News and Events

Download the exam and competiton guidelines here.

Click on the images below to view the full posters:

Fees

• Package 1 (workshops, lunchtime concert, masterclasses): £415 (£375 concessions)
• Package 2 (all of the above, plus tickets to all concerts): £440 (£395)
• Summer school classes only (4 or 5 days flat rate): £395 (£360)
• Summer school classes only (3 days or fewer): £270 (one flat rate, no further discounts)
• Masterclasses only: £32 each
• Exams: (£85 per grade; max. two grades for £170) (China-UK dual credit), competition: £60/item, both: £120 (one grade, £190 for two grades)
• Instrument hire per day: £12 (large instruments), £7 (small instruments)
• Cambridge Concert: £15 (£10)
• Covent Garden Concert: free
• Lutes of the Silk Road Concert: £18 (£12)
• Gala Concert: £18 (£12)
• Showcase Concert: £15 (£10)

Concessions/LYQS paid-up members £10% discount (except for the grading exams and competition).

Registration and booking

Download the registration form here.

Concert tickets:

1. Cambridge concert: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2024-concert-1-cambridge-concert-st-giles-church-tickets-934590674867?aff=ebdsoporgprofile
2. Lutes of the Silk Road: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2024-concert-3-lutes-of-the-silk-road-concert-bglt-soas-tickets-934597134187
3. Gala Concert: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2024-concert-4-gala-concert-holy-sepulchre-church-holborn-tickets-927888789347
4. Showcase Concert: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2024-concert-5-festival-showcase-concert-soas-tickets-927893022007

A small number of concert tickets may be available at the door, depending on EB sales.

Yaji tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2024-lyqs-guqin-yaji-tickets-927895539537

Masterclass/workshop tickets:

1. Introduction to erhu, guzheng and Chinese winds: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2024-introduction-to-erhu-guzheng-and-chinese-winds-workshop-tickets-948112438827
2. Lutes of the Silk Road (same URL as for the concert): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2024-concert-3-lutes-of-the-silk-road-concert-bglt-soas-tickets-934597134187
3. Guqin zither masterclass: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2024-guqin-masterclass-with-li-pengpeng-tickets-948106109897








Silk String Quartet in Farnham, Surrey - 22 June 2024

The Silk String Quartet (SSQ) will perform an unusual concert in Farnham, Surry: An East Meets West soundscape. Our Chinese Strings will play with SMA‘s (Surrey Music Academy) String Quartet as well as with its youth choir to perform new works including Molihua (Jasmine Flower) arranged by Cheng Yu.

The concert will feature the acclaimed piece "One Undivided" composed by the talented composer Sun Keting, which was previously performed by SSQ in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). Join us for this unique opportunity to experience an intriguing sound world in an intimate setting.

Featuring: Silk String Quartet and SMA Faculty team, FYC Junior Choir and SMA Three Counties String Orchestra.

Join us for an evening of unparalleled musical artistry. This is a rare chance to witness a world-class performance in Farnham. We hope to see you there.

Date
Saturday, 22 June 2024

Venue
Spire Church,
Farnham, Surrey
Spain





Cheng Yu performance in Madrid, Spain - 1 December 2023

Cheng Yu was invited to by Orquesta Sinfónica y Coro RTVE and the Chinese Embassy in Spain to perform a special concert on 1st December at the Teatro Momumental in Madrid to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Spain and China’s diplomatic relations.

Date
Friday, 1 December 2023

Venue
Teatro Momumental,
Madrid,
Spain





London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 11 November, 2023

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its 125th yaji meeting on Saturday 11 November. It will be held in person only at SOAS in central London.

The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its door not only to members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to or playing music.

Feel free to bring an instrument to play (qins will be available) or material to perform.

If you plan to attend, please register on Eventbrite, not later than Thursday 9 November, via this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lyqs-in-person-november-2023-yaji-tickets-712974535027?aff=ebdsoporgprofile.

Date/time: Saturday, 11 November 2023

1:00 pm

Venue:
Room: B403

SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.

Click on the left-hand image below to view the full poster:






Cheng Yu to play Robert van Gulik's guqin and pipa at Bonhams - 30 October 2023

This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear a live recital featuring Robert Hans van Gulik’s 17th-century guqin and pipa, performed by renowned musicians Dr Cheng Yu (guqin zither and pipa lute) and Dennis Kwong Thye Lee (xiao flute).The programme includes seven traditional Chinese melodies.

Date/time
Monday, 30 October 2023, 5:30-7:30pm

Venue
Bonhams New Bond Street
101 New Bond Street
London
W1S 1SR

Booking

The event is free but booking is required. Please click the link to register: https://rsvp.theworldsbest.events/_o3xz0.






Cheng Yu to perform at the International Musical Instrument Museum, Germany - 13 October 2023

Cheng Yu has been invited to give a recital on the pipa at the International Musical Instrument Museum in Markneukirchen, Germany. The recital will take place at 5 pm on Friday 13 October.

Date/time
Friday, 13 October 2023, 5pm

Venue
International Musical Instrument Museum,
Markneukirchen,
Germany





Cheng Yu pipa and guqin solo recital at the British Museum - 29 September 2023

29 September 2023 - In: zither, Chinese Music , UKCM, The British Museum, Guqin Cheng Yu has been invited to perform a solo recital on the pipa and guqin at the British Museum to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival. 感谢大英博物馆的邀请, 我将在佳节之际的9月29号为大家献上一场琵琶/古琴音乐会. 这是续我乐团“晚清百态”开幕式等数场演出后的又一次出演国乐. 此次活动是免费的. 还有中秋故事和月饼. 位置有限, 尽早注册

Date/time
Friday, 29th September 2023, 5:30-8:30pm

Venue
Gallery 33, The British Museum

Booking

The event is free. Click on the image below to enlarge the poster, then scan the QR code and click the link to register.






Chinese instrumental music online and in-person classes - 3 October to 17 December 2023

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers. This time classes will be available both online via Zoom and in person at the Fo Guang Shan Temple. The Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, it has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

We are also offering calligraphy beginners' classes.

Group course fees 学费

Chinese music Beginners 初级班: £264 for 11 sessions
Chinese music Intermediate and Advanced 中/高级: £319 for 11 sessions
10% discount for members, students and concessions. 受10%学费优惠 (欲加入会员者， 联系我们）。

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 学费包括提供电子教材，并有部分乐器可以出租和购买, 会员享。
Class size is limited 位置有限.

One-to-one classes

One-to-one classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng, dizi/xiao and hulusi. 一对一课程， 全年开课，针对各种程度和以上各种乐器，时间灵活，请询问。

One-to-one course fees

Beginners: 11 weekly lessons £495 for 11 sessions at £45 per hour
All higher levels: 11 weekly lessons £550 for 11 sessions at £50 per hour
10% discount for members, students and concessions. 受10%学费优惠 (欲加入会员者， 联系我们）。

One-to-two course fees

£385 for 11 sessions at £35 per hour

Details of classes

For the timings of online and in-person group classes, please download the appropriate information sheet below.

Download the information sheet for ONLINE courses here.

Download the information sheet for IN-PERSON courses at Foguang Shan Temple here.

Download the registration form here.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: jenny244266

Phone: 07786860954







London International Chinese Music Festival 20-27 August 2023

We are pleased to announce that the 2023 London International Chinese Music Festival this summer (21-27 August) is open for registration. This special event is 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 will feature 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.

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 has been extended to an unprecedented scale and will include:

• 5-full-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
• LYQS' 20th Anniversary yaji gathering
• 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, Goldsmiths

Venue: Goldsmiths, University of London, 8 Lewisham Way, London SE14 6NW

The 5-full-day summer school will comprise classes on the guqin, guzheng, pipa, erhu, dizi and xiao as well as supplementary ensemble and singing/choir classes. It will provide a rare opportunity for anyone in the UK and overseas to learn and understand more about traditional Chinese music and instruments. It will combine group classes, one-to-one sessions, talks and demonstrations, and is open to participants with little or no experience as well as to those at an advanced level.

In the advanced guqin classes, one or more of the following pieces will be 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.

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).
2pm, 24 Aug., Masterclass by Cao Yuanyuan on the guzheng.


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 will comprise 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 will be “New Directions in Guqin Music, Art, and Culture”. The deadline for submission of papers has now passed. See 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 will provide 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

With a two-in-one certificate recognised in China and the UK, and a competition prize/participation certificate.

Venue: SOAS, University of London, WC1H OXG

A new aspect of this Festival is that for the first time we will be carrying out grading exams on various Chinese instruments, in partnership with SOAS in London and China’s leading authority in music grading, the China National Orchestra Society (CNOS). The exams will provide 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 will have 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 competiton guidelines here.

Fees

• Cost for the full Festival, to include summer school, master classes, talks, conference and Saturday concert at SOAS: £495
• Summer school only: £390
  • 3 days (minimum – shorter stays will be charged at 3 days): £250
  • Participants are encouraged to sit in on sessions for other instruments
• Guqin Conference only (2 days): £70
• Masterclass by Prof. Li Fengyun (guqin) only: £30 (non-Festival participants).
• Masterclass by Prof. Wang Jianxin (xiao and xun) only: £30 (non-Festival participants).
• Masterclass by Cao Yuanyuan (guqin) only: £30 (non-Festival participants).
• Cambridge concert (Sun 20th): £15 (£12 concessions). Booking via EB.
• London main concert (Tues 22nd): £20 (£15 concessions). Booking via EB.
• London lunchtime concert (Fri 25th): Free. Booking via EB.
• Showcase concert (Sat 26th, at SOAS): Included in package price for Festival participants; non-Festival participants £15 (£12 concessions). Booking via EB.
• Instrument hire (per day): Guqin/guzheng/pipa: £12.
• Instrument hire (per day): all other instruments: £6.
• yaji elegant gathering (Sunday 27th). Free. Booking via EB.
• Grading exams/competitions: £75 (exam only), £55 (competition only); £95 (both)

LYQS paid-up members and concessions: 10% discount.

Registration and booking

Download the registration form here.

Tickets for the concerts and yaji gathering are booked online via Eventbrite (EB).

Concert tickets:

1. Cambridge: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-concert-1-trinity-college-chapel-cambridge-tickets-640465187617
2. London main: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-concert-2-holy-sepulchre-church-holborn-london-tickets-640471285857
3. London lunchtime (free): https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-concert-3-lunchtime-free-st-pauls-covent-garden-london-tickets-640473512517
4. London Showcase: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-concert-4-participants-showcase-soas-london-tickets-640474024047

A small number of concert tickets may be available at the door, depending on EB sales.

Masterclass tickets:

1. Guqin masterclass with Prof. Li Fengyun: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-guqin-masterclass-with-li-fengyun-tickets-640479921687
2. Chinese flute s/ocarina masterclass with Prof. Wang Jianxin: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-chinese-wind-masterclass-with-wang-jianxin-tickets-640480834417
3. Guzheng masterclass with Cao Yuanyuan: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-guzheng-masterclass-with-can-yuanyuan-tickets-695869322877

Yaji tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-lyqs-20th-anniversary-grand-guqin-yaji-tickets-678542357457

If you are attending the conference only, you can book via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/licmf-2023-2nd-london-international-guqin-conference-tickets-632642469657

Press report

On 9 July, Chinanews.com published a report about the Festival. An English translation and the original Chinese text are available here.








Composition for the pipa: premiere - 28 July 2023

After six months of workshops with five selected young composers, plus two days of audio and video recordings in Manchester, the project "Composition for the Pipa" has been successfully completed. Three male and two female composers have composed five modern pieces for Cheng Yu's 4-string and 5-string pipas, each with different and challenging styles. The works were composed by James Batty, Kiko Shao, Harriet Grainger, Sam Gooderham and Jake Adams and performed by Cheng Yu on -4 and 5-stringed pipas. The official release of these new works will be on 28 July at 8 pm on YouTube. This innovative project is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and organised by the Manchester City Contemporary Orchestra's Psappha Ensemble.

p>The premiere performance can be heard on Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/@PsapphaEnsemble.

Time: Friday 28 July, 8 pm

Click on the images below to enlarge:






Cheng Yu, Dennis Lee played duets and solos inspired by the ‘China’s Hidden Century” exhibition - 26 June 2023

After the performance at the opening of the extraordinary exhibition “China’s Hidden Century” at the British Museum by our Silk String Quartet, Dr. Cheng Yu and Dennis Lee played a selection of duets and solos from the Qing dynasty, inspired by the current exhibition. Their instruments were actually featured in the exhibition.

Date: 6 June 2023

Venue: The British Museum

Click on the images below to enlarge:






The Silk String Quartet performed at the opening of the China’s Hidden Century Exhibition at the British Museum - 17 May 2023

The award-winning Silk String Quartet was invited by the British Museum to perform at the opening of this extraordinary exhibition. "China’s Hidden Century" is the first to showcase the spirit and creativity of nineteenth century China. The project was four years in the making and involved a network of over one hundred scholars from across fourteen countries. The aim was to try and understand the experiences of individuals living through a period of tumultuous change that included both a civil war and the Opium Wars. UK Chinese Music will provide musicians for several performances during this 5-month exhibition including at the British Museum on 26th June.

