Chinese Dulcimer Concert

Award-winning artist Ariane Kuo will perform three pieces of different genres on the yangqin, or Chinese hammered dulcimer. Then, Kuo will explain how the instrument works.

Dance of the Golden Snake (金蛇狂舞) composed by Nie, Er (聂耳)
This popular and cheerful piece of Chinese folk music (民族樂曲) can often be heard at festivals and events, especially at New Year, and it was used as the opening and closing theme for the Beijing Olympics in 2008.

Dragon Boat (龍船) composed by Tian, Kejian (田克儉)
The dragon boat race event is a popular sport in Southeast Asia, traditionally during the annual Duanwu Festival. The musical piece, which in the Guangdong (廣州) genre, captures perfectly the excitement of a dragon boat race from beginning to end.

Spring at Red River (紅河的春天) composed by Liú, Xī Shèng (劉希勝) and Lǐ, Háng Tāo (李航濤)
As the title suggests, this work, in the musical genre of Yún Nán (雲南), focuses on the scenery and the culture during springtime at the Honghe (Red River). What makes the piece so special is the way the instrument imitates the sound of water, ranging from waterdrops to a waterfall. In between, you can hear the singing of people native to the region, with its culturally distinct melody, rhythm, and style.

With over 15 years of experience in the instrument, Ariane Kuo was classically trained in Taiwan and continued her studies in the US with award-winning yangqin teacher, Liqun Li. Her awards include the CCTV Eastern Region Chinese Folk Instrumental competition and Youth Poetry in Silk and Bamboo concert. In addition, she was the gold medalist for the 2010 Chinese Instrumental International Competition World Cup.

This program is part of #HRMLunarNewYear.

Presented by the OCA.