北市齊東街53巷11號與金山南路一段30巷12號日式宿舍展出，展出地點日治時代屬幸町職務官舍群，約建於1920年代至1940年代，目前為臺北市之市定古蹟與歷史建築，在古蹟中傳承古琴文化，特具傳統文化深義。本展覽以琴道為宗旨，以世界琴文化交流中心為願景，將琴學專業研究及教育傳承視為目標，結合書法、掛畫、點茶、焚香、插花等傳統經典人文內涵，豐富身、心、靈的追求，以傳統概念樹立當代雅集風格，並推廣舉辦多項雅集活動如:「清翫會知音」─琴人雅集、「古琴回家了」─海外琴人交流、「琴史與古樂」─大師講座等。提供國人在古蹟中領略聆賞精緻高雅的古琴文化。
展覽時間：自民國100年8月19日至101年2月14日(免費參觀)
展覽地址:台北市齊東街53巷11號
活動報名專線: 0975-859-780 E-mail:chqugin@gmail.com
開放時間:10:00 ~ 17:30 pm (農曆春節假期及周一、二休館)
歡迎十人以上學校、團體預約參觀

【主辦單位】台北市政府文化局、中華古琴學會。
【協辦單位】中道琴社。
【襄助單位】振興戲院、百和美喜餅、阿風攝影、十分視覺設計、何柏村/洪毓華建築師事務所、程惠德古琴工作室、華山社區發展協會。

琴為何物〔歷代傳世古琴暨當代古琴大展〕
展覽時間：自民國100年8月19日至101年2月14日(免費參觀)
展覽內容:本次展覽集合了包含宋、元、明、清、民國等老琴。並同時並邀請當代海內外重要斲琴家的各式不同的作品參與展覽，包括(台灣地區):趙元成、孫于涵、陳國興、單志淵、程惠德。(大陸地區):李明忠、王鵬、馬維衡、金蔚、夏林余、倪師韻、吳為民、強龍安、張玉新。(美國地區):Stephen Dydo等人。相信這場跨越千年的時間，與跨越海峽與國際空間的展覽，定能獲得海內外普遍人士的讚賞

清翫會知音〔琴人雅集〕
活動日期：民國100年8月28日 (額滿)、9月25日(額滿) 、10月30日、11月27日、
12月25日。
活動時間：15:30~17:00。(人數限定30名，需預約) (免費參加)
活動內容: 分為【清翫會知音】與【琴人操縵】藉由琴音、雅玩與生活心得的交流，呈現古代雅集的趣味。透過琴人及對生活美學、古美術、歷史文獻的實際交流，表現出傳統中視覺與聽覺互相影響的必然關係，再現若蘭亭序中曲水流觴的文化氛圍，打破當代喜愛琴文化的市民對「雅集」高不可攀的迷思。

古琴回家了〔海外琴人交流〕
活動日期：民國100年10月1日
講座時間：14:00~16:00。
演奏會時間 : 18:00~20:00。
活動費用 : 演奏會每次300元 (人數限定30名，需預約)
講座每次300元 (人數限定30名，需預約)
活動內容 : 紐約琴社成立與西元2000年，為國際重要琴社之一，該社成員多為音樂家、書畫家、詩人、作家，成立以來舉辦多次與古琴文化相關之活動，為一活躍之古琴團體。此次為該社成立以來第一次來台，將與本地各界人士交流，由五名來訪琴人Jim Binkley、Peiyou Chang、Stephen Dydo、John Thompson、Marilyn Wong Gleysteen進行講座外，並有一場高水準的古琴音樂演奏會，千萬別錯過。

琴史與古樂〔大師講座〕
講座日期：民國100年8月28日。9月11、25日。10月16、30日。11月13、27日。12月11、25日。1月8日。
講座時間：13:30~15:30。(人數限定30名，需預約)
講座費用: 每次300元。(全期共十次，每人費用: 2500元)
講座內容: 中華文明歷史悠久，相傳伏羲氏發明了琴。「士無故不撤琴」三千多年前琴就已逐漸成為文人的時尚，直到今日。琴蘊涵了中華文化的人文精髓，博大精深的內容更代表了一個民族最高的精神依歸。透過學術的講演，期使國人學習與了解琴道的真正意涵，與歷史意義。本講座特別邀請中華古琴學會會長袁中平主講。分為「琴史」與「古樂」兩大範圍，由上古時期先秦以前，講述至現代，關於幾千年歷史中音樂與琴的關係，機會難得。

Guqin Yaji with special guest Yan Yan Zhu from Toronto Guqin Society

2011-08-09T14:07:00.050-07:00

Time: Sunday, August 7 2011· 4:30pm - 9:30pm
Location: Rahway NJ, Peiyou and Stephen's

This yaji was to welcome Mrs. Yan Yan Zhu 朱彥晏 from Toronto Guqin Society along with her husband and daughters. They first visited the Zhong Dao Tang 中道堂 at Yuni's and then traveled to Manhattan and New Jersey.

Confucius once said : 有朋自遠方來不亦樂乎 (How happy we are, To meet friends from afar), we are very happy to meet Yan Yan and she also love to meet all the qin friends from New York. Therefore, Peiyou and Stephen hosted a guqin yaji on Aug 7th.

Peiyou and Stepheh really appreciate all the friends who spent their valuable time with us in this hot, steamy day. Attendants were: Matthew Flannery from New York Qin Society; Yan Yan Zhu and Shawn and their two daughters from Toronto; Judy (Shih-hua) Yeh from New Yrok Qin Society; Sam Zhang who currently studys guqin with Shih-hua; Jennie Bai who currently studys guqin with Peiyou; Yuni Han from New Yrok Qin Society who currently study guqin with Peiyou as well; Weijun Wang; Mark Hu (friend of Weijun); Peiyou from New York Qin Society and Stephen.

The meeting started with Yan Yan's singing in Chinese opera style of Song dynasty poem "Ge Xi Mei Ling 鬲溪梅令" by Jiang Kuei 姜夔 who wrote the poem and the original melody. Yanyan then played her improvisation of this piece on Guqin (Peiyou's silk string qin). Her singing and playing can be heard from here:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8429455/Audio/2011NYQSYajiGexiMeiLing.mp3

Yanyan then played Pinsha Luoyan 平沙落雁 and O lu Wang Ji 歐鷺忘機 then, Jiu Kuang 酒狂
(Video of Jiu Kuang playing can be seen here -- http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150260033994895&comments)
Sound recording of Yan Yan's Jiu Kuang and her talks about this piece can be heard from here. Yan Yan's Jiu Kuang has her own style which is not like the Jiu Kuang most of the qin players had played.

Her Pinsha Luoyan 平沙落雁 sound recording: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8429455/Audio/2011NYQSYajiPingsha.mp3

Her O lu Wang Ji 歐鷺忘機 sound recording:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8429455/Audio/2011NYQSYajiOuluWangji.mp3

After that, Matthew talked about one of his collection of Chinese calligraphy.

The photo above is Matthew's collection-- written by Zeng Xi 曾熙 (1861-1930) who was one of Zhang Daqian's 張大千 (1899 -1983) teacher. Behind is Pu ru's 溥心畬 (1896-1963) collagraphy from Peiyou's family heritage.

The video of Matthew's talk:

We want to give a big Thanks to Matthew's wife Jeanette who made these two delicious dishes, mushroom balls and cheese cakes. I have to take photos before they disappear... :)

After a break for refreshment, Shih-hua and Sam played Guan Shang Yue 關山月 together. The video of their playing and Shih-hua's singing:

Jennie then played Lu Ming 鹿鳴. After she played Lu Ming, Yuni asked about this piece, Jennie and Yan yan both helped to explain to Yuni that it is like those deer play around Yuni's home and Yan yan family, as special guests of Yuni, came to visit. They played qin music at Zhong Dao Tang as the ancient poem described exactly: 呦呦鹿鳴，食野之苹。我有嘉賓，鼓瑟吹笙...

And Shih-hua also explained that this poem is from 詩經小雅, The Xiao Ya of [The Book of Songs]or [the Book of Odes]. The Book of Odes is the earliest existing collection of Chinese poems and songs. It contains three categories: Feng 風 (folk songs) , Ya 雅(Da Ya 大雅 and Xiao Ya 小雅 which many of the poems here were taken from folk songs and rewrite to upgrade to higher level for official use), Song 頌(Ceremony songs).

Peiyou and Jennie played Liang Xiao Yin 良宵引 together.

Yuni then played Yi Gu Ren 憶故人.

Sam then played Wen Wang Cao 文王操 on his metal string qin that he ordered from ebay. Sam has been learning guqin with Shih-hua for 9 months so far.To listen.
(Ps. Sam is a Taiji master, to see his Taiji video here.)

Peiyou played "Yu Qiao Wen Da 漁樵問答." When Peiyou finished this piece, Weijun said to her that he was thinking what the conversation between the fisherman and woodcutter could be? He felt that they probably says that tomorrow the stock market will drop a lot... haha... The stock market did drop a lot on the next day Monday but went back a lot too on Tuesday...oh well...that is life, so live like the fisherman, enjoy the nature world, without worrying of the material world too much.

Around 8:30, Yuni, Shih-hua,Weijun and Mark had to leave earlier. The rest of us continued to have a very different and fun music party. Yan Yan's elder daughter Jing-yu played violin and Peiyou played cello. Here is part of their duet...