Date
17 May 2023, 8:00 pm

Venue
The British Museum, London

Further informtion about the exhibition
https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/introduction-19th-century-china .

Click on the images below to enlarge:






Every Dollar is a Soldier - multimedia show - 24-25 March 2023

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble's "Digital Culture" project "Every dollar is a soldier/ with money you’re a dragon", which was awarded a grant by Arts Council England, will be premiered live at London's elegant Two Temple Place this weekend. It is a contemporary work combing spoken word, electronic and acoustic music in a multimedia presentation. Music performed by An-Ting Chan, Cheng Yu (pipa) and Wang Xiao (erhu). Part of the Kakilang Festival 2023.

Date
Friday 24 and Saturday 25 March 2023, 8:00 pm

Venue
2 Temple Place, Temple, London WC2R 3BD

Details and booking
https://https://www.kakilang.org.uk/every-dollar-live .

Click on the images below to enlarge:






Chinese instrumental music online and in-person classes - 17 April to 7 July 2023

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers. This time classes will be available both online via Zoom and in person at the Fo Guang Shan Temple. The Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, it has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

We are also offering calligraphy beginners' classes.

Group course fees 学费

Chinese music Beginners 初级班: £242 for 11 sessions
Chinese music Intermediate and Advanced 中/高级: £275 for 11 sessions
Calligraphy Beginners 初级班: £132 for 6 sessions
10% discount for members, students and concessions. 受10%学费优惠 (欲加入会员者， 联系我们）。

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 学费包括提供电子教材，并有部分乐器可以出租和购买, 会员享。
Class size is limited 位置有限.

One-to-one classes

One-to-one classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng, dizi/xiao and hulusi. 一对一课程， 全年开课，针对各种程度和以上各种乐器，时间灵活，请询问。

One-to-one course fees

Beginners (levels 0-3): 11 weekly lessons £440 for 11 sessions at £40 per hour
All higher levels: 11 weekly lessons £495 for 11 sessions at £45 per hour
6 1-to-1 calligraphy classes £240 at £40/hour
10% discount for members, students and concessions. 受10%学费优惠 (欲加入会员者， 联系我们）。

One-to-two course fees

£330 for 11 sessions at £30 per hour

Details of classes

For the timings of online and in-person group classes, please download the appropriate information sheet below.

Download the information sheet for IN-PERSON courses at Foguang Shan Temple here.

Download the information sheet for ONLINE courses here.

Download the poster for Chinese music classes here.

Download the poster for calligraphy classes here.

Download the registration form here.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: jenny244266

Phone: 07786860954







London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 11 March, 2023

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its 122nd yaji meeting on Saturday 11 March, in person at SOAS in central London. The theme of the yaji will be "sights and sounds of spring" 鶯啼燕語.

The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its door not only to members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to or playing music.

Feel free to bring an instrument to play (qins will be available) or material to perform.

If you plan to attend, please register on Eventbrite, not later than Monday 6 March, via this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lyqs-hybrid-march-yaji-2023-tickets-549607509857.

If you plan to play a piece, please let us know which piece you will play, not later than Monday 6 March.

Date/time: Saturday, 11 March 2023

1:00 pm

Venue:
Room B103, Brunei Gallery

SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.





Chinese New Year Show, Ipswich - 18 February 2023

Dr Cheng Yu will perform at the Chinese New Year show.

Date
Saturday, 18 February 2023, 7:00 pm

Venue
Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich.

Details and booking
https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk .

Click on the image below to enlarge the poster.






Chinese New Year Culture Show, Watford - 29 January 2023

Members of the UK Chinese Ensemble will perform at the Chinese New Year Culture show.

Date
Sunday, 29 January 2023, 6:00 pm

Venue
Watford Palace Theatre, Watford, London.

Details and booking
https://www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk .

BOX OFFICE: 01923 225671

Click on the images below to enlarge the posters.



Click on the image below to enlarge the poster.






LYQS to perform in Chinese New Celebrations at the New Theatre, Oxford - 29 January 2023

As part of the Oxford Chinese Scholars and Students Association's celebrations for the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, members of the London Youlan Qin Society will perform at the New Theatre, Oxford.

Date/time
Sunday 29 January 2023, 7 pm

Venue
New Theatre,
24-26 George St.
Oxford OX1 2AG

Click on the image below to enlarge the poster.






UKCE and LYQS to perform in Chinese New Celebrations at Christie's in London - 25 January 2023

As part of celebrations for the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, members of UK Chinese Music and the London Youlan Qin Society, led by Dr Cheng Yu, will perform at Christie's Lates.

Date/time
Wednesday 25 January 2023, 6 pm

Venue
Christie's

8 King Street, St. James's
London WC2N 5DN

Further information and booking

https://www.christies.com/events/christies-lates-london-year-of-the-rabbit/about.

Click on the image below to enlarge the poster.






LYQS performance in Chinese New Celebrations at Trafalgar Square - 22 January 2023

As part of celebrations for the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit, members of the London Youlan Qin Society performed at Trafalgar Square.

Date/time
Sunday 22 January 2023, 2-6 pm

Venue
Trafalgar Square
London WC2N 5DN

Click on the images below to see the full photo.






Christmas charity concert at Holy Sepulchre Church, London - 4 December 2022

Members of the UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society gave two performances as part of a Christmas charity concert at the Holy Sepulchre Church, London.






Performance with Lang Lang at the Albert Hall - 24 October 2022

UK Chinese Ensemble erhu player Wang Xiao performed the Mulan theme song "Reflection" with pianist Lang Lang and the Royal Philharmonic Concert orchestra in a concert celebrating 100 years of Disney. The UK Chinese Ensemble have performed with Lang Lang several times in the past.

Date
Monday 24 October 2022, 7:30 pm

Venue
The Albert Hall, London.






Cheng Yu performance with the Luxembourg Orchestra Philharmonique conducted by Tan Dun in Luxemburg - 21 October 2022

Cheng Yu has been invited by Luxembourg Orchestra Philharmonique du Luxembourg to play at the Orchestre Philharmonique Concert Hall. A special programme features Tan Dun (conductor), Jörgen van Rijen (trombone) with the orchestra and Cheng Yu's pipa and guqin performance.

Dates
Friday 21 October 2022, 7:00 pm

Details and booking
https://www.philharmonie.lu/en/programm/tan-dun-jorgen-van-rijen-opl/4139 .






Cheng Yu at the Lancaster Music Festival Festival - 14-16 October 2022

Cheng Yu, with violinist Laure Chan and pianist Li Siqian, will play a variety of solo (14 October) and duo shows, and a trio concert entitled "Song from Home" (Sat 15 October 10pm) at various venues at the Lancaster Music Festival 2022. Cheng Yu will also work with the More Music Chinese Ensemble to deliver a masterclass and a performance on 16th October.

Dates
Friday 14 to Sunday 16 October 2022

Details of individual performances, workshops and venues are at: https://lancastermusicfestival.com/acts.html#acts-website/artist-details/63223ca8f72fc10021bfaa15/.

Booking


Tickets are available from: https://lancastermusicfestival.com/book.html.






Chinese Instrumental Music Online Classes - 1 October to 17 December 2022

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present online courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication.

Group online guqin classes - guqin

Beginners, taught by Elaine Yu: Wednesdays 19:30-21:00, starting 5 October
Intermediate, taught by Wencheng Zhu: Thursdays 19:30-21:00, starting 6 October
One-to-one lessons are available at all levels, intermediate/advanced taught by Dr Cheng Yu


Other online instrumental group lessons (min. 5 people, 5人以上) 其它乐器小组课

Erhu fiddle 二胡：beginners 2 初级, taught by Wang Xiao 王潇: Sundays 14:00-15:30, starting 2 October
Pipa lute 琵琶：beginners (level 0) 初级, taught by Zhang Zhuoqun 张卓群: Sundays 09:00-10:30, starting 2 October
Guzheng zither 古筝：beginners 初级, taught by Liu Zixuan: Sundays 16:00-17:30, starting 8 October
Guzheng zither 古筝：one-to-one lessons are available at all levels, intermediate/advanced taught by Jason Lau

11 weekly classes (group classes, minimum 5 participants. 小组课5位起，位置有限)。

Group course fees 学费

Beginners 初级班: £220
Intermediate and Advanced 中/高级: £275
10% discount for members, students and concessions. 受10%学费优惠 (欲加入会员者， 联系我们）。

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 学费包括提供电子教材，并有部分乐器可以出租和购买, 会员享。
Class size is limited 位置有限.

One-to-one classes

One-to-one classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng, dizi/xiao and hulusi. 一对一课程， 全年开课，针对各种程度和以上各种乐器，时间灵活，请询问。

One-to-one course fees

Beginners (levels 0-3): £40 per hour
All higher levels: £45 per hour
10% discount for members, students and concessions. 受10%学费优惠 (欲加入会员者， 联系我们）。

Location

Online, using Zoom

Further information

Download the registration form here.

Download the information sheet here.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Phone: 07786 860954







Cheng Yu and Dennis Lee to perform in Turin, Italy for Mid-Autumn Festival - 23 September 2022

As part of the Mid-autumn Festival celebrations by the Confucian Institute in Turin, Italy, in collaboration with the Unione Musicale, on 23 Sept 2022, 21:00, Cheng Yu and Dennis Lee will perform VIBRAZIONI DI SETA (Silken Vibrations) at the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatoire.

Date/time
Friday 23 September 2022, 21:00

Venue
Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi
Turin
Italy

Details are at: https://www.unionemusicale.it/.../concerto-istituto.../.

Full programme at: https://istitutoconfucio.torino.it/.../2022.09.23....

Booking


Tickets are available from: https://istitutoconfucio.torino.it/concerto_2309/.

Click on the image below to enlarge the poster.






UKCE and LYQS musicians to perform in Chinatown for Mid-Autumn Festival - 11 September 2022

Musicians from the London Youlan Qin Society and the UK Chinese Music Ensemble will perform in London's Chinatown to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

We are greatly saddened by the passing of He Majesty the Queen. During this period of mourning al events are postponed, so please note that our performance this Sunday will not take place.

Click on the image below to enlarge the poster.






East Asian Music Summer School - 23-27 August 2022

Our 5-day Asian Music Summer School was a great success, and were are delighted that we were awarded funding for it by Arts Council England. It was the 20th summer school organised by the UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society, once again in collaboration with the Asia Music Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. The theme this year was East Asian music, in recognition of the close cultural, musical and historical links between China, Japan and Korea. Participants were able to take up to two instrumental courses, and the programme was supplemented with optional cultural activities (paper cutting, calligraphy, ink-painting and yoga) and a complementary ensemble class for takers of the relevant instruments. A concert, "Sounds of East Asia", was held on the last day.

Full report

For details and photos of the summer school, please see East Asian Music Summer School.

Concert

"Sounds of East Asia": 27th August, 3;00 pm at Goldsmiths, University of London.

For the programme, video and photos please see "Sounds of East Asia".

Press report

The summer school and concert were reported in Nouvelles d'Europe (欧洲时報), September 2nd 2022.

An English translation and the original Chinese text are available here.

You can download the poster here.







UKCE and LYQS musicians perform in Chinatown for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee - 5 June 2022

Musicians from the UK Chinese Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society have been invited by the London Chinatown Chinese Association to give a number of musical performances to mark the 70th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne.

Venue: 5 Newport Place, Chinatown, London WC2H 7JN

Date: Sunday 5 June 2022, 3-6 pm

Free entry

Video highlights at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gd3b6XdBiI.



Download the poster here.




Chinese Instrumental Music Online Classes - 30 April to 15 July 2022

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present online courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication.

Group classes - guqin

Beginners, taught by Elaine Yu: Wednesdays 19:30-21:00, starting 4 May


Intermediate, taught by Jenny Zhao: Tuesdays 19:30-21:00, starting 3 May


Intermediate/Advanced, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Thursdays 19:00-20:30, starting 5 May


Other instrumental group lessons 其它乐器小组课

Erhu fiddle 二胡：Beginners 2 初级, taught by Wang Xiao 王潇: Sundays 14:00-15:30, starting 1 May

Pipa lute 琵琶：Beginners (level 0) 初级, taught by Zhang Zhuoqun 张卓群: Saturdays 09:00-10:30, starting 30 April

Pipa lute 琵琶：Intermediate (level 3) 初级, taught by Cheng Yu 程玉: Sundays 09:00-10:30, starting 1 May

Guzheng zither 古筝：Beginners 初级, taught by Liu Zixuan: Sundays 16:00-17:30, starting 1 May

Guzheng zither 古筝：Intermediate 中级, taught by Li Muqi 李牧祺: Saturdays 16:00-17:30, starting 30 April

11 weekly classes (Group classes, minimum 5 participants, 小组课5位起，位置有限).

Group course fees

Beginners: £220

Intermediate and Advanced: £275

(10% discount for members, students and concessions).

Class size is limited 位置有限.

Minimum class size: 5

Individual classes

One-to-one and one-to-two classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng, dizi/xiao and hulusi.

Individual course fees

Levels 0-3: £40 per hour

All higher levels: £45 per hour

(10% discount for members, students and concessions).

Location

Online, using Zoom

Further information

Download the registration form here.

Download the information sheet here.

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 10% discount for LYQS members.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Phone: 07786 860954







Cheng Yu and Silk Breeze to perform at WOMAD - 30 July 2022

Venue: Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire

Date: 30 July 2022


WOMAD Festival have released their final artist line-up announcement. See many amazing artists from around the world at the WOMAD festival this July 28th-31st.

Further information and booking

https://wwwwww.womad.co.uk#WOMAD2022.







UKCE and LYQS musicians perform at the British Academy - 16 June 2022

Musicians from the UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society gave a performance for the Private View of the British Academy Summer Showcase 2022.

Venue: Carlton House terrace

Date: 16 June 2022





Cheng Yu at Bristol University - 10 June 2022

Cheng Yu (pipa) and Liu Qing (erhu) gave a performance at Goldney Hall, Bristol, as part of Bristol University's Summer Concert series.

Venue: Goldney Hall, Bristol

Date: 10 June 2022





Cheng Yu and Silk Breeze at Festival de Música Antigua de Granada MAG, Granada, Spain - 17 May 2022

Venue: The Admiral Palace

Date: May 17, 8:30 pm

Cheng Yu, President of the London Youlan Qin Society, and flute player Mr. Li Guangtai performed a classical concert on May 17 at the 16th century Islamic Palacio del Almirante in the beautiful and ancient city of Grenada, Spain. The programme included the Dunhuang music and dance piece "Yu'er Gao”, meihua San Nong as a duet for qin and xiao, Pingsha Luoyan and Yu Zhou Chang Wan. The concert was sold out a week before the performance.






5th Lisbon Conference: Chinese Music and Musical Instruments - 9-10 May 2022

Cheng Yu, President of the London Youlan Qin Society, published her paper "Chinese Guqin Seeks Western Homeland – A case study of the London Youlan Qin Society" at a conference on Chinese music focussing on plucked instrumental music, held in Lisbon. Dr Cheng also played the guqin at a concert at the Mafra Palace in Lisbon, as well as a qin and flute duet with François Picard, a professor at the University of Sorbonne in Paris. The music scholars and artists present at the conference were very impressed by the development of our guqin society during the past 20 years.






UK Chinese Music Ensemble and London Youlan Qin Society at SOAS, University of London - 6 May 2022

Venue: SOAS, Russell Square, London

Date: 6 May 2022


An evening of Chinese music, hosted by SOAS Chinese Music Ensemble, featured guest artists from China Arts, the UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society.






Cheng Yu with Peter Wiegold and the Third Orchestra - 5 May 2022

Venue: Grand Junction, St Mary Magdalene Church, Puttington, London

Date: 5 May 2022, 8 pm


Cheng Yu worked with Peter Wiegold on a new piece on the pipa with The Third Orchestra. It was premièred 5th May at Grand Junction.

Further information

https://grandjunction.org.uk/events/the-third-orchestra.






Cheng Yu at the Surge Festival Birmingham - 23 April 2022

Venue: Surge Festival, Birmingham

Date: 23 April 2022


Cheng Yu and Liu Qing played a duo set, performing their take on traditional Chinese music, and performed with the Surge Orchestra as special guests.

Further information

https://macbirmingham.co.uk/surge-in-spring-v.






UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for "Dr Who" - 21 April 2022

Broadcast date: 21 April 2022


Musicians from the UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for a a special episode "Legend of The Sea Devils" of the BBC TV programme "Dr Who". The music was composed by Segun Akinola.




LYQS musicians at Spring Charity Concert with the Divine Melody Choir - 2 April 2022

Six musicians from the the London Youlan Qin Society will perform at a charity concert in support of Rethink Mental Illness, organised by the Divine Melody Choir.

Venue:

Date: Saturday 2 April 2022, 19:00


Further information and booking

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/spring-concert-a-charity-concert-tickets-288960457507.

Download the QR codes for booking here.

Download the poster here.




RISK concert at Rich Mix, London - 5 March 2022

Cheng Yu will feature with Madagascan singer songwriter Modeste Hugues, multi-instrumentalist Charlie Cawood and poet James Goodman.

Date: 5 March 2022, 7:00 pm


Venue
Rich Mix，
35-47 Bethnal Green Road,
London E1 6LA

Tickets
6 or more: £12.50 each, 4-5: £14.40 each, 1-3: £17.50 each.
To book please visit: richmix.org.uk/events/risk-music-words-serendipity/
£17.50 at the door.

For more information, please visit https://richmix.org.uk/whats-on/events/music. https://facebook.com/events/s/risk-music-spoken-word-serendi/344007577594047/.






UK Chinese Music Ensemble at the Confucius Institute, Aberdeen University - 22 February 2022

We are pleased to be in residence at the Confucius Institute, Aberdeen University in Scotland to give a Spring Concert at The Tivoli Theatre, a splendid 16th century building. Our musicians will also deliver a series of workshops on Chinese music to local communities, schools and at the University.

Date: 22 February 2022 7:30 pm


Venue: Tivoli Theatre, Aberdeen

Tickets: £13.50

For further information and tickets please visit: aberdeenperformingarts.com






Cheng Yu at Central Hall, Westminster - 5 February 2022 2022

VenueCentral Hall, Westminster, London

Date: 5 February 2022


Cheng Yu was invited by the Eurasia Symphony Orchestra to play the pipa. It was an interesting and different concert and very well received, to a full house. This was an unusual project The Gathering of the Birds” by the Sufi Attar; a metaphorical journey of self-discovery represented by various birds in search of their King. Each bird was represented by a different instrument from a different culture, including Indian, Arabic, Armenian, Turkish and Persian. Our Chinese pipa and erhu represented the phoenix. The music was complemented by narration and animations.






Chinese Instrumental Music Online Classes - 10 January to 27 March 2022

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present online courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication.

Group classes - guqin

Beginners, taught by Elaine Yu: Wednesdays 19:30-21:00, starting 12 January


Intermediate, taught by Jenny Zhao: Tuesdays 19:30-21:00, starting 11 January


Intermediate/Advanced, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Thursdays 19:00-20:30, starting 13 January


Other instrumental group lessons 其它乐器小组课

Erhu fiddle 二胡：Beginners 2 初级, taught by Wang Xiao 王潇: Sundays 14:00-15:30, starting 16 January

Pipa lute 琵琶：Beginners 初级, taught by Cheng Yu, 程玉: Saturdays 09:00-10:30, starting 15 January

Guzheng zither 古筝：Beginners 初级, taught by Wang Jiahe 王嘉禾: Sundays 16:00-17:30, starting 16 January

Guzheng zither 古筝：Intermediate 中级, taught by Li Muqi 李牧祺: Saturdays 16:00-17:30, starting 15 January

Dizi bamboo flute 笛箫：Beginners 初级, taught by Hu Ruijun 胡瑞君： Mondays 19:00-20:30, Starting 10 January

Course fees

Beginners: £200

Intermediate and Advanced: £250

(10% discount for members, students and concessions).

Class size is limited 位置有限.

Minimum class size: 5

One-to-one and one-to-two classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng, dizi/xiao and hulusi.

Location

Online, using Zoom

Further information

Download the registration form here.

Download the information sheet here.

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 10% discount for LYQS members.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Phone: 07786 860954







Cheng Yu: pipa and guqin online live streaming concert Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham - 14 November 2021

Cheng Yu was invited to perform for the Celebrating Sanctuary Birmingham Autumn Bitesize concert series, supported by Arts Council England. She played a selection of traditional and modern pieces on the pipa lute and guqin zither with bamboo flute player Dennis Lee.

The concert is now available to watch on youYube at youtube.com/watch?v=f8SEfJp-boI






The Silk and Bamboo Ensemble at the Vaults Theatre, London - 10 October 2021

To mark Global Mental Health day, an evening of traditional Chinese, Gospel and Harp music. Blending uplifting cultural music of prominent communities of Southwark (African and Chinese) therapeutic to one's mental health. All profits will be donated to Hackney Chinese Community Services to support their culturally appropriate community mental health service to Mandarin, Cantonese and English speakers in the UK.

Date: 10 October 2021 7:00 pm


Venue: The Vaults Theatre, Waterloo, London

Tickets: £10

For tickets please visit: tomiwaholistic.live/mentalhealth



For more information, please download the full-sized poster here.




CD recording of the van Gulik/Picken guqin "Longyin" released - 24 September 2021

Cheng Yu plays the original 1936 van Gulik-Picken guqin, with Dennis Lee on xiao flute. This cherished guqin, steeped in history, was formerly owned by two of the world's greatest 20th century sinologists, Robert Hans van Gulik and Laurence Picken. The feeling of antiquity is further heightened as these well-known guqin classics are played on original silk strings dating back to the 1930s.

Track list

For sound samples and a short video, please visit https://smarturl.it/longyin/.






Chinese Instrumental Music Online Classes - 29 September to 20 December 2021

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present online courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication.

Group classes - guqin

Complete beginners, taught by Elaine Yu: Wednesdays 19:30-21:00, starting 29 September


Beginners levels 1-2, taught by Jenny Zhao: Mondays 19:30-21:00, starting 4 October


Intermediate, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Thursdays 19:00-20:30, starting 30 September


Other instrumental group lessons 其它乐器小组课

Erhu fiddle 二胡：Beginners 2 初级, taught by Wang Xiao 王潇: Sundays 14:00-15:30, starting 3 October 

Pipa lute 琵琶：Beginners 初级, taught by Zhang Zhuoqun, 张卓群: Fridays 19:00-20:30, starting 1 October 

Guzheng zither 古筝：Beginners 初级, taught by Wang Jiahe 王嘉禾: Sundays 16:00-17:30, starting 3 October 

Guzheng zither 古筝：Intermediate 中级, taught by Li Muqi 李牧祺: Saturdays 16:00-17:30, starting 2 October

Dizi bamboo flute 笛箫：Beginners 初级, taught by Hu Ruijun 胡瑞君： Mondays 19:00-20:30, Starting 4 October

Course fees

Beginners: £240

Intermediate: £300

(10% discount for members, students and concessions).

Class size is limited 位置有限.

Minimum class size: 5

One-to-one and one-to-two classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng, dizi/xiao and hulusi.

Location

Online, using Zoom

Further information

Download the registration form here.

Download the information sheet here.

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 10% discount for LYQS members.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Phone: 07786 860954







Cheng Yu - "Sound of Silk" - guqin and pipa concert, London - 23 September 2021

In this concert, Tangram Voices #4, organised by Tangram, Cheng Yu showcased both her 4- and 5-stringed pipa as well as old silk stringed and modern guqins. She brought together at Rich Mix brilliant musicians from China and the West including Colin Alexander, Reylon Yount, Dennis Lee, Rowan Jones and our Silk String Quartet. The programme spanned the 15th century to the present day, including classic pieces such as "Ambushed on All sides", "Flowing Water" and "Harmony Between Gods and Man". There were premières of new works: Alex Ho’s "Silk and Paper" for the Silk String Quartet, the Belgian composer Johan Famaey‘s "The Last Lord Li", and Cheng Yu’s "Dream Butterfly" - with all the musicians.

For part of the programme, Cheng Yu played the guqin once owned by Robert Van Gulik and Laurence Picken, two of the greatest sinologists of the 20th Century, fitted with original silk strings made in the 1930’s.

Date: 23 September 2021 7:00 pm


Venue: Rich Mix，
35-47 Bethnal Green Road,
London E1 6LA

For tickets please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sound-of-silk-cheng-yu-pipa-and-guqin-concert-tickets-168351942191






Cheng Yu with Silk Breeze at the Willowbrook Arts Festival - 7-8 August 2021

Cheng Yu, a renowned pipa lute and guqin zither virtuoso, ethnomusicologist, and former soloist in China’s Central Orchestra of Chinese Music, performs extensively in the UK and Europe and recently featured on BBC Radio 3's Late Junction and Music Planet. In 2020, Cheng Yu was one of the 8 artists invited by WOMAD to perform a new ‘360° Immersive Sound’ live-streamed concert during the Covid period, and has performed at Chinese Arts Now and at the WOMAD Festival 2021. Here she performs with her Silk Breeze group to present a soundscape of traditional and contemporary Chinese music.

Date: 7-8 August 2021


Tickets: sold out






Cheng Yu on internet radio station Classical Turquoise - 20 July 2021

Laure Chan presents special guest Cheng Yu’s music and interview on the internet radio programme Classical and Beyond.

The programme will feature a selection of Cheng Yu’s music including solo pieces on the pipa lute and guqin zither, plus a selection of ensemble pieces from the Silk String Quartet, Silk and Bamboo Ensemble and Silk Breeze. Special mention must be made of a distinctive solo guqin piece (6 below) using silk strings, once owned by Robert Van Gulik and Laurence Picken, two of the 20th century’s most influential sinologists.

Date: Tuesday 20 July 2021, 18:00. The programme will be available for approximately one month afterwards.


To listen, go to: https://www.classicalturquoise.com/ and scroll down to TODAY'S SCHEDULE. You will need to download the free app.