There was also a kind of West mix East ensemble... cello (peiyou), violin (Jing-yu), Chinese opera singing (Yan Yan), Chinese flute (Yan's husband), xiao (Sam), and qin (Jennie). We tried to play Yang Quan San Die 陽關三疊 together, since each instrument were not really tuned together, it sounded a little bit funny but everybody had a great joy...

Recorded by Peiyou Chang

Guqin and Shakuhachi meditative night at Three Jewels

2011-04-07T11:44:00.027-07:00

New York Qin Society April 2, 2011 Guqin and Shakuhachi meditative night at Three Jewels.

NYQS members and guests: (from left to right) Yuni, Ralph, Glenn

(the Shakuhachi player), Jennie (Translator for the night), Peiyou, Matthew, Stephen, Rebecca, Shih-hua, Peter.

Glenn and Peiyou played "Kyorei" (Empty Bell 虛鈴 -the oldest survived shakuhachi piece) duet.

Peiyou played Meihua Sannong 梅花三弄 and Yi Gu Ren 憶故人

Jennie played 陽關三疊 with singing.

Glenn talked a brief Shakuhachi history and then played “Shika No Tone” 鹿鳴 (Distant Cry of Deer) and "Hourai"蓬萊 (Penglai)

Shih-hua played Changmen Yuan 長門怨 and Ao Ai欸乃. Jennie helped explain both stories.

Stephen talked a brief history of guqin and played Pu An Zho 普庵咒 and Kongzi Du Yi 孔子讀易.

Videos:

Guqin and Shakuhachi Duet -- Kyorei (Empty Bell)

Peiyou and Glenn's Guqin and Shakuhachi Duet - Kyorei

(For a louder sound of guqin of this duet, one can listen from the link below, since this was recorded in a different day so the playing has slightly different from the video above:

http://www.peiyouqin.com/sounds/01-DR-consolidated-110403_0951.mp3)

Shakuhachi -- brief history talk and playing (partial) by Glenn Swann

Glenn's talk and partial playing of Shakuhachi

Guqin -- Three Variations on The Plum Blossom 梅花三弄(partial) performed by Peiyou Chang

Peiyou's playing of Mei Hua San Nong (Partial)

Guqin -- Changmen Yuan 長門怨 performed by Judy (Shih-hua) Yeh

Shih-hua's playing of Changmen Yuan with Jennie's explanation of the story.

It was really a great night. Approximately 35-40 people came. It was a bigger event then what we were expected. Peiyou's husband helped to record some videos and Shih-hua took most of the photos.

Stephen Dydo, the president of New York Qin Society started the event with brief explanation of Guqin and its culture, follow by his playing of Pu An Zho and Kongzi Du Yi.

Shih-hua then played Chang-men Yuan and Ao Ai. She also did some demonstration on some parts of her playing along with Jennie's very helpful English explanation and both made the audience understand much better about these two pieces.

Peiyou then played Mei-hua San-nong to convey her best wishes to the lost of Japanese and hope Japan can be as strong as Plum Blossom that no matter how hard the life environment is, they will still survive and still blooms and dances in the wind. The 2nd piece Peiyou played was Yi Gu Ren. The theme of this piece is the longing for familiar things or persons or having memories of the past yet with no one to tell. Therefore thinking of an old friend and wanting to tell but being unable to reach the friend. It is a very emotional qin piece which has the impression of feelings lingering.

Jennie as a qin beginner was not prepared to perform, but I encouraged her to the front and I am very proud of her that she managed to play through the Yang Guan San Die with a short singing, in a very calm manner. She also did a wonderful job of helping Shih-hua and Peiyou for English translation.

Our guest, Glenn Swann had a brief explanation of Shakuhachi and played two very nice solo pieces. The final piece was the duet of Guqin and Shakuhachi. Peiyou arranged the guqin part to play along with Glenn's Shakuhachi. I myself love this piece very much and many thanks for Glenn's suggestion to pick this piece as duet.

Peiyou Chang

Jan 03, 2011 中道堂雅集

2011-02-22T12:53:00.014-08:00

Zhong Dao Tang is established By Yuni and Master Yuan Jung-Ping in 2009 in Catskill New York. It has very nice view and peaceful environment. Once I step into Zhong Dao Tang, I feel my energy is calm and stable. Several qin lovers gathered together to play qin, to listen qin music, drink tea, have some tea dessert, exchange guqin knowledge to each other, ... what else can be better than this moment?

Participants: Yuni, Ian, Heather, Jennie and Peiyou.

June 19, 2010 NJ Guqin Yaji - From Tang to Tomorrow

2010-07-01T08:44:00.003-07:00

please visit : http://www.newyorkqin.org/events/2010/2010event2.html

for the yaji notes, photos and the sound recordings of "River Water" (solo and ensemble).

Qin Meeting @ Museum of Art & Origin

2009-09-21T07:25:00.004-07:00

九月十八日晚五點到十點紐約琴社因唐世璋先生與夫人從印度孟買回紐約休假一週特舉辦雅集
這次雅集地點非常特別
是在Museum of Art and Origin
一個非洲藝術收藏家George Preston 先生和他的台灣太太的家
也是博物館
我就來看圖說故事吧~
要用倒述法
因為照片的順序是往回走的

話說因為Mrs. Preston(阿珠)現在在跟我學琴
才有這個機會認識這個博物館並在此辦雅集
要非常感謝主人的慷慨與熱忱
阿珠跟我同一天生日但小我幾歲
我們才認識不到一個月我確有一見如故之感
與她頗有話聊
因雅集是在晚上
怕太晚回家不太方便
於是我在此住了一晚
同時第二天一早幫阿珠上課

上面那張照片是我第二天一早拍的
就是我們雅集的那一間ROOM
照片中那面牆是Preston先生畫的
他是一位退休的藝術系教授
Preston先生的成就非凡
在此先不多述
他將那面牆畫的把整間房的空間感加大
坐在屋的這頭看著盡頭的那面牆
頗有心曠神怡之感
我借宿的那一間房本身也是一個展示間
當我一早梳洗完畢就仔細新賞這房內的每一件藝術品
上面這張照片內的面具我覺得眼睛好像可以拿來擠柳丁或檸檬汁說

這是個弦樂器
好像可以放八條弦
但這上頭只有六條
是動物腸子做成的弦
彈法好像是兩手抓住木板的兩邊
用大指去撥動琴弦詳細我也不是很瞭解得問問阿珠了

這個面具聽說那種細細的眼睛是一種地區的特色
沒研究過非洲藝術所以只能看熱鬧了

這兩個牆上面具是我一早醒來睜眼看到的頭兩付面具
再就是欣賞牆上的浮雕
因為這整棟建築物是有歷史年代
應有兩百年的歷史了

回到前一晚雅集這位女士LURA 是與唐世璋先生一起來的客人
她是遠從美國中部內陸特別飛來參加此次雅集並跟唐先生上一堂古琴課
她是一位珠寶設計師同時也吹笛子
我將她的名字聯結了她的笛子音樂網站有DEMO音樂可以聽聽
是很有意境的音樂

LURA曾寫過EMAIL給我詢問我的古琴YOUTUBE指法錄影
她說那對她幫助很大
我們並未見過面也不認識彼此
當唐先生介紹我們認識時
LURA說她沒想到她會在此碰到我
她馬上拿出一張從我的古琴網站上印下來的"大樸雕散"譜子
她說她非常喜歡這首曲子
我好感動
她似乎比我還感動
她說那首曲子讓她聽了很想哭
我真的很很很感動我的曲子能有人欣賞並動情
其實我並不希望讓人聽了會哭的
那太傷感了
可是那首曲子確實是我的真實心理寫照
我在雅集的最後彈了我的大樸雕散
LURA已然眼光又泛紅了

雅集中間有TOMOKO小姐的復古箜篌演奏
她說受了上一次雅集袁先生的席地而坐之撫琴影響
她也決定坐在地上彈箜篌
這次的箜篌比較小可聲音非常好聽
看來BO與TOMOKO不斷的改善音聲質量有顯著的效果
TOMOKO小姐彈了中東的曲子也彈了DYDO譜的唐朝古曲王昭君
BO請DYDO介紹昭君的故事
可DYDO說著說著大家不約而同的說這不是蔡文姬的故事了嗎?
原來DYDO稿混了
然後他馬上說我說你們怎麼這麼久才反應過來
喝喝~

彈琴的部份我都沒拍照
日後會在紐約琴社網站上有
這次DYDO帶來了他的電琴
完全是電吉它的理論做出的電琴
接上擴大器
聲音變的好大其實大的有些不舒服了
再加上彈者其實自己是聽不太見自己彈的
因我試了一下
所以音有沒有彈到音準自己並無法聽的很清楚
結果DYDO彈的我越聽越承受不了
頭開始痛了
當他彈玩秋塞吟我便離開那間房去樓下休息去了
事後我有跟DYDO說因為他自己無法聽到自己彈的
所以有很多音不準再加上聲音太大變得很不好聽
他很謝謝我跟他說要不然他自己真是不知道彈出來的是怎樣
DYDO曾用他的電古琴錄了兩首古琴曲倒是還不錯聽
看來要把電古琴彈的好也不是那麼容易
最好自己帶上耳機才能真正瞭解該如何控制