The programme will include:

1. Waterscape Silhouette 水乡剪影 – Silk String Quartet, by Mo Fan 2003
2. Flowing Water 流水 – guqin, xiao flute and cello
3. Dance of the Yi People 彝族舞曲 – pipa solo, 1965 composed by Wang Huiran
4. Silk London 丝绕伦敦 – guqin and pipa improvisation with Master Li Xiangting
5. Ambushed on All Sides 十面埋伏– pipa solo (trad. martial style)
6. Moon Over the Mountain Pass 关山月 – guqin solo, on 1930’s silk string guqin zither
7. Jasmine Flower 茉莉花 – Silk and Bamboo Ensemble
   Pipa lute, erhu fiddle, guzheng zither, yangqin dulcimer and dizi flute
8. Little Stream 小河淌水 – Silk Breeze group
   Pipa lute, erhu fiddle, bawu flute and cello

Join us @radio_classical_Turquoise

We hope you enjoy our unique programme.






Chinese Music Summer School, online - 26 July-5 September 2021

We are pleased to announce our 6-week online Chinese music courses starting in July. It will be the 19th summer school organised by the UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society, this time in collaboration with the Asia Music Unit at Goldsmiths, University of London. The six weekly classes will provide a good opportunity to study and experience Chinese instruments including the 古琴 guqin (7-stringed zither), 古筝 guzheng (21-stringed zither), 琵琶 pipa (4-stringed lute), 二胡 erhu (2-stringed fiddle) and 笛子/箫 dizi/xiao (bamboo flutes). Both group and one-to-one classes are offered to participants at different levels (subject to changes) by our expert teaches including Dr Cheng Yu (guqin), Wang Xiao (erhu), Li Muqi (guzheng), Zhang Zhuohan (pipa) and Hu Ruijun (dizi/xiao). A limited number of instruments will be available for hire during the course. This is a rare opportunity - don’t miss it!

Venue

Online, using Zoom

Fees

Beginners group: £120
Intermediate group: £150
Advanced group: £150
10% discount for LYQS members, students and concessions

Further information and enquiries

Email (Julian): jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com or info@ukchinesemusic.com
Phone (Elaine): +44 7786860954
WeChat: elaine367523.

Booking

Download the information sheet here.

Download the poster here.

Download the registration form here.






Cheng Yu to play pipa at the AiKama Concert - 26 June 2021

Cheng Yu will be featured as the pipa soloist on AiKama - a music collaboration with Chinese and Indian musicians with the London Film Orchestra. The concert will be live streamed from LSO St Luke’s on Saturday 26 June 7.30pm.

Date: 26 June 2021 7:30-9:00 pm


Ai - Chinese for Love
Kama - Sanskrit for Love

Ling Peng (erhu),
Cheng Yu (pipa)
Jasdeep Singh Degun (sitar),
Rishii Chowdhury (tabla)
London Film Music Orchestra

Venue: Online

For more information and tickets please visit: https://www.devsomusic.co.uk/aikama-concert






Silk Breeze on BBC Radio 3 - "Music Planet" - 8 May 2021

Our Silk Breeze group has been invited by BBC Radio 3 to be interviewed and record music. Featuring Cheng Yu (pipa lute and guqin zither), Chen Teng (erhu fiddle), Colin Alexander (cello) and Dennis Lee (xiao/dizi flutes).

The programme will be broadcast as part of the Music "Planet" programme on Saturday 8th May 2021 at 16.00. After the broadcast the programme will be available to listen to for 30 days via the website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ymx3v.

Listen on 90-93 FM, on DAB, or online.

Date: Saturday 8 May 2021, 16:00







Cheng Yu and Silk Breeze to play at WOMAD - July 2021

Having played at the 2020 WOMAD At Home live streaming concert for the Immersive Sound project, Cheng Yu has been invited to feature at the 2021 WOMAD Festival 22-25 July at the picturesque Charlton Park.

For more information and tickets please visit: https://womad.co.uk/

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Chinese Instrumental Music Online Classes - 27 March to 8 July 2021

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present online courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication.

Group classes - guqin

Complete beginners, taught by Elaine Yu: Mondays 19:30-21:00, starting 29 March. £240


Beginners level 2 (start to learn pieces), taught by Jenny Zhao: Sundays 9:30-11:00, starting 4 April. £240


Intermediate, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Thursdays 19:30-21:00, starting. 22 April. £288


Middle/Advanced, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Saturdays 10:00-11:30, starting 3 April. £288


Other instrumental group lessons 其它乐器小组课

Erhu fiddle 二胡：Beginners 初级, taught by Wang Xiao 王潇: Sundays 14:00-15:30, starting 28 March. 

Guzheng zither 古筝：Beginners 初级, taught by Li Muqi 李牧祺: Sundays 16:00-17:30, starting 28 March.

Guzheng zither 古筝：Intermediate 中级, taught by Li Muqi 李牧祺: Sundays 13:30-15:00, starting 28 March.

Dizi bamboo flute 笛箫：Beginners 初级, taught by Li Ming 李明： Mondays 19:00-20:30, Starting 29 March.

Hulusi gourd flute 葫芦丝：Beginners 初级, taught by Li Ming 李明： Mondays 14:00-15:30, Starting 27 March.

£240 for 12 weekly classes Class size is limited 位置有限.

One-to-one and one-to-two classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng, dizi/xiao and hulusi.

Location

Online, using Zoom

Further information

Download the registration form here.

Download the poster here.

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 10% discount for LYQS members.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Phone: 07786 860954







UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for the feature film "Man of the People" - March 2021

Having recorded the music for the film "Steamboat" at Abbey Road Studios, the UK Chinese Music Ensemble has recorded music for another film, "Man of the People", this time at Rogue Studios. The music was composed by John Califra (USA). The film is about the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. Both films will be released later this year.






UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for the feature film "Steamboat" - 21 February 2021

The UK Chinese Ensemble was invited to record music for "Steamboat" by Joel P. West at London's Abbey Road Studios. The film is expected to be out in the summer.






London Youlan Qin Society ONLINE Chinese New Year yaji meeting - 13 February, 2021

The London Youlan Qin Society's 111th yaji meeting will be held online on Saturday 9 January. This will be our Chinese New Year yaji, and will be informal. As this yaji will take place on the second day of the Year of the Ox, there will be a programme of performances by members and students on the Society's courses, followed by invitations for attendees to perform. We will have as special guest Zhang Zhuoqun 张卓群, who will play a rare Mongolian lute, the komuz (huobusi 火不思). All qin friends are welcome, regardless of national boundaries or time zones. The yaji will be preceded by the Society's Annual General Meeting, which was postponed from January.

Date/time: Saturday 13 February, 12:00 pm UK time (AGM - members), 13:00 yaji

Venue: Online, using Zoom. This will work on computers (PC or Mac), as well as on iPhones, iPads and Android devices.

If you plan to attend the yaji, please register, not later than Wednesday 10 February on Eventbrite

There is also a Facebook page for the event

After Wednesday 10 February, we will send instructions for accessing the yaji to everyone who has registered through Eventbrite.

There will be no charge for non-members to attend our online yajis. If you would like to become a member or renew your membership, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com.







Cheng Yu awarded Arts Council funding - 20 November 2020

Cheng Yu is grateful for the recent National Lottery funding from Arts Council England. It helps her to continue to create music in the tough period of Covid-19.






London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - ONLINE - 14th November, 2020

The London Youlan Qin Society's 109th yaji meeting will be held online on Saturday 14 November. The theme will be 秋韵 Sounds of Autumn. All qin friends are welcome, regardless of national boundaries or time zones.

Date/time: 14 November, 1:00 pm UK time (BST)

Venue: Online, using Zoom. This will work on computers (PC or Mac), as well as on iPhones, iPads and Android devices.

If you plan to attend the yaji, please register, not later than Thursday 12 November on Eventbrite

If you plan to play a piece, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com which piece you will play, not later than Wednesday 11 November.

There is also a Facebook page for the event

After Thursday 12 November, we will send instructions for accessing the yaji to everyone who has registered through Eventbrite.

There will be no charge for non-members to attend our online yajis. If you would like to become a member or renew your membership, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com.







Chinese Instrumental Music Online Classes - 11 January to 28 March 2021

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present online courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication.

Group classes - guqin

Complete beginners, taught by Elaine Yu: Tuesdays 19:00-21:00, starting 12 Jan. £220


Beginners level 2 (start to learn pieces), taught by Jenny Zhao: Sundays 1o:00-12:00, starting 317 Jan. £220


Intermediate, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Thursdays 19:00-21:00, starting. 14 Jan. £275


Advanced, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Saturdays 10:00-12:00, starting 16 Jan. £275


Guqin group classes with less than 6 people will be 1.5 hours per lesson.

Other instrumental group lessons 其它乐器小组课

Erhu fiddle 二胡：Beginners 初级, taught by Wang Xiao 王潇: Sundays 14:00-15:30, starting 17 Jan. 

Guzheng zither 古筝：Beginners 初级, taught by Wang Jiahe 王嘉禾: Sundays 16:00-17:30, starting 17 Jan.

Dizi/xiao bamboo flutes 笛箫：Beginners 初级, taught by Liu Menglin 刘梦林: Mondays 19:00-20:30, Starting 11 Jan.

£220 for 11 weekly classes Class size is limited 位置有限.

One to one classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng and dizi/xiao.

Location

Online, using Zoom

Further information

Download the registration form here.

Download the poster here.

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 10% discount for LYQS members.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Phone: 07786 860954







Cheng Yu to play pipa and guqin for the WOMAD at Home' Immersive Sound Recording Project - 15 October 2020

Cheng Yu and her ensemble Silk Breeze have been invited by WOMAD and Real World Studios to record for "Womad At Home". Recording took place at Real World Studios. Many of the tracks were recorded in a natural outdoor environment, using binaural technology. It will be streamed online, after which it will be available for 7 days.

WOMAD Festival have launched an exciting new immersive audio project in partnership with Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios, bringing the essence of WOMAD directly to an online audience. Featuring eight artists from a cross-section of musical genres, "Womad At Home" offers a unique 360° listening experience designed specifically for headphones.

Featuring as part of the series are artists from past and future WOMAD Festival line-ups, including stars of the new London Jazz movement Sarathy Korwar, Blue Lab Beats and Native Dancer, alongside the Ghanaian-British band Onipa, Welsh folk act 9Bach, Chinese classical virtuoso Cheng Yu and her ensemble Silk Breeze, and electronic music innovators Hinako Omori and Voka Gentle.

The "Womad At Home" series has been recorded with world-class sound technology and brand new techniques developed at Real World Studios to offer an immersive audio experience that reaches beyond the possibilities of traditional stereo listening.

Date and time


15 October 2020, 8 pm


Access

Direct link: https://athome.womad.co.uk/chengyusilkbreeze/

Facebook page for the event: https://fb.me/e/cCqQsW5ZB/

All 8 performances are accessible via athome.womad.co.uk

Further information

See the video trailer

Download the Silk Breeze poster here.

Download the WOMAD at Home poster here.








Chinese Instrumental Music Online Classes - 28 September to 13 December 2020

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present online courses on Chinese instrumental music by expert musicians and teachers.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication.

Group classes - guqin

Complete beginners, taught by Elaine Yu: Tuesdays 19:00-21:00, starting 29th Sept. £220


Beginners level 2 (start to learn pieces), taught by Jenny Zhao: Wednesdays 19:00-21:00, starting 30th Sept. £220


Intermediate, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Thursdays 19:00-21:00, starting. 1st Oct. £275


Advanced, taught by Dr Cheng Yu: Saturdays 10:00-12:00, starting 3rd Oct. £275


Other instrumental group lessons 其它乐器小组课

Erhu fiddle 二胡：Beginners 初级, taught by Wang Xiao 王潇: Sundays 18:00-20:00, starting 4th Oct. 

Guzheng zither 古筝：Beginners 初级, taught by Wang Jiahe 王嘉禾: Sundays 13:30-15:30, starting 4th Oct.

Dizi/xiao bamboo flutes 笛箫：Beginners 初级, taught by Liu Menglin 刘梦林: Mondays 19:30-21:30, Starting 28th Sept.

One to one classes at all levels are available on enquiry, with flexible teaching times, on instruments including guqin, pipa, erhu, yangqin, guzheng and dizi/xiao.

£220 for 11 weekly classes Class size is limited 位置有限.

Location

Online, using Zoom

Further information

Download the registration form here.

Download the poster here.

Fees include teaching materials. A limited number of instruments are available for sale and hire. 10% discount for LYQS members.

Contact

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat: elaine367523

Phone: 07786 860954







Guqin Summer School, London - 22 July-30 August 2020

Due to the Covid-19 situation, it is not possible for us to hold our regular summer school this year. This is of course a great disappointment to us, but the good news is that we will hold it online, using Zoom, instead. The online summer school will consist of 6 weekly 2-hour classes at each of 3 levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced), plus 2 masterclasses with Zeng He (the son of Zeng Chengwei, Sichuan Conservatory of Music). The classes will be taught by Cheng Yu (intermediate and advanced levels) and Jenny Zhao (beginners). They will run from Wednesday 22 July to Sunday 30th August and we will teach guqin only.