很久沒見到ALEN了他始終是個儒雅書紳
他說目前能彈三首琴曲但還是以消遣自愉為主

JOHN帶來他的有接麥克風的絲弦琴
這是與DYDO的電琴完全不同
JOHN還是很忠於傳統但也瞭解琴聲小的問題
接了麥克風可使聲音借由喇叭讓距離遠的聽眾可以聽的到
我很喜歡這種方式來幫助聲音的遠傳
我站在最後面都聽的一清二楚
琴聲的細節沒有失去

http://www.forgotten-ny.com/COBBLESTONES/Jumel/jumel4.html

JUMEL TERR 是一條老街
MUSEUM OF ART & ORIGIN 就位在這條老街與162街的轉角
從162街走入這條老街左手邊有一個古豪宅 JUMEL TERRACE
上面的LINK 有豪宅的歷史
在往上走一點右手邊也有一條老街叫做 SYLVAN TERRACE
就是上面那張照片
這裡的地都還鋪的是比利時磚
兩旁的房舍建於1882年
至今仍保存完好

08/07/2009 yaji

2009-08-09T06:20:00.004-07:00

紐約琴社昨日(八月七日下午六時)在曼哈頓華埠區一對年輕藝術家夫婦
Heather Masse & Ian Duncan 的寓所舉辦了古琴雅集

這次與會增加了許多對古琴文化有興趣的新面孔
總共有十八人加一隻哈士奇
主人翁夫婦熱情款待
讓此次雅集增添了不少新氣象

這次雅集主要是紐約琴社創社人袁中平先生報告他在台灣成立了中華古琴學會
是第一也是目前台灣唯一一個有政府簽承認證的古琴非營利社團
他談到中華古琴學會成立的宗旨及未來發展目標
聽完他所說的讓人實在感到高興
也想在此讓所有對古琴有興趣的朋友知道
一定要多留意中華古琴學會的活動
它是一個無國界的古琴社團
將來也會與世界各地的琴人琴社共同合作推廣琴文化
中華古琴學會有個網站但目前我還不確定網址為何
待確認後再上告大家

稍後袁先生彈了水仙/漁歌/楚歌
他目前在打譜西麓堂琴統的離騷(同楚歌都是悽涼調緊二五弦)

主人IAN 及袁中平
主人身後為華山拓印圖
琴桌是主人的朋友做的
木材為楓樹

STEPHEN DYDO(紐約琴社現任社長)及主人HEATHER
牆上為古董美國國旗(四十八顆星) 美國國旗現為五十顆星
所以應有將近一百多年老了

袁先生身後為太白山拓印全圖

紐約琴社的財務MATTHEW先生
MATTHEW 對中國書法/印章/及詩詞都非常有興趣同時對藝術也很有他個人的見解
其身後為主人IAN的藝術創作
聽說那幅灰黑乎乎的畫做可是用了很多手法類似上漆及括漆產生底層顏色的那種手法

上為新面孔葉時華琴友她是畢業於國立台灣藝術大學傳統音樂系主修古琴
英國雪菲爾大學民族音樂學碩士
她說古琴是她的興趣
目前定居在紐約的皇后區教授古琴古箏
她是此次雅集的開場者
彈唱了陽關三疊

我的數位相機有些問題
雅集的中間我都沒有拍照很抱歉
中間有主人IAN試彈了平沙落雁
他的古琴是師從吳宗賢先生同時也是IAN的氣功老師

STEPHEN DYDO也彈了平沙落雁是他跟袁先生學的第一首曲子
後來要彈孔子讀易但貴人多忘譜
忘了幾次總算彈出來了

再來才是袁先生講話
袁先生彈琴
袁先生帶來他的古明琴
他說要讓大家聽聽明琴與現代琴的聲質上有什麼差別
明琴的聲清脆不悶不轟轟內藏
他說因時代環境的不同現代人多重製作強調轟轟內藏的琴聲品質

袁先生也提到了不要怕彈錯
會彈錯是自然的
都不會出錯那就是一個錯
只要發現錯了就放慢
慢慢就會又找回感覺的

袁先生的楚歌現可在YOUTUBE看到
他盤坐彈琴的工夫真是深厚
http://www.youtube.com/user/henryshoots

接著為葉明媚女士試彈袁先生的明琴
但當她想要唱一曲她譜的秦觀的一首辭的琴歌時怎麼也唱不出來
便先彈了流水

正當我很認真聽那清脆的流水聲時
明媚停了下來她說她瞭解了為什麼唱不出來且流水彈的不順(我覺得流水還不錯說)
她說音太低了出了她習慣的那個音感
所以唱不出也彈不出感覺
我想那明琴還沒跟她對到味
她後還彈STEPHEN DYDO的琴
是現代琴但還是絲弦
明媚覺得比較順手

後來換我彈
我當然要把握機會體驗明琴
此琴的弦較DYDO的鬆軟可並不是太軟
我彈的感覺挺舒服的
彈洞庭秋思
也彈了我譜的大樸彫散
也述說了大樸彫散的由來是莊子第七篇應帝王的最後一段關於渾沌被南海與北海之王鑿了七竅而死的故事

結果會後有一位人兄很有意思說他很欣賞我彈的琴也說他跟渾沌很熟
我聽了覺得非常有意思
因為這位美國人兄自己看網路學古琴
也有跟老師學但他說他的老師只一味的糾正他的指法
而他就是想要用他自己的方式彈
他的方式很特別
左手用大指彈時整隻左手是握拳的狀態

不管是對是錯
我覺得只要他自己高興ENJOY他彈的琴
握不握拳似乎不是那麼重要
然後他說他考慮要跟我學琴
但他一直提醒我他不是一個好學生
這讓我有一躍躍欲試教他彈琴的念頭

會終是由一位學崑曲已三年並對古琴想瞭解的ANN小姐表演了一小段崑曲"驚夢"
結束了此次非常豐富的雅集

後補:
看到這張照片的麥克風讓我想到有一位重要的人忘了提
他叫HENRRY是JOHN THOMPSON的古琴學生
他是一位專業攝影師
他準備了許多攝影錄音配備
有兩臺數位攝影機
一為固定
一為肩上扛的
一筆記電腦收音
他全場錄相及收音一人包辦
然後看他滿頭大汗處理所有攝影錄音作業
實在感動萬分

另外補上一新琴友的網站
Austin Woerner

現代音古典樂—古琴.箜篌.書法.鋼琴

2008-01-19T15:46:00.005-08:00

紐約琴社於2008年二月十日下午五點到八點在曼哈頓Greenwich House音樂學院的Renee Weiler 音樂廳 (46 Barrow Street, NYC) 舉辦了一場 ” 現代音古典樂—古琴.箜篌.書法.鋼琴 ” 的音樂演奏會. 詳情及活動照片請點擊http://www.newyorkqin.org/events/2008/event08_2c.html

音樂會有中國傳統古琴曲及現代古琴曲的演奏, 箜篌古曲新奏以及現場日本書法與鋼琴即興的合作表演
節目內容大致如下:
傳統古琴曲新奏-- 袁中平先生譜曲演奏
箜篌古曲新奏—戴德先生譜曲, Tomoko Sugawara小姐演奏箜篌
現代古琴曲演奏—葉明媚女士譜曲演奏
現代箜篌曲演奏—Tomoko Sugawara小姐
傳統古琴曲演奏—張培幼小姐演奏明代古曲
另邀請了來自日本的藝術家 Takeshi Asai 和 Suiho Yajima 夫婦現場鋼琴與即興書法揮毫的合作表演

紐約琴社,是目前美東唯一的古琴文化組織, 由一群音樂家,藝術家,作家,及漢學家共同創立於2000年. 其創立初衷為教育及社員間的雅集,自2001年起,紐約琴社開始舉辦公開的音樂會及相關文化講座於美東各地. 此次的音樂會是紐約琴社與成立自1905年的Greenwich House音樂學院繼續合作.

Ancient Instruments, Modern Music from China and Japan

The New York Qin Society presented a unique concert of ancient and modern music from China and Japan. The concert was held on Sunday, February 10, 2008, at 5:00 pm. Renee Weiler Concert Hall, Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow Street, NYC. Performances featured recent works for the qin (a zither), modern transcriptions of ancient classical music for the qin and for the konghou (a harp, see below), as well as improvised music accompanying live calligraphy. In addition to the internationally-known performers of the Society, we had special guests Tomoko Sugawara, and Takeshi Asai and Suiho Yajima from Japan. Some of the highlights of the concert:
* Newly written pieces for the qin and konghou, including pieces by Jung-ping Yuan and Stephen Dydo based on ancient sources.
* New pieces for the qin and konghou performed by Mingmei Yip and Tomoko Sugawara as well as traditional pieces performed by Peiyou Chang.
* A demonstration by the Asai and Yajima of their improvised piano and calligraphy duet.

For program detail and photos, please visit http://www.newyorkqin.org/events/2008/event08_2c.html

Sep 08 2007 New York Qin Society Yaji

2007-10-18T17:19:00.000-07:00

On Sep 08, 2007 New York Qin Society invited Prof. Chou Wen-chung to have a talk.
Prof. Chou's website: http://www.chouwenchung.org/

Reflections of Antiquity: Festival of Ancient Music from China -- the Guqin and the Konghou

2007-02-12T15:42:00.000-08:00

for program info: http://www.newyorkqin.org/events/2007/event07pressrelease.html

NYQS meeting on Jan 6th 2007

2007-01-08T14:17:00.000-08:00

January 6th 2007, the weather was extremely warm in this winter time. This meeting was generally discuss about the Feb 11 conference program plan. Sam had some Korean string instrument musics playing as background music. Very nice. Elaine prepared very delicious French food (sorry I don't know what is that "pizza or cheese cake look" dish call) and salad. Mingmei bought a delicious Zongzi. We eat and talked and discussed the program. Later John's sister and Suzanne came. John then played You Lan. Mingmei played 3 pcs, 1st was her composition of Dao Ke Dao (first chapter of Dao De Jin) with singing. The 2nd was also her composition of "Immortal of the Magpie Bridge" also with singing. The 3rd piece was Wu Ye Ti. Very impressive piece. Peiyou then play and sing two versions of Qiu Feng Ci. Lyrics and music piece can be seen at here. The meeting started from 4pm and ended around 8:30pm.

Oct 28th 2006 NYQS Meeting at Elaine's

2006-11-07T07:10:00.000-08:00

We finally took this group photo but Matthew left earlier. From the left to right in front: Marilyn, Elaine, Peiyou and Naoko Terauchi. From the left to right of the standings: Stephen Dydo, Rembrandt, Yang Yuanzheng, Stephen Walker, Bo, Elizabeth, Carol and Sam.

2006-11-07T07:07:00.000-08:00

Mr. Yang talks about his study of Hikone scroll which is in Hikone Castle Museum Japan. According to DIAMM ( Digital Image Archive of Medieval Music), "The Hikone MS is the only scroll of Qin music predating the fourteenth century that has not suffered any modern accretions."

Hikone scroll 彥根卷本 does not have qin pieces but only writings of finger techniques. It contains three books:

北魏陳仲儒的琴用指法 North Wei, Cheng Zhongru's Qin Yong Zhi Fa. (Qin finger techniques).

隋和尚馮智變琴用手名法 Sue Dynasty, A monk Feng Zhibian's Qin Yong Shou Ming Fa.(Names of finger technique For Qin Playing).

唐趙耶利彈琴右手法 Tang Dynasty, Zhao Yeli's Tan Qin You Shou Fa. (Right hand Qin playing techniques).

2006-11-07T07:02:00.000-08:00

From left to right: Sam, Rembrandt, Yuangzheng and Stephen Walker. Rembrandt talks about the Paris 19/20 octobre 2006 - « Arts et humanités dans le tableau Luoshenfu » conference, "Luo Shen Fu - The Tale of the Luo River Goddess"

2006-11-07T07:01:00.000-08:00

Rembrandt introduced guest Mr, Yang Yuanzheng who is a grad student at Princeton Dept of Art and Archaecology. Yang learned qin from Mr. Wu Wenguan 吳文光 and has been playing qin for 5 to 6 years.

2006-11-07T06:59:00.000-08:00

Professor Naoko Terauchi was talking.

2006-11-07T06:58:00.000-08:00

Bo also introduced guest Professor Naoko Terauchi who leads the CU gagaku course.

2006-11-07T06:56:00.000-08:00

Bo talks about Berlin conference.

Due to my digital camera's film was full, I could not take photos of people's qin playing. There were Yang Yuanzheng's playing of Yu Qiao Wen Da 漁樵問答, Peiyou's Shi Shang Liu Quan 石上流泉, SWalker's Ou Lu Wang Ji 甌鷺忘機, Dydo's Ping Sha 平沙落雁 and Marilyn's Yi Gu Ren 憶故人.

October 2006 Taipei Trip Enrich My Eyes and Mind

2006-10-26T21:07:00.000-07:00

這次的台北行比預期的收獲要超過太多太多
一直到回美後仍久久不能忘懷
首要託電腦網路之賜
讓我得以快速搜集資訊
並因部落格的風行
而如蜘蛛結網般認識同好
每一位我此行所認識的朋友都給了我相當大的直接與間接的鼓勵與幫助
以認識先後他們分別是
劉繕惟先生邱文苑伉儷鄭德宣先生劉行一先生莊秀珍老師潘(木百)世老師以及黃懷瑾先生

因記憶會不斷湧現
我會一點一滴慢慢寫入
可用英文畢竟不是母語
寫來總不夠貼切
也許有些還是會用中文寫
我就不給自己太大壓力
也期望看倌們隨意逛逛

此行增長了我不少琴學見聞

Saw a qin book in Taipei Palace Museum

It was pitty that I did not see any painting and calligraphy in Taipei Palace Museum this time as they were closed those sections. However I saw a qin book. Jia-jing Yuan Kan Ben Wu-Gang Qinpu (嘉靖原刊本梧岡琴譜) but was not sure if it is a Guqin notation book then. I took these 2 photos and after came back to the US, I looked at Zha Fu-xi's Cun Jian Guqin Qupu Jilan 查阜西之存見古琴曲譜輯覽 and am pretty sure that it is the Qin Pu that Zha did not put it in Cun Jian Guqin Qupu Jilan, as all the materials in this qin book are in Qinpu Zhenchuan 琴譜正傳, which was published in 1547 Ming Dynasty Jia-jing year 26th to 40th. The editor of Qinpu Zhenchuan was Huang Xian 黃獻 also named Wu Gang 別號梧岡. Qinpu Zhenchuan has 71 qin pieces including the 42 pieces from Wu-gang Qinpu.

The last two photos are Wu Gang Qinpu's index from Qinqu Jichen 琴曲集成.

My Two Nieces Playing The Qin Made by Bright

2006-10-25T16:45:00.000-07:00

My friend, Bright, loaned me his qin for 3 days. I carried it to my twin sister's home in Xin-chu to practice. Sophia's home is more quiet than father's home. I can really feel the qin quality and its personality. This is the first qin made by Bright. He spent one year and 4 months to finish it. Mr. Lin Li-zhen 林立正 is his teacher. Bright first learned qin playing and qin making from Mr. Chen Hui-de 程惠德 2 years ago. The first qin he made was supervised by Master Lin Li-zhen. The upper board is Shan wood 杉木(China fir) and the bottom wood is Zhang wood 樟木(champhorwood). The form of this qin is Fu Xi Style 伏羲式. According to Bright, Master Lin only make two kinds of qin form, Zhong Ni Style 仲尼式 and Fu Xi Style. I like this qin a lot. The high tone is so beautiful and the lacquer work has a very natural appearance.

Since I had a qin with me, I let Sophia's daughters try to play it. I did not really teach them how to play but they saw my playing and therefore, when they sit in front of the qin, they knew how to position their little hands. I wish I can teach them. I am very glad that I took these photos.

Oct 13th, Attend Prof Wu's class in Taiwan University

2006-10-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my friend Wenyuan who let me know that Prof. Wu was having lessons at Taiwan University every Friday morning. So I attended one on Friday the 13th.

The subject was The Investigation of Chinese Rites and Music System -- Tao Si Big Tomb's Te Chime and Tuo Drum 中國禮樂制度探源-- 陶寺大墓特謦(te qin) 鼉鼓(tuo gu) 兼論特磬在中國文明形成中的地位.

Prof Wu let us hear the sound of 3 Chimes. I just realized that it is the sound of "gold and stone" 金石之音. I also realized how the sound comes out from a chime and how the ancient people tune the chime sound by rubbing the sides of the stone.

Prof Wu said that China means "many countries in a country" 中國＝國中之國. Shangxi　山西, Henan　河南 and Shanxi　陜西 Provinces were the area where Chinese culture started. The set of Tao Si Big Qins (Chimes) was found in the south of Shangxi Province, Xian Fen area 山西襄汾. It belongs to Longshan culture (2500B.C.～1900B.C.). Tao Si ruin was formed by 5 big tombs (3072, 3073, 3016, 3015 and 3002)and each tomb was build in a different time period. The te qin and tuo gu were found in the 3072 tomb which has different craftsmanship and quality from others. The materials were not sourced locally. They are the most advanced Chimes. Yet no one knows which area they came from.

A chime, which can create 2 sounds Do and Mi, is the well developed chime. Usually the earlier developed chimes were more advanced. The later developed chimes fell behind, their sound quality was not clear enough, according to Prof Wu.

Oct 19th, Ping Ling Trip 坪林遊

2006-10-25T16:34:00.000-07:00

On Oct 19th, Friday, Wenyuan couple drove me and Blue and Bright to Pinlin mountain area.

This Qiu An Qinpu's (Autumn Hut Qin Book 秋庵琴譜) owner is Mr. Huang Hui-jing 黃懷瑾 in Taoyuan Taiwan. Mr. Huang is a retired captain and learned Guqin from Master Rong Tian-qi 容天祈*1 about 30 something years ago. Master Rong gave him this qin book where Rong had collected all the pieces he played and he liked, and had his wife print out for Mr. Huang in 1974. Master Rong gave the name "Qiu An" (Autumn Hut) as he had an antique qin called "Qiu Yue"*2 (Autumn Moon 秋月). Master Rong made the cover by using wall paper with his calligraphy of the book's name and Mr. Huang bundled all the pages with covers and sewed them together. Qiu An Qinpu was never published to public. The first qin piece in this qinpu is Yu Lou Chun Xiao 玉樓春曉 (Jade Mansion Spring Dawn). Master Rong hand wrote a footnote at the end of Yu Lou Chun Xiao saying that "this piece was given by Master Wu Zong-hang 吳宗漢*3 personaly and is my favorite piece from Mei An Qinpu, as there is another story and reason related to this piece. -- Tian-qi"

"此曲乃吳宗漢先生面授梅庵琴譜中余最偏愛之曲蓋亦另有一段因緣也天祈"

According to Mr. Huang, the story was that in 1962, Master Rong had just started learning qin. He saw a movie "Qian Nu You Hun" (倩女幽魂, the gost Qian Nu) which was directed by Mr. Li Han-xiang 李翰祥. Master Rong was attracted by the qin music that Mr. Li used in this movie. Rong followed the movie's showing schedual from northern Taiwan to Southern Taiwan just to try to find out which qin piece that was. Finally in 1969, he found out that the qin piece was played by Master Wu Zong-hang and Wu was playing Yu Lou Chun Xiao from Mei An Qin Pu. On June 18th 1970, Master Rong met Master Wu couple at the First Seminar of Chinese Ancient Painting 第一屆中國古畫討論會. And later Master Wu gave Rong a copy of Mei An Qin Pu as a gift of Zhi Yin (friend who understand each other's music). Therefore Master Rong could never forget this story and this qin piece in his life.