Classes

6 x 2-hour weekly guqin classes, 22 July to 30th August:

Beginners: Wednesdays, beginning 22 July, 7:30-9:30 pm (taught by Jenny Zhao)
Intermediate: Thursdays, beginning 23 July, 7:30-9:30 pm (taught by Dr Cheng Yu)
Advanced: Sundays, beginning 26 July, 10 am to 12 noon (taught by Dr Cheng Yu)
Masterclasses: Saturday 8 and 22 August: 12:30-2:30 pm (taught by Zeng He)
The two masterclasses will cover two pieces in depth: Shan Shui Qing 山水情 and Gu Guan Yu Shen 孤馆遇 神. Scores will be emailed to attendees after registration.

Venue

Online, using Zoom

Fees

Beginners: £120 (LYQS members £110)
Intermediate: £150 (LYQS members £135)
Advanced: £150 (LYQS members £135)
Masterclasses: £70

Booking

Registration is open. To book your place, please download the booking form in Word format, fill it in and email it to jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com.

Further information and enquiries

Download the information sheet here.

For further information, please contact Julian jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com or info@ukchinesemusic.com; Elaine +44 7786860954, WeChat elaine367523.

A very small number of instruments will be available to hire, only for attendees able to collect in London; also available for purchase (within the EU, special price for summer school participants). Please enquire if you need to hire or purchase an instrument.

Class sizes will be limited.

One-to-one sessions are available on request.

Tuition on a one-to-one basis on other Chinese instruments, such as erhu, pipa, dizi, xiao, guzheng, may be possible.Please enquire if interested.





NHS Charities Together online concert - 20th June, 2020 7:30 pm

Please join us tonight at 7.30 at the NHS Charity Together online concert. We will present the qin song 送别 (Farewell), pipa and piano piece 春江花月夜 (Spring Flowers on a Moonlit Night by the River) with Lang Lang, and our award-winning Silk String Quartet’s modern piece 水乡剪影 (Waterscape Silhouette). 7.30pm, 20 June.

Date: 20 July 2020 7:30 pm


Venue: YouTube

Please watch the show and support the NHS by donating at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/d-m-choir





London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 14th March, 2020 CANCELLED

The London Youlan Qin Society has reluctantly decided to cancel the yaji meeting on Saturday 14th March. We have taken this decision because of concerns raised about the escalating situation with regard to the COVID-19 Coronavirus in the UK, and the relatively low number of registrations for this yaji on Eventbrite.

We will keep a close eye on the COVID-19 situation, and decide on a case-by-case basis on whether or not to hold our future planned events.




CAN Coalesce concert - 19 February 2020

This unique concert presents China-West, acoustic-electric, old and new, music and poetry on Wednesday 19 February at London’s King’s Place. Coalesce brings together the talents of the UK’s finest classical Chinese instrumentalists: Cheng Yu - guqin 古琴 and pipa 琵琶, Wang Xiao - erhu 二胡 and Charlie Cawood guitar - 吉他 and zhongruan 中阮, concert pianist An-Ting Chang, and the genre-defying electronic musician DJ QuestionMark. Together they explore the contrasts and synergy between Eastern and Western musical traditions to create new music that captures the spirit of both traditional Chinese music and contemporary electronic music.

Blending together the sounds of turntables, piano, guqin, and erhu, the musicians create an immersive and mesmerising backdrop for the poems of Yu Yoyo, a post-90s Chinese poet, read live on stage by Yu's translator AK Blakemore.

This unique concert promises to open your eyes to new musical possibilities.

Produced by Chinese Arts Now in partnership with Poetry Translation Centre. Supported by PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund.

Date: 19 February 2020, 8pm


Venue: King's Place, 2020 90, York Way, London N1 9AG

Download the poster here.

Further information and booking: Event web site

CAN Coalesce - FaceBook: CAN Coalesce - FaceBook






Cheng Yu to play pipa and guqin on Cbeebies - 15 February 2020

Cheng Yu was invited by the BBC to play pipa and guqin for the children's programme YolanDa's Band Jam. Filming for the episode on Chinese music took place at the Foguang Shan Buddhist Temple in London. The episode will premiere on the CBeebies channel, after which it will be available on iPlayer for 30 days.

Date: 15 February 2020 10:15 am


Channel: CBeebies






Chinese Guqin and Pipa Music Classes - 14 January to 31 March 2020

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present their ongoing cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The pipa (4 string lute) has a history of over 2,500 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 14 January to 31 March 2020 (12 weekly classes):

Group classes - guqin £240 for 12 weeks

11:00 – 12:00 Beginner
12:00 – 13:00 Upper Intermediate
18:30 – 19:30 Beginner
19:30 – 20:30 Intermediate

One-to-one or one-to-two lessons - guqin or pipa £480 for 12 weeks

10-10:45, 14:15-15:00, 15:00-15:45pm, 16:00-16:45pm, 16:45-17:30

Fees include teaching materials and, for guqin only, the use of instruments during the classes.

Teacher

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin and pipa virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD

Download the registration form here.

Download the poster here.

Contact

Phone: 07880 896 003

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com







Pipa recital by Cheng Yu at the Antoni Tàpies Foundation, Barcelona, Spain - 13 November 2019

This concert series seeks to bring audiences closer to ideas in the work of Tàpies that are linked to Asian culture, specifically Indian, Japanese and Chinese.

The third concert of the cycle will be dedicated to Chinese music. The great Chinese interpreter Cheng Yu will perform on the pipa (Chinese lute), in a concert that will allow an appreciation the soundscapes of this thousand-year-old culture.

Date: 13 November 2019 7:00 pm


Venue:
Antoni Tàpies Foundation,
Barcelona, Spain

Booking and further information: https://fundaciotapies.org/en/activitat/antoni-tapies-musiques-dasia-2/






China National Peking Opera Company at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London, 27-18 November 2019

Sinolink Productions are extremely honoured to present the highly acclaimed China National Peking Opera Company in the UK at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on the 27th and 28th November 2019.

There will be two very different and exciting shows, Peking Opera Gala on the 27th November and Warrior Women of Yang on the 28th November. The shows offer an exceptional opportunity to be immersed in the intriguing art of Peking Opera and take a cultural adventure into the Chinese traditional artistic heritage from a world class company. The magnificent costumes and the artful combination of dance, mime, music, and theatre provide a source of wonder for audiences of all ages.

Date: 27 and 28 November 2019 7:30pm


Venue:
Sadler's Wells Theatre,
London

Booking and further information: sadlerswells.com/

Download the 27 November poster here.

Download the 28 November poster here.




Free Chinese Music Concert - 2 October 2019

There will be a free concert of Chinese music by the UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society. The concert is organised by the Queen Mary University of London Confucius Institute.

Date: 2 October 2019 7:00-8:30 pm


Venue:
St. Benet's Chaplaincy,
London E1 4NT

Free entry; registration required

For further information and tickets please email Confuciusevents@qmul.ac.uk

Download the poster here.






Guqin recital and poetry reading, Confucius Institute, Turin, Italy - 26 September 2019

Cheng Yu was invited by the Turin Confucius Institute for a fourth visit to give two guqin recitals. There were poetry readings by local artists.

Date: 26 September 2019


Venue: Museum of Oriental Art, Turin

Download the poster here.






Chinese Guqin and Pipa Music Classes - 24 September to 10 December 2019

China Arts and the London Youlan Qin Society present their ongoing cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The pipa (4 string lute) has a history of over 2,500 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 24 September to 10 December except 22 October and 12 November (10 weekly classes):

Group classes - guqin £200 for 10 weeks

11:00 – 12:00 Beginner
12:00 – 13:00 Intermediate
18:30 – 19:30 Intermediate
19:30 – 20:30 Upper Intermediate

One-to-one or one-to-two lessons - guqin or pipa £400 for 10 weeks

10-10:45, 14:15-15:00, 15:00-15:45pm, 16:00-16:45pm, 16:45-17:30

Fees include teaching materials and, for guqin only, the use of instruments during the classes.

Teacher

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin and pipa virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD

Download the registration form here.

Download the poster here.

Contact

Phone: 07880 896 003

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com







Sunday guqin courses at Bloomsbury Gallery, 22 September - 8th December 2019

These new guqin classes provide an opportunity for people to learn the instrument at weekends. Teaching materials are provided and places are limited. 此古琴课应琴友所需开设了周末在伦敦中心 学习古琴的机会。 位 置有限，尽快报名。 Sunday afternoons 每周日下午：


2-3pm Beginners 零基础


3-4pm Intermediate 中级


4-5pm Intermediate or above 中级以上

联系人 Contact: (Jade) 07880896003,

email: info@ukchinesemusic.com or info@bloomsburygallery.com

Download the registration form here.

Download the poster here.






Guqin Summer School, London - 28 August to 1 September 2019

This year's 5-day guqin course combines workshops, a concert and a film about the art of guqin making. New this year are complimentary sessions on the xiao flute and calligraphy. This year we are also offering 5-day courses on the guzheng (21-stringed zither), pipa (4-stringed lute), erhu (2-stringed fiddle), dizi and hulusi flutes, as well as sessions on musicianship skills and a concert featuring the teachers. See Chinese Music Summer School below. All courses are open to participants at all levels. Participants can choose and combine different instruments (subject to availability). Participants can also attend taster sessions on any of these instruments (one session per instrument, subject to availability). Don’t miss this rare opportunity!

Teachers

Guqin - Dr Cheng Yu 程玉博士, (SOAS, University of London), with Gu Yunpei 顾芸培 (London Youlan Qin Society). 10am to 5pm.
Xiao flute - Dennis Lee 李光泰 (LYQS). 2-4.30pm, 30 August, 3-5pm 31 August.
Calligraphy - Hu Ruijun 胡瑞君 (Ming Ai Institute). 2-4.30pm, 28 and 29 August.


Concert - The Sound of Silk and Bamboo

Showcasing masterpieces and new music by LYQS and the UK Chinese Music Ensemble, including Wild Geese Descending on the Sandy Beach, Song of Chu (guqin), Flying Apsaras of the Silk Road (pipa). Musicians include Cheng Yu (guqin), Chen Dacan (erhu), Liu Menglin (dizi), Dennis Lee (xiao), Cai Yina (pipa), and more.

Film – Choi Chang Sau's Present to the Qin Makers of the 22nd Century
蔡昌壽師傅送給廿二世紀斲琴人的六十課

This film documents the qin making art of Master Choi Chang Sau and the CCS Qin Making Society, both listed by the Chinese Government as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage Unit Preserved at the National Level".

Dates

Guqin: Wednesday 28 August to Sunday 1 September
Concert: Friday 30 August, 7 pm
Film: Saturday 31 August, 1:15 pm

Venue

China Exchange, 32A, Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JA

Fees

Course fee: £270 (£250 LYQS members/concessions). This includes the concert, film screening, calligraphy and xiao flute. A small number of instruments will be available for hire at £10 per day. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their own instrument if they have one.

The concert will be open to non-participants at a price £12.50 + Eventbrite fee if booked in advance or £15 at the door.

The film is free to summer school participants and LYQS members, but registration is required.

Further information and enquiries

For further information, please contact Julian Joseph jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com; Elaine Yu +44 7786860954, WeChat elaine367523; or Cheng Yu chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Download the information sheet here.

Booking

Booking for the summer school is via Google Forms.

If you have difficulty using the online form, you can download a booking form in Word format, fill it in and email it to the address below.

Booking for the concert is via Eventbrite.

Alternatively, please email Julian Joseph jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com.





Chinese Music Summer School, London - 27-31 August 2019

This summer school offers 5-day courses on the guzheng (21-stringed zither), pipa (4-stringed lute), erhu (2-stringed fiddle), dizi and hulusi flutes, as well as sessions on musicianship skills and a concert featuring the teachers. All courses are open to participants at all levels. Participants can choose and combine different instruments (subject to availability). This includes the guqin (see guqin Summer School). Participants can also attend taster sessions on any of these instruments (one session per instrument, subject to availability). Don’t miss this rare opportunity!

Please note that courses on different instruments are held at different times and dates. See below for details.

Teachers

Erhu – Professor Chen Dacan 陈大灿教授 (Shanghai Conservatory of Music). 10am to 1pm, Fo Guang Shan Temple.
Dizi, hulusi - Liu Menglin 刘梦林 (BMus & MMus, Beijing and York Universities). 2 to 5pm, Fo Guang Shan Temple.
Guzheng - Wang Fungying 王凤英 (over 15 years teaching experience). 10am to 1pm (intermediate level), 2pm to 5pm (beginners), China Arts Now, Regent St.
Pipa - Cai Yina 蔡一娜 (BMus & Mmus, Guizhou and Reading Universities). 2 to 5pm, Fo Guang Shan Temple.
Musicianship skills - Cai Yina, Liu Menglin, Covering Chinese simplified and staff notations, rhythm, pitch/interval relationship and realization. 10am to 1pm, Fo Guang Shan Temple.

Concert - The Sound of Silk and Bamboo

Showcasing masterpieces and new music by LYQS and the UK Chinese Music Ensemble, including Wild Geese Descending on the Sandy Beach, Song of Chu (guqin), Flying Apsaras of the Silk Road (pipa). Musicians include Cheng Yu (guqin), Chen Dacan (erhu), Liu Menglin (dizi), Dennis Lee (xiao), Cai Yina (pipa), and more.

Dates

Erhu, pipa, guzheng, hulusi, dizi: Tuesday 27 to Saturday 31 August
Concert: Friday 30 August, 7 pm
Film (see Guqin Summer School above): Saturday 31 August, 1:15pm

Venues

Erhu, pipa, guzheng, hulusi, dizi: Foguang Shan Temple, 84 Margaret St, London W1W 8TD
Guzheng: China Arts Now, 162-168 Regent Street, London W1B 5TD
Concert and film: China Exchange, 32A, Gerrard Street, London W1D 6JA

Fees

Course fee: £270 (£250 LYQS members/concessions). This includes the concert. A small number of instruments will be available for hire at £10 per day (guzhengs and pipas) or £5 per day (erhu, hulusi and dizi). Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their own instruments if they have them.

The concert will be open to non-participants at a price £12.50 per ticket if booked in advance or £15 at the door.

The guqin film (see above) film is free to all summer school participants and LYQS members, but registration is required.

Information sheet

For further information, please contact Julian Joseph jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com; Elaine Yu +44 7786860954, WeChat elaine367523; or Cheng Yu chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Download the information sheet here.

Booking

Booking for the summer school is via Google Forms.

If you have difficulty using the online form, you can download a booking form in Word format, fill it in and email it to the address below.

Booking for the concert is via Eventbrite.

Alternatively, please email Julian Joseph jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com.





Cheng Yu pipa and guqin performance in "The Bridge of Magpies" - 7 August 2019

"The Bridge of Magpies" will be performed as part of the Tête-à-tête Opera Festival 2019, at Central London Euston’s Place Theatre. It is a contemporary dance and music show based on a legendary love story. It features award-winning mezzosoprano Phoebe Hainess, new music by Sichuan composer Huan Li, Chinese pipa and guqin strings by virtuoso musician Cheng Yu, dance by renowned British-Chinese choreographer Julia Cheng, performers from China and the UK, text and songs in Mandarin and English, accessible to all.

Date: Wednesday 7 August, 8:20pm 2019

Venue
The Place, 17 Duke’s Road
London, WC1H 9PY

Tickets: £7.50 online in advance, £9.50 at the door

Booking and further information: https://www.tete-a-tete.org.uk/event/the-bridge-of-magpies/





London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - Bloomsbury Gallery, 13 July 2019

Exactly 16 years ago to the day, the London Youlan Qin Society was officially inaugurated in Chelsea the presence of qin master Gong Yi on Saturday, 13th July 2003. For qin aficionados this date has special significance: 13th day for the 13 hui, 7th month for the 7 strings. To celebrate this anniversary, the London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Saturday, 13th July.

In this special yaji, we will introduce the tea ceremony and incense tasting combined with traditional qin music. You will experience the transcendental nature of qin, tea and incense culture and enjoy melodies from ancient China with all your senses. In addition to guqin playing, there will be performances of other Chinese instruments, as well as calligraphy in conjunction with guqin, to illustrate the close connection between the Chinese scholarly arts and philosophy.

You are welcome to prepare your own performance, for example playing an instrument or poetry reading. Please register below, and write to us if you have any particular performance enquiry.

Tea ceremony: Master Yi, founder of Yi Cha
Incense matching: Charles Tsua, House of Mysterious Clouds

TIME: Saturday 13th July, 1:00-5:00 pm.

VENUE
1st Floor
Bloomsbury Gallery
34 Bloomsbury St
Bloomsbury
London WC1B 3QJ

DIRECTIONS (Google maps):

www.google.co.uk/maps/

The nearest tube stations are Tottenham Court Road, Holborn and Russell Square.

REGISTRATION

Entry to the yaji is free, but please register via Eventbrite:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk.

ENQUIRIES

Julian Joseph jmgjoseph@btinternet.com
Elaine Yu Luochenmanshi@gmail.com.

There is also a Facebook page for the event: www.facebook.com/.





Cheng Yu recording for CBeebies - 4 July 2019

Cheng Yu recorded pipa and guqin at the Fo Guang Shan Temple, London for the BBC's CBeebies channel. The programme will be broadcast around Chinese New Year in 2020. Date to be announced.




CAN - Coalesce - A Fusion of Music, Poetry and Fine Whisky - 3 July 2019

Join Chinese Arts Now for a wonderful, one-off night featuring the talents of post-90s Chinese poet, Yu Yoyo, and CAN Collective musicians, Cheng Yu, Wang Xiao, Charlie Cawood, DJ Question Mark and An-Ting Chang. Coalesce promises to be a captivating celebration of all the senses, blending the compelling voices of Yu Yoyo and AK Blakemore with music that captures the spirit of both classical Chinese instruments and contemporary styles. As you listen, enjoy five carefully selected whiskies by Kavalan, an award winning distillery in Taiwan.

Produced by Chinese Arts Now in partnership with Poetry Translation Centre and Kavalan Whisky.

Musicians: Cheng Yu (Pipa, Guqin), Charlie Cawood (Guitar, Zhongruan), An-Ting Chang (Keyboard), DJ QuestionMark (Turntables, Flute), Wang Xiao (Erhu).

Poet and Translator: Yu Yoyo, AK Blakemore

Date: Wednesday 3 July 2019, 7:30-9pm

Venue: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA

Web site and booking: CAN-Coalesce





Cheng Yu guqin performance at the Geneva Conference Centre of Buddhism - 14 April 2019

Cheng Yu has been invited to give a guqin performance at the Geneva Conference Centre of Buddhism, the Geneva branch of the Foguang Shan Temple.

Date: 14 April 2019

Venue: Geneva Conference of Buddhism,

Web site: www.ibps-gccb.com

Download the poster here.




China Arts presents Chinese Guqin and Pipa Music Classes - 30 April to 9 July 2019

China Arts and the London Youlan Qin Society present their ongoing cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The pipa (4 string lute) has a history of over 2,500 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 30 April to 9 July except 28 May (10 weekly classes):

Group classes - guqin £200 for 10 weeks

11:00 – 12:00 Beginner
12:00 – 13:00 Intermediate
18:30 – 19:30 Beginner
19:30 – 20:30 Intermediate

One-to-one or One-to-two lessons - guqin or pipa £400 for 10 weeks

10-10:45, 14:15-15:00, 15:00-15:45pm, 16:00-16:45pm, 16:45-17:30

Fees include teaching materials and, for guqin only, the use of instruments during the classes.

Teacher

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin and pipa virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD

Download the registration form here.

Download the poster here.

Contact

Phone: 07880 896 003

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com







Cheng Yu at the MAG Music Festival, Spain - 27 May 2019

Cheng Yu and Wang Xiao will play at the MAG Music Festival, an early music festival in Granada, Spain.

Date and time
27 Febuary 2019, 8pm


Venue
La Madrazza
Granada

Further information
www.festivalmag.es





Cheng Yu on Late Junction, BBC Radio 3 - 17 April 2019

This episode of the BBC Radio 3 programme Late Junction will feature Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh on 10-stringed Irish fiddle, Sam Underwood on his Invented String instruments, Elliot Galvin on prepared piano and Cheng Yu on the guqin and 5-stringed pipa.

Date and time
Wednesday 17 April 2019, 11 pm


Further information
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tp52






Sheng concert by Wu Wei and the Philharmonia Orchestra, London - 5 April 2019

An ancient Chinese musical instrument is put in new musical contexts in this fascinating programme for sheng and orchestral ensemble. It will be introduced by Cheng Yu.

Programme

Jonathan Stockhammer: conductor
Wu Wei: sheng

Jukka Tiensuu - Hehkuu for sheng and ensemble (UK premiere)
Guoping Jia - The Wind Sounds in the Sky for sheng, cello and percussion
Ondřej Adámek - Lost Prayer Book for sheng and ensemble (UK premiere)

Date and time
Friday 5 April 2019, 6 pm


Venue
Queen Elizabeth Hall
LSO St Luke's
London

Download the full programme here.

Tickets: £14, £8

Further information and booking
https://www.philharmonia.co.uk/concerts/2160




Cheng Yu and the Third Orchestra - The Barbican, London, 11-17 Febuary 2019

Cheng Yu spent a week at the Barbican working as part of The Third Orchestra directed by Peter Wiegold. It ended with two sold-out concerts.

Date and time
11-17 Febuary 2019


Venue
The Barbican
London EC2Y 8DS





The LSO String Ensemble and the Silk String Quartet - St. Lukes, London, 27 January 2019

Having performed with pianist Lang Lang at LSO’s St Lukes in the past, our Silk String Quartet will again play new works with the London Symphony Orchestra on 27 January as part of the CAN festival 2019. This interesting project compares and contrasts Chinese and Western string music, and premieres a unique new China-West Octet collaboration.

Date and time
Sunday 27 January 2019 7 pm - 9 pm


Venue
Jerwood Hall
LSO St Luke's
London

Booking and tickets
lso.co.uk

Further information
https://www.facebook.com/chineseartsnow/photos/a.10150843750241960/10155699581596960/?type=3





China Arts presents Chinese Guqin and Pipa Music Classes Spring 2019 - 15 January to 26 March

China Arts and the London Youlan Qin Society present their ongoing cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The pipa (4 string lute) has a history of over 2,500 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 15 January to 26 March except 12 February (10 weekly classes):

Group classes - guqin £200 for 10 weeks

11:00 – 12:00 Beginner
12:00 – 13:00 Intermediate
18:30 – 19:30 Beginner
19:30 – 20:30 Intermediate

One-to-one or One-to-two lessons - guqin or pipa £400 for 10 weeks

10-10:45, 14:15-15:00, 15:00-15:45pm, 16:00-16:45pm, 16:45-17:30

Fees include teaching materials and, for guqin only, the use of instruments during the classes.

Teacher

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin and pipa virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD

Contact

Phone: 07880 896 003

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com







London Youlan Qin Society New Year yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 12th January, 2019

This will be our first yaji for 2019. It is going to be interesting and exciting and all are welcome. The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its door not only to members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and playing music.

For more information about the London Youlan Qin Society, see www.ukchinesemusic.com/londonyoulanqin

Date/time: Saturday, 12th January 2019

Members: 1:45 am to 1:30 pm (AGM)
Non-members: 2:30 pm to 5:00 pm

Venue:
Room 116
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

Feel free to bring an instrument to play (qins will be available) or material to perform. You may also recite poetry, sing, play another instrument or give a short talk about an interesting subject or project you are working on related to Chinese arts and culture.

If you plan to come, please register on Eventbrite via this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/96th-lyqs-yaji-and-agm-tickets-53209555212.

There is also a Facebook page for the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/465115264014065/.

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.




China Arts presents Chinese Guqin and Pipa Music Classes Autumn 2018 - 2 October to 11 December

China Arts and the London Youlan Qin Society present their ongoing cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The pipa (4 string lute) has a history of over 2,500 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 2 October to 11 December except 23 October (10 weekly classes):

Group classes - guqin £200 for 10 weeks

11:00 – 12:00 Beginner
12:00 – 13:00 Intermediate
18:30 – 19:30 Beginner
19:30 – 20:30 Intermediate

One-to-one or One-to-two lessons - guqin or pipa £400 for 10 weeks

9:15-10, 10-10:45, 14:15-15:00, 15:00-15:45pm, 16:00-16:45pm, 16:45-17:30

Fees include teaching materials and, for guqin only, the use of instruments during the classes.

Teacher

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin and pipa virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD

Contact

Phone: 07880 896 003

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com







Friday Lunch: Coalesce: Guqin & Piano - 5 October, 2018

Experience a unique and mesmerising free concert blending music from China and Europe with a tasting of some of China’s finest teas. Guests will have the opportunity to taste a selection of remarkable teas paired with each piece of expertly performed music. Cheng Yu is one of the world’s foremost players of the guqin and pipa, traditional Chinese stringed instruments. Together Cheng Yu and concert pianist An-Ting Chang will weave their performances into an inspiring whole, responding to the forms inherent in each tradition. Teas to enjoy during each piece will be selected and provided by JING Tea.

Date and time: Friday 5 October, 2018, 1pm-2pm


Venue:
Central Bar, Royal Festival Hall
Southbank Centre
Belvedere Rd.
London
SE1 8XX

This concert is presented by Chinese Arts Now and is part of the China Changing Festival.

Entry is free.

For further information please visit southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/130736-friday-lunch-coalesce-guqin-piano-2018#events/






The First London International Guqin Festival - 20-26 August 2018



古琴藝術節中文介紹，請點擊鏈接 Chinese version

The London Youlan Qin Society (LYQS, Est. 2003), in partnership with SOAS, University of London, and supported by Arts Council England, is proud to present the London International Guqin Festival – the first of its kind in the West. It will comprise:

• 4-day Summer School
• 2-day Conference
• Grand Yaji Gathering
• Masterclasses
• Concerts

The Festival will feature two of the most influential and best known guqin masters in China: Professor Li Xiangting (principal professor of guqin, China Central Conservatory of Music) and Professor Zeng Chengwei (Professor of guqin, Sichuan conservatory of Music, Chengdu, Master of the Shu style, Southwest China). Both are nationally listed masters of the “Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”. They will present masterclasses, performances, talks and discussions during the festival. Guqin player and teacher Zeng He, will share some of the teaching.