*1 Rong Tian-qi 容天祈 (1936-1994) was from Guandong province, and lived in Kaoxong, Taiwan. He studied poetry, literature, calligraphy and painting from age 8 with his grandfather. At age 17, he studied Chinese painting (mountain and water) with master Zhu Nian-ci 朱念慈 who was a pupil of Wu Chang-shuo 吳昌碩. At age 27, he studied guqin and Chinese painting with Master Hu Yin-tang 胡瑩堂. At age 36, he studied finger painting with Master Ma shou-hua 馬壽華. He died at age 58.

*2 "Qiu Yue" once own by Zhou Lu-feng 周魯封 in Qin dynasty.

*3 Wu Zong-hang 吳宗漢 (1903-?) was from Jiansu province and lived in the US. He was the 3rd generation of Mei An School. Master Wu learned qin from Master Xu Zhuo 徐卓 who was the lineal descent pupil of the Mei An School's establisher, Master Wang Yian-qing 王燕卿.

We stoped at a place near a small river with two pavilions. We stay in one pavilion. Wenyuan's husband was making tea for us. I played Mei Hua 3 Nong. Bright played Xian Ong Cao 仙翁操.

Below is the poem written by Blue that he made this poem several days later to describe the scenery and Bright's playing...

山亭寂寂柳含煙

半室絃音半茶煎

山色半青還半霧

斜陽秋水映神仙

Oct 18th, Meet Qin friends

2006-10-25T16:28:00.000-07:00

After having a lesson of Taichi Dowing 太極導引 with Bright who learned from Master Xong Wei 熊衛 since 1996, we headed to Xing-yi's home near by. Xing-yi is the correspondent secretary of Zi Ten Lu Tea House and a good friend of Bright. Xing-yi plays guqin for 5 years already. He learned guqin from Master Zhuang Xiu-zhen. At Xing-yi's home, there are 3 qins. One is a real antique qin, and one is a qin made by Yei Shi-qian (see the photo below) and one is a factory made.

Xing-yi let us heard a recording of Zha Fu-xi's 查阜西 singing of Qin song. As Xing-yi said, Zha's singing was so warm like an old pa telling a life story. I am so happy to hear Zha's qin song which is really treasures.

Xing-yi played Cai Zheng-you 采真遊, a taoistic qin piece that he dapu from Xi Lu Tang Qin Tong 西麓堂琴統. His playing was really nice. I played Xiao Xian Shui Yun. Bright played his improvised piece.

It was a special night. We drank tea, play qin, and exchanged our knowledge and opinions about qin music. It was a meeting with Zhi-yin 知音(friends who understand your music)...

Oct 17th, Tian Muge Silk String Qin Society 訪天穆閣絲弦琴社

2006-10-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

Miss Zhuang Xiu-zhen 莊秀珍 is the president of the Tian Muge Silk String Qin Society. She learned Guqin from Master Sun Yu-qin 孫毓琴. This qin society used to have gatherings twice every month at the Zi Teng Lu Tea House, and now moved to Xin Dian near Xin Dian city hall. I had the honor of attending their meeting on Oct 17th, Thanks to my friends Bright and Xing-yi.

Once there, I had a chance to play Miss Zhuang's Tang Qin 秋籟 and one of the qin made by Mr. Yei Shi-Qian 葉世強. (Mr. Yei was born in Guangdong and moved to Taiwan in 1949. He is 80 years old now and has been living in solitude almost his whole life in Taiwan. His artistic works include: paintings, mixedmedia, calligraphy and qin making.) The Tang qin feels very warm and comfortable to play. It has snake belly cracks 蛇腹斷紋 but had redone the lacquer so the surface is smooth. The Yei qin has an artistic look and the sound quality is not open but restrained. It does not have shiny lacquer but a quaint look.

I heard several people's qin playing. Xing-yi played Yu Ge 漁歌 that he dapu from Wu Zhi-zhai Qinpu 五知齋琴譜. Xing-yi learned qin from Master Zhuang Xiu-zhen for 2 years and had been playing qin for 5 years. Mr. Pan commented that Xing-yi's Yu Ge is very 悲愴 (tragic) like the sorrow of swan lake. Xing-yi's shixong, Mr. Liu Fu-jing 劉富錦 played Wu Ye Wu Qiu Feng 梧葉舞秋風, very impressive. Mr. Liu learned qin from Master Zhuang the longest. He also learn qin making from Mr. Yei Shi-qian. Now Mr. Liu is supervising several qin makers in Mainland China. Master Zhuang Xiu-zhen played the Ping Sha Luo Yan which was taught by Master Sun Yu-qin. Mr. Pan gave very high appreciation of her playing of the Pin Sha.

Later, Mr. Pan Bo Shi 潘(木百)世 gave a talk of Twenty-four Grades of Poetry 二十四詩品. He gave his explanation of the first two grades – Xiong (plentiful, magnificent) Hun (complete, all over) and Chong (rinse, infuse) Dan (light) (雄渾沖淡) at that day. Mr. Pan is a very knowledgeable person. He is a major in Chinese medicine but he also studies Chinese philosophy and literature. He has given lessons at the Tian Muge Silk String Qin Society before on the Twenty-four Qin Situations 二十四琴況. He does not play qin but he knows how to appreciate qin very well. Mr. Pan said that all the Chinese art, such as seal, Kung-fu, tea, etc,. are related to the 24 Grades of Poetry. All the Chinese art has to be based on the deepest Chinese literature. Each grade of the 24 Grades of Poetry is literature which is the door to enter the world of Chinese art.

Chinese art and the Chinese art environment cannot be separated, such as when to listen rain? When to play guqin? etc,. It has to be in a certain situation to do certain thing in order to be beautiful.

Each two of the grades of poetry is corresponding to each other. Xiong Hun is corresponding to Chong Dan. Xian Nong 纖穠 is corresponding to Chen Zhuo 沉著 and so on and so forth. Each two phrases of each grade is also corresponding to each other. Such as the first two phrases of the first grade, 大用外腓 is based on 真體內充, meaning that the great graceful appearance is based on the true inner richness. Another two phrases, 反虛入渾積健為雄, meaning that it has to be in a big space in order to enter the original inner truth. And the powerful energy comes from accumulating exercise. And the last four phrases of the first grade, 超以象外得其環中, 持之非強來之無窮 meaning that crossing over the limitation, a living thing will live forever without the limitation of time. When holding it, you don't feel it is strong but you will feel the power later when you hold it longer and longer. After Mr. Pan's explanation of the first grade, I just realized how rich the Chinese literature is.

On the wall, there are the paintings and calligraphy by Mr. Ye Shi-qian.

二十四詩品 Twenty-four Grades of Poetry
作者：舊題晚唐．司空圖（837--908）(Mr. Pan believes that it was not written by Si Kong Tu in Tang Dynasty, it was written in Yuang or Ming Dynasty.)

一、雄渾
大用外腓，真體內充。返虛入渾，積健為雄。具備萬物，橫絕太空。
荒荒油雲，寥寥長風。超以象外，得其環中。持之非強，來之無窮。
二、沖淡
素處以默，妙機其微。飲之太和，獨鶴與飛。猶之惠風，荏苒在衣。
閱音修篁，美曰載歸。遇之匪深，即之愈希。脫有形似，握手已違。
三、纖穠
采采流水，蓬蓬遠春。窈窕深谷，時見美人。碧桃滿樹，風日水濱。
柳陰路曲，流鶯比鄰。乘之愈往，識之愈真。如將不盡，與古為新。
四、沈著
綠林野屋，落日氣清。脫巾獨步，時聞鳥聲。鴻雁不來，之子遠行。
所思不遠，若為平生。海風碧雲，夜渚月明。如有佳話，大河前橫。
五、高古
畸人乘真，手把芙蓉。汎彼浩劫，窅然空蹤。月出東斗，好風相從。
太華夜碧，人聞清鐘。虛佇神素，脫然畦封。黃唐在獨，落落玄宗。
六、典雅
玉壺買春，賞雨茆屋。坐中佳士，左右修竹。白雲初晴，幽鳥相逐。
眠琴綠陰，上有飛瀑。落花無言，人淡如菊。書之歲華，其曰可讀。
七、洗鍊
如（金廣）出金，如鉛出銀。超心鍊冶，絕愛緇磷。空潭瀉春，古鏡照神。
體素儲潔，乘月返真。載瞻星氣，載歌幽人。流水今日，明月前身。
八、勁健
行神如空，行氣如虹。巫峽千尋，走雲連風。飲真茹強，蓄素守中。
喻彼行健，是謂存雄。天地與立，神化攸同。期之以實，御之以終。
九、綺麗
神存富貴，始輕黃金。濃盡必枯，淡者屢深。霧餘水畔，紅杏在林。
月明華屋，畫橋碧陰。金尊酒滿，伴客彈琴。取之自足，良殫美襟。
一○、自然
俯拾即是，不取諸鄰。俱道適往，著手成春。如逢花開，如瞻歲新。
真與不奪，強得易貧。幽人空山，過雨採蘋。薄言情悟，悠悠天鈞。
一一、含蓄
不著一字，盡得風流。語不涉己，若不堪憂。是有真宰，與之沉浮。
如淥滿酒，花時返秋。悠悠空塵，忽忽海漚。淺深聚散，萬取一收。
一二、豪放
觀花匪禁，吞吐大荒。由道返氣，處得以狂。天風浪浪，海山蒼蒼。
真力彌滿，萬象在旁。前招三辰，後引鳳凰。曉策六鼇，濯足扶桑。
一三、精神
欲返不盡，相期與來。明漪絕底，奇花初胎。青春鸚鵡，楊柳樓臺。
碧山人來，清酒深杯。生氣遠出，不著死灰。妙造自然，伊誰與裁？
一四、縝密
是有真跡，如不可知。意象欲出，造化已奇。水流花開，清露未晞。
要路愈遠，幽行為遲。語不欲犯，思不欲癡。猶春於綠，明月雪時。
一五、疏野
惟性所宅，真取弗羈。控物自富，與率為期。築室松下，脫帽看詩。
但知旦暮，不辨何時？倘然適意，豈必有為！若其天放，如是得之。
一六、清奇
娟娟群松，下有漪流。晴雪滿汀，隔溪漁舟。可人如玉，步屧尋幽。
載瞻載止，空碧悠悠。神出古異，澹不可收。如月之曙，如氣之秋。
一七、委曲
登彼太行，翠遶羊腸。杳藹流玉，悠悠花香。力之於時，聲之於羌。
似往已迴，如幽匪藏。水理漩洑，鵬風翱翔。道不自器，與之圓方。
一八、實境
取語甚直，計思匪深。忽逢幽人，如見道心。清澗之曲，碧松之陰。
一客荷樵，一客聽琴。情性所至，妙不自尋。遇之自天，泠然希音。
一九、悲慨
大風捲水，林木為摧。適苦欲死，招憩不來。百歲如流，富貴冷灰。
大道日喪，若為雄才？壯士拂劍，浩然彌哀。蕭蕭落葉，漏雨蒼苔。
二○、形容
絕佇靈素，少迴清真。如覓水影，如寫陽春。風雲變態，花草精神。
海之波瀾，山之嶙峋。俱似大道，妙契同塵。離形得似，庶幾斯人。
二一、超詣
匪神之靈，匪機之微。如將白雲，清風與歸。遠引若至，臨之已非。
少有道氣，終與俗違。亂山喬木，碧苔芳暉。誦之思之，其聲愈希。
二二、飄逸
落落欲往，矯矯不群。緱山之鶴，華頂之雲。高人惠中，令色絪縕。
御風蓬葉，汎彼無垠。如不可執，如將有聞。識者期之，欲得愈分。
二三、曠達
生者百歲，相去幾何？歡樂苦短，憂愁實多。如何尊酒，日往煙蘿。
花覆茆簷，疏雨相過。倒酒既盡，杖藜行歌。孰不有古？南山峨峨。
二四、流動
若納水（車官），如轉丸珠。夫豈可道？假體如愚。荒荒坤軸，悠悠天樞。
載要其端，載聞其符。超超神明，返返冥無。來往千載，是之謂乎？

Oct 12, Xin-dian / Wu-lai Qin Trip 新店烏來登高撫琴

2006-10-25T16:06:00.000-07:00

Many thanks to Wenyuan couple who drove me and Bright to Xin-dian and Wu-lai. Wenyuan's husband is a very good tour guide...

元吳澄的琴言十則其中一則:

盡禮以尊其道如風雨市廛不彈是也

至遇知音升樓閣登山憩谷坐石遊泉值二氣之清朗皆際勝而宜於琴者...

想這新店烏來遊真是應了吳澄之此則...

順道附上

明高濂的遵生八牋提到的辨琴之九德:

一曰奇輕鬆脆滑是也輕謂材輕鬆謂聲透脆謂聲之清老老桐木也滑謂聲之澤潤近水材也

二曰古淳淡中有金石韻也

三曰透年雖久遠膠漆不敗清亮而不咽塞

四曰靜謂無(先文)飒以亂正聲

五曰潤謂發聲不燥韻長不絕

六曰圓謂聲韻渾然而不破散

七曰清謂聲如風中鐸也

八曰勻謂七弦無三實四虛之病

九曰芳謂愈彈愈發久無乏聲

Oct 8th Qin testing at Yetang Tea house 冶堂壺茶試琴

2006-10-25T04:32:00.000-07:00

On Oct 8th 2pm, several qin friends gathered at the Ye Tang Tea house in Yong Kang Street, Taipei. I was the first one to arrive and the host Mr. He was having Jung Ping's qin music playing as the background music. This gathering could happen because my blog friend, Bright, had just finished his first qin a couple months ago and I wanted to try it. So he arranged this meeting. All the people at this gathering were in Jung Ping's Guqin conference two days before.

The host of Ye Tang, Mr. He Jian 何建 is a very generous person who let us use his space without charging us any fee and even served us very good tea. I appreicated that. Mr. He has very good sense of tea and his place is not on a big street. Only people who know him will visit his store and buy his tea and tea pots...

The address of Ye Tang

冶堂壺茶空間

台北市永康街三十一巷二十之二號一樓 02-33938988

Oct 6th The Full Moon Festival Guqin Conference

2006-10-24T13:27:00.000-07:00

The full moon.

2006-10-24T13:24:00.000-07:00

Oct. 6th 7pm , Jung Ping had his personal Guqin conference at the Zi Teng Lu tea house 紫藤廬茶藝館 in Taipei. There were about 50 to 55 in the audience. Several of Jung Ping's shi-xong and shi-jie attended the conference. The famous qin maker Mr. Lin Lizhen, who sit beside Miss Sun Yuhang, also attended.

2006-10-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

Before Jung Ping performed, he introduced his shi-jie, Miss Sun Yu-hang 孫于涵, Shi-xong, Mr. Chen Guo-deng 陳國燈 and the qin maker Mr. Lin Li-zheng 林立正. He also mentioned about his first qin teacher, Mr. Sun Yu-qin 孫公毓琴 who had qin performance at the same place long time ago. Jing Ping was glad to see his shi-xong and shi-jie who remind him the good old day of learning qin with Sun gong.

2006-10-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

The host of Ziteng Lu 紫藤盧, Mr. Zhou Yu 周渝 had an opening talk. Mr. Zhou said that silk string is the traditional and correct way to go. It should be propagate and Jung Ping is the best representative of promoting silk string qin. Mr. Zhou also mentioned that they are working hard to maintain this tea house as it is a historical building. They had been host so many art related activities, conference and classes in order to promote and keep the traditional Chinese culture and art. Ziteng Lu will be closed for 8 months starting at the beginning of 2007 for renovations. Therefore, this Guqin conference will be the last qin conference before the renovation.

Ziteng Lu 紫藤盧(Wistaria-House) official website: http://wistariahouse.com
Address : 1 XinSheng South Road, Section 3, Alley 16
Telephone: 02-23637375 02-23639459 Fax:02-23637234

2006-10-24T13:19:00.001-07:00

Peiyou, Renee and Jung Ping.

Renee and Jung Ping.

2006-10-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

Peiyou and Wenyuan. Wenyuan is Peiyou's blog friend who was a music teacher at Fuhe Junior High School 福和國中 and just retired this February. Wenyuan is interested in Qin songs and poetry. Her personal website is at http://163.20.173.1/~t88fh163/teacher.html and it has one video of my playing of Mei Hua that she had recored on Oct 8th at Ye Tang Tea House 冶堂壺茶空間. Wenyuan gave me a CD of her singing of Chinese classical poetries 中國古典詩詞吟唱. She was graduated from the National Defence University 政戰學校. Listen to her singing, I can feel her rich energy from her voice. She started to play Guqin not too long ago and likes to play qin songs.

2006-10-24T13:18:00.001-07:00

Jung Ping talks with Sun Yuhang.

2006-10-24T13:18:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping and Sun Yuhang.

2006-10-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

Chen Guodeng played Wu Ye Wu Qiu Feng by using his Ming Dynasty qin.

2006-10-24T13:16:00.001-07:00

Sun Yuhan.

2006-10-24T13:16:00.000-07:00

Sun Yuhan, JP's shijie who played Liu Shue.

2006-10-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping.

2006-10-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

Renee and her shixong (at her left). Both of them are JP's students now.

2006-10-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

The next half of the conference, Jung Ping played Pin Sha, Yu Ge, Yang Guan with singing and Yu Lan. Jung Ping's Yu Lan this time played different from the way we had heard in NYC. He gave more rests in between each part of the 4 paragraphs. After he finished his performance, some in the audience asked questions. One asked him if he used Qigong while playing qin. Jung Ping said as long as one has mind, the qi is exist. And the mind will guide the qi. 以意導氣. There is another audience asked about his singing style. He mentioned about that when a judge working on a case, they follow the evidence. Where the evidence goes, they go. And therefore when he is singing, where the lyrics goes, his mind follows. Jung Ping then sing the Hu Jia Shi Ba Pai 胡笳十八拍without playing qin. Many in the audience adored him.