Also featuring UK guqin players, musicians from the UK Chinese Music Ensemble, the China-UK Opera Association, Dr Cheng Yu, Mr Charles Rupert Tsua, and scholars including Dr Rachel Harris, Dr Edward Luper and others from Europe and beyond.

The qin or guqin is a symbol of China’s literati culture and the first of the four elements of traditional scholars with Chinese Chess, calligraphy and painting. It is also the only Chinese instrument recognised by UNESCO as part of the “Intangible and Oral Heritage of Humanity”. LYQS has successfully held 15 summer schools, dozens of concerts and talks and over a hundred regular yaji (refined gatherings). In recent years, LYQS has seen the growth of its membership and interest to develop, exchange and engage with the rest of the world. This Festival will enable performers, students, scholars, and Chinese music and culture enthusiasts to gather to exchange thoughts, showcase talent and renew friendly ties with the rest of the world. So far there have been no such activities outside Chinese speaking countries.



Summer School 21-24 August 2018

Building on the success of our previous 15 summer schools, we will hold a 4-full day course focusing on guqin music at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London. It will offer a rare opportunity for anyone interested in learning and understanding more about traditional Chinese music and instruments in the UK and beyond. The course will combine seminars, master classes, demonstrations and concerts. It will be open to students at all levels, with a limited number of instruments available for hire. It will be taught by Professor Zeng Chengwei, Zeng He, Dr Cheng Yu, (SOAS, University of London), and Charles Tsua (London Youlan Qin Society). There will be special masterclasses on 2 afternoons by Li Xiangting and Zeng Chengwei.

Course fee: £220 (£200 LYQS members and students) – includes one concert.

Registration for the Summer School is via the SOAS web site and is now open: ONLINE REGISTRATION

Concerts and events

1. Concert "Beyond the Strings": 20 August, 7:00 pm, Town Hall, Oxford OX1 1BX
2. Masters in Debate "Battle of the Strings" (guqin vs. sitar): 21 August, 6:30 pm, China Exchange, London W1D 6JA
3. Concert "Flowing Water": 23 August, 7:00 pm, Emmanuel Church, Cambridge, CB2 1QY
4. Festval London Première Concert "Literati and Nature": 25 August, 7:30 pm, DLT Room, SOAS, London WC1H 0XG
5. Festval London Closing Ceremony Concert "Resonance of the Guqin": 26 August, 7:00 pm, DLT Room, SOAS, London WC1H 0XG. This concert is for festival participants. Certificates for the performers will be given by the masters and officials from local government or the Chinese Embassy in London.

Concerts feature the masters with established UK musicians and artists.

Tickets

All concerts: lyqs.eventbrite.com

Battle of the Strings: chinaexchange.uk/events/the-battle-of-the-strings



Film Screening - "On the Track of Robert Van Gulik 寻踪高罗佩" - by Rob Rombout (88 minutes)

Time: 7pm, 24th August 2018

Venue: KLT, SOAS, University of London

This is London’s premiere screening brought over especially by Van Gulik’s granddaughter Marie-Anne Souloumiac - Van Gulik from the Netherlands for the London International Guqin Festival.

Robert van Gulik (1910-1967) is one of the world’s most popular Dutch writers, but relatively unrecognized in his own country. A diplomat, Chinese specialist, scholar and guqin player, he became famous with his detective series about Judge Dee, which in many ways, are projections of his own life: a permanent duality between his real life and the hero in his books. He wrote the first books in English about the guqin, "The Lore of the Chinese Lute" and "Hsi K'ang and his Poetical Essay on the Lute".

Download the information sheet here.

Tickets: £8 (£5 LYQS members/concessions, £4 SOAS students)

Booking: lyqs.eventbrite.com

Conference 25th and 26th August, SOAS, University of London

The 2-day conference will comprise a round table discussion, academic presentations on the guqin and its music, a grand yaji gathering and a concert.

Conference Theme: " Guqin Art and its Revival in the 21st Century".

Full details of the conference are here.

Conference fee: £60 (£50 LYQS members and students, £30 SOAS students). Includes the Closing Ceremony Concert "Resonance of the Guqin".

Registration for the Conference is via the SOAS web site and is now open: ONLINE REGISTRATION

If you would like assistance with travel and accommodation arrangements, please contact Elaine at guqinfestival@gmail.com.

Grand Yaji 26th August

An informal yaji gathering with guqin performances by the masters and UK players, and an opportunity for networking.
Free entry. Open to the public (registration required).

Registration: lyqs.eventbrite.com

Enquiries and further information

Download the English language information sheet here.

Download the Chinese language information sheet here.

Please send all enquiries to: info@ukchinesemusic.com

WeChat ID: elaine367523





Festival London Closing Ceremony Concert – Resonance of the Guqin - SOAS, 26 August 2018

This unique concert is part of the closing ceremony for the guqin festival. It showcases the celebrated guqin – the essence of Chinese music, a symbol of traditional literati and a UNESCO-recognised part of China’s cultural heritage. Guqin players from the UK and overseas including Cheng Yu, Charles Tsua, Luca Pisano, Peiyou Chang, Edward Luper and others to present a special evening of traditional and contemporary guqin music.

The programme includes: The Drunken Concubine 貴妃醉酒 (Beijing Opera), Flowing Water 流水, Water Immortal 水仙操, Returning Home 归去来辞, A Stream Flowing over Stones 石上流泉, Meeting a Ghost in a Deserted House 孤馆遇神, Spring Breeze 春风.

Date and time
26 August 2018 7:00 pm


Venue
Djam Lecture Theatre (DLT)
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

Booking and tickets
lyqs.eventbrite.com

Enquiries
Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com<
Phone: 0778 6860954, 0788 089600

Further information
www.facebook.com/londonyoulanqinsociety
Download the poster here.





Festival London Première Concert – Literati and Nature - SOAS, 25 August 2018

This unique concert is part of a week-long guqin (7-stringed zither) festival: the first ever in the UK. It showcases the celebrated guqin – the essence of Chinese music, a symbol of traditional literati and a UNESCO-recognised part of China’s cultural heritage. Featuring China’s nationally listed masters Professor Li Xiangting (Beijing) and Zeng Chengwei (Chengdu), the young talent Zeng He, and established UK musicians including Cheng Yu (guqin and pipa lute), An-Ting Chang (piano), Charles Tsua (guqin) and Dennis Lee (xiao flute) and the award-winning Silk String Quartet to present a special evening of traditional and contemporary music.

The programme includes: Memories of an Old Friend 憶故人, Autumn Water 秋水, Guangling San 廣陵散, Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank 平沙落雁, Mooring for the Night on a River in Autumn 秋江夜泊, Melody of Contemplation 深思的旋律 (2005), Spring Arrives on Mt. Tian 天山之春 (1961, pipa and piano), For Whom the Bell Tolls 琴鐘共鳴 (2018, guqin and piano), Silk String Quartet: Three and Six, Dance of the Cavalry (by Johan Famaey, 2016 – première)

Date and time
25 August 2018 7:30 pm


Venue
Djam Lecture Theatre (DLT)
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

Booking and tickets
lyqs.eventbrite.com

Enquiries
Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com<
Phone: 0778 6860954, 0788 089600

Further information
www.facebook.com/londonyoulanqinsociety
Download the poster here.





Chinese Music Concert – Flowing Water - Cambridge, 23 August 2018

This unique concert is a part of our week-long guqin (7-stringed zither) festival. It showcases the celebrated guqin – the essence of Chinese music, a symbol of traditional literati and a UNESCO-recognised part of China’s cultural heritage. It features China’s nationally listed masters Professor Li Xiangting (Beijing) and Zeng Chengwei (Chengdu), the young talent Zeng He, and established UK musicians including Cheng Yu, An-Ting Chang (piano), Charles Tsua (guqin) and Dennis Lee (xiao flute) to present a special evening of traditional and contemporary music.

The programme includes: Memories of an Old Friend 憶故人, Autumn Water 秋水, Guangling San 廣陵散, Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank 平沙落雁, Flowing Water 流水, Mooring for the Night on a River in Autumn 秋江夜泊, Melody of Contemplation 深思的旋律 (2005), Spring Arrives on Mt. Tian 天山之春 (1961, pipa and piano), For Whom the Bell Tolls 琴鐘共鳴 (2018, guqin and piano).

Date and time
23 August 2018 7:00 pm


Venue
Emmanuel Church
Cambridge CB2 1QY

Booking and tickets
lyqs.eventbrite.com

Enquiries
Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com<
Phone: 0778 6860954, 0788 089600

Further information
www.facebook.com/londonyoulanqinsociety
Download the poster here.





Battle of the Strings - China Exchange, London, 21 August 2018

Li Xiangting will lead Team China to show the charm of "the father of instruments" and give a taste of why NASA sent a guqin recording into space to represent the intellectual capacity of human beings. Master Baluji Shrivastav OBE will represent Team India and the mighty sitar. He is bound to discuss why so many Western bands and artists including Coldplay, the Beatles and Metallica have used the instrument in their music.

Date and time
21 August 2018, 6:30 pm


Venue
China Exchange
32a Gerrard St
London W1D 6JA

Further information, booking and tickets


Battle of the Strings: chinaexchange.uk/events/the-battle-of-the-strings





Chinese Music Concert – Beyond the Strings - Oxford, 20 August 2018

This unique concert opens our week-long guqin (7-stringed zither) festival. It showcases the celebrated guqin – the essence of Chinese music, a symbol of traditional literati and a UNESCO-recognised part of China’s cultural heritage. Features China’s nationally listed masters Professor Li Xiangting (Beijing) and Zeng Chengwei (Chengdu), the young talent Zeng He, and established UK musicians including Cheng Yu, Dennis Lee (xiao flute) and the award-winning Silk String Quartet to present a special evening of traditional and contemporary music.

The programme includes: Flowing Water 流水, Guangling San 廣陵散, Admiring the Orchid 佩蘭, Three Variations on the Plum Blossom 梅花三弄, Melody of Loulan 樓蘭散 (by Jing Xiang, 1996); Silk String Quartet: Three and Six 三六, Dance of the Cavalry 破陣子 (by Johan Famaey, 2016 – première).

Date and time
20 August 2018 7:00 pm


Venue
Town Hall
St. Aldate’s
Oxford OX1 1BX

Booking and tickets
lyqs.eventbrite.com

Enquiries
Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com<
Phone: 0778 6860954, 0788 089600

Further information
www.facebook.com/londonyoulanqinsociety
Download the poster here.





Cheng Yu to perform at the Willowbrook Arts and Music Festival - 28 July, 2018

Cheng Yu will play pipa and guqin at the Festival.

Date: 28 June 2018, evening


Venue:
Willowbrook Farm, Oxfordshire

For further information and tickets please visit willowbrookfarm.co.uk/WAM-2018/

Download the poster here.






Midsummer Night Chinese Music Concert - 6 June, 2018

The UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society present a varied selection of music on the guqin, pipa, erhu, dizi and other Chinese instruments.

Date: 6 June 2018 6:30 pm


Venue:
Queen Mary University, London
St. Benet's Chaplaincy
327 Mile End Road
London E1 4NT

Tickets are free. To register, please visit the link or scan the Q-code below.

Click this link: eventbrite.com



Contact: confucius@qmul.ac.uk

If you need a higher resolution image to scan, you can download it here.






Guqin and piano evening with Cheng Yu and An-Ting Chang - 30 May, 2018

A unique fusion of tea, whisky, Chinese and European music by Cheng Yu (guqin) and An-Ting Chang (piano).

Chinese Arts Now (CAN) presents a GUQIN & PIANO EVENING is a one-off evening blending music from China and Europe with a tasting of some of China’s finest teas and award-winning single malt whisky from Taiwan at the glamorous Cabaret Theatre of the Hippodrome Casino.

Date: 30 May 2018 7:30 pm


The programme includes:

Debussy: Preludes
神人暢 (Joy of God and Man)
Liszt: Les Jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este
流水 (Flowing Water)
平沙落雁 (Wild Geese Descending on the Sandbank)
琴鐘對鳴 (For Whom the Bell Tolls), Piano, Guqin duo by Chang and Cheng

Venue:
Cabaret Theatre, The Hippodrome
London

Tickets: £20 (£15 concessions)

For further information and tickets please visit chineseartsnow.org.uk/events/guqin-piano-evening/

www.facebook.com/events/228795907890893/

Download the poster here.