Qin in Taipei

2006-10-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

I arrived in Taipei on Oct 4th 9am. My sister Wennie and her husband came to pick me up and drove me to my parents home. The flight was smooth. I tried to sleep during the whole flight to adjust my time but seemd not really work.

On Oct 5th 2pm, I contacted the place where I could buy the "Qin Fu" 琴府 edited by Tang Jian-yuan 唐建垣. I knew this book from an Internet search of "Long Hu Qin Pu" 龍湖琴譜. And found out the publisher's ( Liang Guang 聯貫出版社) information in Taipei. After I hung up the phone with Mr. Yuan who is carrying the Qin Fu, I took the 270 bus to the Ren Ai Road near Jian Guo raised highway. Mr. Yuan's store is located between Ren Ai and Xin Yi Road beside Jian Guo Flower Market, named Gu Yue Xuan 古悅軒. It is an antique and Jade selling store but not the publisher, as the Lian Guan publisher no longer exists. The address of Gu Yue Xuan is:

台北市建國南路一段313號
TEL: (02) 2708-1938
FAX: (02) 2708-1948

Lian Guan publisher was run by Mr. Yuan's father who is very old now. Mr. Yuan and his wife, who also graduated from Shi Jian Home Economic College same as me, are now doing the antique and jade selling business as the publishing business is very tough to maintain nowadays. Mr. Yuan and his wife told me that they don't really want to reprint Qin Fu because they don't know how many people want to buy it. After all, Guqin is such a professional field, not many people know about it. However, once a while, there still are some people was ask them for Qin Fu, like me. So they reprinted 500 volumes in 1981. Mrs. Yuan said that they believe these 500 volumes won't sell out even after they all retire.

The price of the Qin Fu is 5,000NT. I bought one set. It has 3 books. They are heavy like rocks. The book includes rich information about qin hand books, qin history, qin philosophy, qin people... etc,. I am glad I found it and now own it.

Oct. 6th 7pm at Zi Teng Lu tea house 紫藤廬茶藝館, Jung Ping had his moon festival qin conference there. I had posted this info on my yahoo blog and several qin friends who I met on the blog attended this conference. It was a very interesting experience. Jung Ping was wearing his taoist costume as usual and Renee who is now studying at Nan Hua with Jing Ping, also wear a Han style costume that she had someone in Shanghai custom make for her, both of them showed up together at the tea house. Renee even had herself in traditional make up, white face with small red lips. Looks very cute. Renee is JP's qin tong 琴僮 now who carries JP's qin all the time and follows him wherever he goes. This is usually a traditional way of learning from teacher, and usually the student can learn a lot not only the qin skill, but the life style, and the teacher's inner knowledge. Good for Renee.

Jung Ping's performance is good as always. He played 8 pieces total. The first half he played were Shi Shang Liu Quan, Yang Chun, Mei Hua 3 Nong, and Xiao Xian Shui Yun. The next half, he played Pin Sha, Yu Ge, Yang Guan with singing (it was Yi Gu Ren originally but JP changed it) and Yu Lan. JP had his Guqin CD published just a couple days before the conference. Jung Ping gave me one. I had him sign it for me. There were about 50 to 55 people attending this conference. After JP's playing, he invited Miss Sun Yu Han 孫于涵 who is JP's shijei, to perform and Miss Sun played Liu Shui. I like Miss Sun's Liu Shui, very smooth and fluent. Later Mr. Chen Guo Deng 陳國燈 who is JP's shixong also played a piece, Wu Yei Wu Qiu Feng. As JP said, this conference was a kind of reunion of the Sun Yu Qin's students. The famous qin maker Mr. Lin Lizheng 林立正　also attended this conference.

At this conference, I met my blog friends Wenyuan and Bright. My eldest sister Wennie also attend this conference with me. After the conference was finished, several young people decided to go to the Da Ann Forest Park near by to look at the moon and play qin and drink wine. There were 9 people together moved to the park.
There were two young qin makers who also play qin. Mr. Bright, whose name is Liu Shanwei 劉繕惟, had learned making qin with Mr. Chen Huide 程惠德 and Mr. Ling Lizheng and had just finished his first qin a couple months ago that he had spent one year and 4 months to finish. Mr. Zhen Dexuan 鄭德宣 had learned making qin with Mr. Cheng Guoxin 陳國興.

Both Jung Ping and Dexuan brought their qins with them to the park. The sky was clear and the moon was bright. The newspaper says that it was the biggest moon in 9 years. The qin made by Zhen Dexuan has beautiful lacquer work. As for a new qin, the sound quality is not coming out yet.

to be continued...

Sep 2nd 2006 Qin Gathering

2006-09-03T13:27:00.000-07:00

On Sep. 2 2006, 2pm, NYQS had a gathering. From left to right, Jung Ping, Rebecca Falnnery and Peter Reis.

2006-09-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping in his Taoism costume. Behind him is his calligraphy, Sheng Zhi 聲之.

2006-09-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

Peter, John and Carol Liu. Carol is a guest introduced by Peiyou. She is studying film in NYU.

2006-09-03T13:18:00.000-07:00

Guests, Stephen Walker from Boston who just moved to NYC couple days ago. He is going to study at Columbia University for master degree in Chinese philosophy. Stephen was introduced by Carol. On the right is Eva from Shanghai. She is also an NYU student introduced by Jung Ping.

2006-09-03T13:16:00.000-07:00

The "Studio for Seeking Solitude."

2006-09-03T13:06:00.000-07:00

2006-09-03T13:04:00.000-07:00

Jim Binkley, one of our guest from Portland.

2006-09-03T12:53:00.000-07:00

This is one of the way to get rid of buzzing. John just put a piece of silk string between the qin board and strings at the bottom part closer to tail.

2006-09-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

While John was trying to fix the buzzing sound of a string, Jim talked a little bit about himself. Jim made total 4 qins so far. 2 were done in 70's.

2006-09-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

John talked about the 12 blue bars qin music that he will present at the October Beijing Guqin conference. Peiyou tried to take some notes for herself. Thanks for Carol took this photo for Peiyou.

2006-09-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping was looking at the Yu Ku Chai Qin Pu 與古齋琴譜 and Jim was talking about the book.

2006-09-03T12:43:00.000-07:00

Jim Binkley talked about Yu Ku Chai Qin Handbook which is the qin book he had translated in English. He briefly talked about 3 parts of making qin: Select wood, Wood working and lacquer working. Detail might be able to read later from John's notes.

2006-09-03T12:39:00.000-07:00

Page about making holes in the Yue Mountaion 岳山 and the Chen Lu 承露 from Yu Ku Chai Qin Handbook.

2006-09-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Page about the 1st string's position of the tail, the shoulder and the Yue mountain of a qin from Yu Ku Chai Qin Handbook.

2006-09-03T12:35:00.000-07:00

One of the page about Qin Construction in Yu Ku Chai Qin handbook.

2006-09-03T12:31:00.000-07:00

Jim Binkley.

2006-09-03T12:30:00.000-07:00

Jim Binkley played Qing Shang Yei Yu 青山夜雨(Blue Mountain Night Rain) in Qi Liang Diao 淒涼調.(Lower 2nd and 5th Strings) This piece is composed by Jim himself.

2006-09-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

Stephen Walker and Stephen Dydo.

2006-09-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

Peiyou Played Qiu Feng Ci with singing. This piece she just learned one day before the meeting. This is the first time she tried to play along with singing. (Since Peiyou took almost all the photos, so her playing has no photo taken)

2006-09-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

Stephen Dydo Played Yu Lou Chun Xiao 玉樓春曉 and Qi Yian Hue 泣顏回.

2006-09-03T12:18:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping Played Yang Guan 3 Die with singing. And then played Xio Xian Shue Yun.

2006-09-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping Played Shi Shang Liu Quan 石上流泉 at the end of the meeting.

2006-09-03T12:15:00.000-07:00

Stephen Walker played Shuang He Ting Quan 雙鶴聽泉(Two Cranes Listening Spring), Pin Sha Luo Yan 平沙落雁 and Fan Can Lang 泛滄浪. He learned Guqin from Shin-Yi Yang 楊信宜,(Miss Yang is a guqin and guzheng player from Taiwan. Her website, http://www.shinyiyang.com/artist.htm) at Boston 3 years ago and teaching himself now. His playing is based on Mei An School 梅庵派. Stephen is going to study Columbia University master in Xian Qin Liang Han Si Xian Shi 先秦兩漢思想史.

Before Stephen's playing and while everybody still in the dining room, Renee and Peiyou were playing qin in the basement. Renee played 3 pieces, Mei Hua 3 Nong, Liang Xiao Yin and Pin Sha Luo Yan. Peiyou also played these 3 pieces to Renee. It was very nice that we two can discuss these 3 qin pieces together. Renee has been study qin with Jung Ping for 3 years and she is going to Taiwan to study at Nan Hua University this fall with Jung Ping.

The meeting ended at 9:30 pm.

靜含太古(古琴篇)

2006-08-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping bought these DVD from China--Jing Han Tai Gu 靜含太古(古琴篇) , published by China Wencai publisher, organized by Zhong Guo Kunju Guqin Yangjiu Hui 中國昆劇研究會 and Zhong Guo Yishu Yangjiu Yuan 中國藝術研究院. These DVD contain 15 recent Chinese qin players' playing, Jung Ping is one of them. It was just published 2 months ago in China. Each qin player represents different school. It's a very precious records for the Guqin has been selected in year 2001 Nov 7th as the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity 人類口頭與非物質文化遺產 by UNESCO.

082706 Meeting at Stephen's

2006-08-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

Bo says the Chinese modern Kungho has different construction as Western harp, the sound box is actually on the side and the string is parallel to the sound box.

Bo was explaining how the western harp's sound board and string should be. Bo disagree that Chinese modern harp should be called "Kungho."

2006-08-28T10:17:00.000-07:00

John was plaing and singing for Suzanne 有美人兮...

2006-08-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Our guest, Mr. Wu Zhong-Xian 吳忠賢, who used work at China's Nasa at Xian. He was originally from Zhe-Jiang province. He learned Guqin from Li Ming-Zhong in Xian. He is also master in Chigong and Chinese martial art. The first piece he played for us was Liu Shue. Later he played Ping Sha Luo Yan.

2006-08-28T09:16:00.000-07:00

2006-08-28T08:17:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping was showing the photo of Taiwan Nan Hua University Guqin classroom. We were joking it is like Yamaha guqin class room. The university prepared qin for each student to play in the class.

2006-08-28T07:41:00.000-07:00

Jung Ping now is almost like a Taoism priest but he said he is not a priest. He was wearing a traditional Chinese scholar's outfit and talking about his trip this early summer in Gansu province China and his teacing at Nanhua University in Taiwan.

News on 0605 World Journal

2006-06-06T16:55:00.000-07:00

Refreshment set up

2006-06-05T19:58:00.000-07:00

Marilyn and Peiyou

2006-06-05T19:50:00.000-07:00

BC Making Introduction

2006-06-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

The audience

2006-06-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

Marilyn

2006-06-05T19:38:00.000-07:00

Bo talk, Marilyn showing the old qin model

2006-06-05T19:31:00.000-07:00

Peiyou

2006-06-05T19:27:00.000-07:00

John

2006-06-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

Ying Zhong Yi

2006-06-05T19:21:00.000-07:00

Charleen, Jean and Peiyou

2006-06-05T19:19:00.000-07:00

Pao and Peiyou

2006-06-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

Mingmei

2006-06-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

Stephen Dydo

2006-06-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

Conference Cover & Program

2006-06-03T11:12:00.000-07:00

Cover design by Peiyou Chang

Program

Introduction
B. C. Vermeersch

Wild Geese Descending on the Sandy Shores (Píngshā Luò Yàn, 平沙落雁)
Ode to Plum Blossoms: Three Refrains (Méihuā Sānnòng, 梅花三弄)
Marilyn Wong Gleysteen 王妙蓮, qin

‘A cedar ten thousand years old’: The Long-Duration History of the Qin
Bo Lawergren 勞鎛

Mist on the Rivers Xiao and Xiang (Xiāo Xiāng Shue yún, 瀟湘水雲)
Innocent Seagulls (Ōu Lù Wàng Jī, 鷗鷺忘機)
Pei-you Chang 張培幼, qin

Han Credentials (Hànjié Cāo, 漢節操)
John Thompson 唐世璋, qin

INTERMISSION

Qin Love Songs:
Song of the Qin (Guqin Yin, 古琴吟)
Immortal of the Magpie Bridge (Quèqiáo Xiān, 鵲橋仙)
Cry of the Ospreys (Guan Jū，關雎)
Mingmei Yip葉明媚, metal-string qin

Modern Qin:
Tears for Yan Hui (Qì Yán Huí, 泣顏回)
Jade Tower in Spring Morning (Yù Lóu Chūnxiao, 玉樓春曉)
Stephen Dydo戴德, metal-string qin

Spring Water on Rocks (Shí Shàng Liú Quán, 石上流泉)
Stephen Dydo 戴德, electric qin

Music from the Spiritual Mists of China: the Qin

2006-05-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

The New York Qin Society is giving its annual public performance event on June 4th at 5:00 pm. It will be held at Renee Weiler Concert Hall, Greenwich House Music School, 46 Barrow Street, NYC. Select members will play ancient and more recent music on the qin; this will be complemented by short discussions of some of the more intriguing aspects of the instrument and its culture. Admission is $15, or $10 for students and seniors. For further information, call (888) 414-SING or email: info@newyorkqin.org.

The qin (pronounced “chin”; also guqin, “ancient qin”) is a seven-stringed zither played with silk or metal strings and has been associated with self-cultivation and Chinese art, literature and philosophy since the time of Confucius. Familiar to many Westerners through the movie Hero, it nonetheless remains little known, even in China. Its performance tradition dates back to China’s classic era and is transmitted to us partly by oral tradition and through mastery of a detailed and unique notation that has been in use for over a millennium.

Participants will include noted scholars as well as performers. Mingmei Yip, a qin player, calligrapher, and artist with an international reputation, received the first doctorate in qin studies from a Western university, and has written two books and numerous articles on the qin. Bo Lawergren is an expert in Asian instruments and has contributed over 50 articles to journals all over the world. Marilyn Wong-Gleysteen is an art historian now concentrating on music and the arts related to the qin and its performance. John Thompson, who has played qin since 1974, reconstructs and performs early qin music; he has made 7 CDs and his website, www.silkqin.com , is perhaps the richest online English-language qin resource. Peiyou Chang performs regularly on the qin and maintains an English and Chinese website devoted to the qin at guqin.tcfb.com. Stephen Dydo is currently president of the NYQS; an accomplished performer, he has also composed qin music and has built several instruments.

The New York Qin Society is the only organization on the East Coast devoted to the qin. NYQS was formed in 2000 by a group of musicians, artists, writers and Sinologists to explore and enjoy the music and culture of the qin. Although its initial focus was the education and enjoyment of its membership, it began to give public events in 2001. Since that time, it has held performances in various venues on the East Coast. The June 4th performance inaugurates a partnership with Greenwich House Music School (website at www.gharts.org ), which has been serving New Yorkers since 1905.

來自中國的天籟之音 — 古琴

紐約琴社將於六月四日週日下午五點在曼哈頓Greenwich House音樂學院的Renee Weiler 音樂廳 (46 Barrow Street, NYC)舉辦年度古琴音樂講座, 討論此一鮮為人知的中國傳統古典樂器之概論及其文化, 並有古琴演奏. 講座入場費15.00元,學生及高齡市民10.00元, 詳情請電(888)414-7464或電子郵箱: info@newyorkqin.org

琴(古琴)又稱七弦琴, 是中國最古老的彈弦樂器. 琴上配以絲弦或尼龍鋼弦. 長久以來與中國文人,藝術,儒學,以及個人修身養性之文化習習相關. 最近因”英雄”這部電影而為西方人漸所熟悉. 古琴之彈奏自古經由師承口述,及其獨特的文字譜,得以傳承至今歷數千年.

參與此次古琴音樂講座之演講者及演出者包括: 葉明媚女士,巴黎大學民族音樂學博士,葉女士在古琴界享有國際知名度,並是一位書法家及畫家,出版過兩本古琴專書及許多相關文章. 勞鎛先生,是一位音樂考古學家,特專注於亞洲古樂器之研究,並發表過五十多篇樂史學專論於國際間. 王妙蓮女士,是一位藝術史學家,現專注於古琴相關藝術與古琴音樂的研究與彈奏. 唐世璋先生,自1974年開始彈奏古琴及從事打譜之研究工作,亦在古琴界享有國際知名度並已出版七張CD,他的英文古琴網 www.silkqin.com 包羅了非常詳盡的古琴相關資訊. 張培幼女士,參與多次古琴演奏於紐約,台北及中國, 並建立了一個古琴網站 guqin.tcfb.com 欲將古琴藝術推廣到世界各地. 戴德先生,是現任紐約琴社社長,參與多次古琴演奏於歐美間. 他不僅從事古琴音樂創作並也斲製了幾床古琴.

紐約琴社,是目前美東唯一的古琴文化組織, 由古琴家袁中平先生及一群音樂家,藝術家,作家,及漢學家共同創立於2000年. 雖然其創立初衷原為教育及社員間的雅集,但自2001年起,紐約琴社開始舉辦公開的音樂會及相關文化講座於美東各地. 六月四日的古琴音樂講座將是紐約琴社與成立自1905年的Greenwich House音樂學院首次合作. Greenwich House音樂學院網址為 www.greenwichhouse.org/music.htm 交通請見以下網址 www.greenwichhouse.org/directions.htm

Feb 19, 2006 NYQS meets at Weehawken NJ

2006-02-20T08:36:00.000-08:00

Official meeting.

2006-02-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

Rembrandt talks about the Europe qin event.

2006-02-20T08:30:00.000-08:00

Stephen prepares to play his electric qin. The sound of electric qin is like using fretless guitar to play qin music.

2006-02-20T08:25:00.001-08:00

Peiyou transfer the treasure report to Matthew.

2006-02-20T08:25:00.000-08:00

Jung Ping in the Ankasas campas newspaper. -- Seven-string fretless calligraphy.

2006-02-20T08:23:00.000-08:00

Mingmei, Peiyou and Stephen.

2006-02-20T08:22:00.000-08:00

Peiyou and Stephen.

2006-02-20T08:18:00.000-08:00

Alen's Wangpeng qin with silk strings. It has faux duanwen.