China Arts presents Chinese Guqin Zither and Di, Xiao, Hulusi Flute Music Classes Summer 2018 - 24 April to 10 July

China Arts and the London Youlan Qin Society present their ongoing cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The dizi and xiao bamboo flutes and the hulusi gourd wind instruments are widely loved by both Chinese and Western people, and the xiao flute is a typical companion for the guqin zither. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 24 April to 10 July (12 weekly classes):

Group classes - guqin

11:00-12:00pm, 6:30-7:30pm: Beginner - £240
12:00-1:00pm, 5.30-6.30pm, 7:30–8:30pm: Intermediate - £240

One-to-one lessons - guqin

2:15-3pm, 3.-3.45pm, 3.45-4.30pm, 4:30—5.15pm (subject to change)

Wind instruments (笛子 dizi flute, 箫 xiao vertical flute, 葫芦丝 Hulusi gourd) 12 Tuesdays:

Group lessons – beginners (1 hour) £240, 1:1 lessons – all levels (45 minutes/lesson) £480

Teaching time: between 10am to 5pm (exact time after consulting the teacher and enrolment)

Please contact Ms Liu: 07873,921253, email: ukchinesemusic@gmail.com

Fees include the use of instruments during the classes.

Teachers

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin and pipa virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Flutes: Ms Liu Menglin Menglin (Wind instrument virtuoso from Beijing Normal University and Mmus from York University)

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD

Contact

Phone: 07880 896003

Email: info@ukchinesemusic.com







London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - China Exchange, Chinatown, London - 18th March, 2018

This will be a special yaji at the China Exchange in Chinatown, central London. It will be a part of the "China in Context" festival, and it will be an opportunity to experience other Chinese arts. It is going to be interesting and exciting and all are welcome.

For more information, please visit chinaexchange.uk/events/yaji-an-elegant-gathering/

Date/time: Sunday, 18th March 2018, 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Venue:
China Exchange
32a Gerrard St
London W1D 6JA

Please let us or China Exchange (via the link above) know if you plan to attend.

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Phone: 0788 089 6003

The location of China Exchange is on Google Maps

The nearest tube stations are Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus.




China Arts presents Chinese Guqin and Guzheng Zither Music Classes Spring 2018 - 9 January to 20 March

China Arts and the London Youlan Qin Society present their ongoing cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The guzheng (21 string zither) has a history of over 2,500 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 9 January to 20 March (10 weekly classes):

Group classes - guqin and guzheng

11:00 – 12:30pm Beginner - £250
2:00 – 3:30pm Intermediate £250
6:30 – 7:30pm Beginner £200
7:30 – 8:30pm Intermediate £200

One-to-one lessons - guqin

9:15-10am, 10-10:45, 3:30-4:15pm, 4:15-5pm, 5-5:45pm £400 (10 lessons)

One-to-one lessons - guzheng

9:15-10am, 10-10:45, 1:15-2pm, 3:30-4:15pm, 4:15-5pm, 5-5:45pm £400 (10 lessons)

Fees include the use of instruments during the classes.

Teacher

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin and pipa virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Guzheng: Ms Liu Zixuan (Guzheng virtuoso from Harbin Conservatory of Music, China)

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD

Contact

Phone: 07880 896 003

Email: ukchinesemusic@gmail.com or jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com







Silk and Bamboo Ensemble - performances at the Cultural Diversity Festival, Qatar - 7-11 December, 2017

The Silk and Bamboo Ensemble has been invited to perform at the Cultural Diversity festival in Doha, Qatar. The festival showcases various programmes on music and dance from many different countries. This is the second time that the ensemble has been invited to play in Qatar.

Dates: 7-11 December 2017


For further information please visit www.unesco.org/new/en/doha/about-this-office/single-view/news/second_unesco_katara_cultural_diversity_festival_launched_at





Silk and Bamboo Quartet - concert at the Purcell School of Music - 12 November, 2017

Following the Quartet's successful master class on 11 October this year at the Purcell School of music for its young composition students, we are excited to present a concert on the 12 November, a result of China-West collaboration.

Date: Sunday 12 November 2017, 7:30 pm


Venue:
Constance Pilkington Hall
The Purcell School
Aldenham Road
Bushey WD23 2TS

For further information and booking please visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/purcells-chinese-teahouse-tickets-39077903060

Download the poster here.





Forever Friends Gala Event - Hackney Empire, London - 24 October, 2017

Cheng Yu has been invited to perform in a major event to celebrate 45 years of full diplomatic relations between the UK and the People’s Republic of China, organised by the UK Chinese Art Centre. The show consists of a variety of Chinese and British acts to tell the story of China-UK history and culture. It will include the UK Chinese Music Ensemble's latest project: the Flowing Water Ensemble, consisting of some 20 Chinese and British musicians. They wil present the premiere of Li Huan's composition "Dancing on the Strings" on Chinese and Western instruments.

Date: Tuesday 24 October 2017, 6:30-9:00 pm


Venue:
Hackney Empire
291 Mare Street
London E8 1EJ

For further information and booking please visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/forever-friends-tickets-37789587674?aff=es2

Download the poster here.





China Arts presents Chinese wind instruments and Erhu Fiddle Music Classes Autumn 2017 - 4 October to 13 December

China Arts and the London Foguan Shan Temple present an on-going cultural education project on various courses on Chinese instrumental music in central London.

The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Wednesday from 4 October to 13 December 2017 (11 weekly classes):

Erhu (2-stringed fiddle) group classes (11 Wednesdays) - £220
1.00 – 12:00pm Beginners
3.00 – 4.00pm Beginners

Erhu (2-stringed fiddle) 1 to 1 lessons – all levels - £440
12:15-1pm, 4.15-5pm, 5.30-6:15pm (11 Wednesdays)

Wind instrument group classes (11 Wednesdays) - £220
9:30 -10.30am 笛子 dizi flute, 10.30 -11.30 箫 xiao vertical flute, 2-3pm 葫芦丝 Hulusi gourd

Wind Instruments 1 to 1 lessons – all levels (11 Wednesdays) - £440
11.30-12.15pm 笛子 dizi flute, 12.15-1pm 箫 xiao flute, 3.45-4.30pm 葫芦丝 Hulusi gourd.

Fees include the use of instruments during the classes.

Teachers

Wang Xiao (erhu virtuoso, Silk String Quartet and UK Chinese Music Ensemble, Wuhan Conservatory of Music)

Liu Menglin (Wind instrument virtuoso from Beijing Normal University and Mmus from York University)

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD







China Arts presents Chinese Guqin and Guzheng Zither Music Classes Autumn 2017 - 3 October to 12 December

China Arts and the London Youlan Qin Society present their cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The guzheng (21 string zither) has a history of over 2,500 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 3 October to 12 December 2017 (10 weekly classes):

Group classes - guqin and guzheng

11:00 – 12:30pm Beginner - £250
2:00 – 3:30pm Intermediate £250
6:30 – 7:30pm Beginner £200
7:30 – 8:30pm Intermediate £200

One-to-one lessons - guqin or pipa

9:15-10am, 10-10:45, 3:30-4:15pm, 4:15-5pm, 5-5:45pm £400 (10 lessons)

One-to-one lessons - guzheng

9:15-10am, 10-10:45, 1:15-2pm, 3:30-4:15pm, 4:15-5pm, 5-5:45pm £400 (10 lessons)

Fees include the use of instruments during the classes.

Teachers

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin and pipa virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Guzheng: Ms Liu Zixuan (Guzheng virtuoso from Harbin Conservatory of Music, China)

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD







Cheng Yu - Lapwing Festival, Seaford - 8 September, 2017

Cheng Yu, has been invited to play the pipa and guqin at the Lapwing Music Festival, Seaford.

Date: Friday, 8th September 2017, 7:30 am


Venue:
Coastguard Cottages
Cuckmere Haven
Seaford
East Sussex

For further information and booking please visit www.lapwingfestival.com




Cheng Yu - Brighton Dome, Colchester - 4 September, 2017

Internationally renowned pipa and guqin virtuoso, scholar and specialist in Chinese music, Cheng Yu, plays you into the week as Simon and Cher Robins lead a taiqi class for all abilities.

Date: Monday, 4th September 2017, 7:00 am


Venue:
Brighton Dome
Church Street
Brighton BN1 1UE

For further information and booking please visit brightondome.org/event/14720/rise_shine/




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 9th September, 2017

This will be our fifth yaji for 2017. It is going to be interesting and exciting and all are welcome. The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its door not only to members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and playing music. (There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members).

For more information about the London Youlan Qin Society, see www.ukchinesemusic.com/londonyoulanqin

Date/time: Saturday, 9th September 2017

1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Venue:
Room 116
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.





Guqin Interview and guqin performance by Cheng Yu - Dutch Classical Radio - 17 September, 2017

Cheng Yu has been invited to give an interview and guqin performance on Dutch Classical Radio as part of the the Musica Scara Maastricht Kunstenfestival, a festival of religious music.

Date: Sunday, 17th September 2017, 9pm - 9:30pm Central European Time





Guqin concert by Cheng Yu - Maastricht, Netherlands - 15-16 September, 2017

Cheng Yu has been invited to give two guqin performances at the Musica Scara Maastricht Kunstenfestival, a festival of religious music.

Dates: Friday, 15th and Saturday, 16th September 2017, 10:00 pm


Venue:
Keizerzaal Sint Servaasbasiliek
Maastricht
The Netherlands

For further information and ticket prices please visit http://www.musicasacramaastricht.nl/programma/vrijdag-15-september





Chinese Music Concert "Beyond the Strings" - China Exchange, Chinatown, London - 18 August, 2017

This concert showcased masterpieces on the guqin zither and xiao flute, with a guqin ensemble by musicians from the London Youlan Qin Society including Charles Tsua (guqin) and Dennis Lee (xiao). It also featured virtuosi Cheng Yu (guqin, pipa), Wang Xiao (erhu) and Zhang Danhui (zhongruan) performing traditional and modern pieces.

See the photo gallery here.

Download the poster here.






Chinese Music Summer School - China Exchange, Chinatown, London - 16-20 August, 2017



The guqin course was taught by Dr Cheng Yu, who has been teaching guqin at SOAS, University of London, for 20 years, and Charles Rupert Tsua, an accomplished guqin player with over 10 years of experience. The course was open to participants of all levels of experience.

See the photo gallery here.

Download the poster here.




Silk and Bamboo Ensemble - Mercury Theatre, Colchester - 20 June, 2017

An evening of Chinese music, showcasing string and bamboo instruments, singing and music from different regions, styles and ages, including Shanghai Teahouse, Cantonese and modern pieces by contemporary comnposers.

Date: Tuesday, 20th June, 2017, 7:30 pm


Venue:
Mercury Theatre
Balkerne Gate
Colchester CO1 1PT

For further information, ticket prices and booking please visit mercurytheatre.co.uk/event/sound-of-silk-and-bamboo




Silk String Trio at The Apex, Bury St Edmunds - 25 May, 2017

Following the success of Cheng Yu and the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble's performance at the Apex a few years ago, this year she has been invited to to perform there again, this time with the Sik String Trio.

Date: Thursday, 25th May, 2017, 1:00 pm


Venue:
The Apex
Charter Square
Bury St Edmunds IP33 3FD

For further information, ticket prices and booking please visit theapex.co.uk/whats-on/event/3235/silk-string-trio




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - China Exchange, Chinatown, London - 14th May, 2017

This will be a special yaji at the China Exchange in Chinatown, central London. It will be a part of "An Afternoon with Chinese Artists", which is a part of the "China in Context" festival, and it will be an opportunity to experience other Chinese arts. It is going to be interesting and exciting and all are welcome.

For more information, please visit www.chinaexchange.uk/whats-on/afternoon-yaji-chinese-artists/

Date/time: Sunday, 14th May 2017, 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Venue:
China Exchange
32a Gerrard St
London W1D 6JA

It is important that you let us know if you plan to attend.

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Phone: 0788 089 6003

The nearest tube stations are Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus.





UK Chinese Ensemble at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow - 9 May, 2017

"Plug 1: Cultural Encounters of the Plug Kind"

The UK Chinese Ensemble has been invited to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow for an exciting crosscultural collaboration. Doctoral composer Huan Li has written an exciting series of duets for Chinese traditional and Western classical instruments. The Ensemble will present First performances of works by Samuel Beagles, Huan Li, Electra Perivolaris and Hei Ching Lam.

Date: Tuesday, 9th May, 2017, 7:00 pm


Venue:
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
100 Renfrew Street
Glasgow G2 3DB

For further information, ticket prices and booking please visit rcs.ac.uk/boxoffice-event/eventid/55209-Plug-1:-Cultural-Encounters-of-the-Plug-Kind







China Arts presents Chinese Guqin and Guzheng Zither Music Classes Spring 2017 - 28th February to 16th May

China Arts and the London Youlan Qin Society present their cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 28th February to 16th May 2017 (12 weekly classes):

Teacher

Guqin: Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Guzheng: Ms Xiao Ran (Guzheng virtuoso from the Xi’an Conservatory of Music, China)

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD







Silk and Bamboo - Music for the Arrival of Spring - Dr Cheng Yu and Liu Menglin - 9 February, 2017

A special Spring Festival concert featuring two renowned musicians, Dr Cheng Yu and Liu Menglin on China’s silk 丝 and bamboo 竹 instruments.

Silk and Bamboo, “sizhu” describes string and wind instruments in China, with silk being the traditional material from which strings were historically made and bamboo being used to make flutes and other wind instruments. Sizhu became a term used to describe instrumental music, particularly that which is played indoors.

The programme for this special sizhu evening at China Exchange will evoke the arrival of Spring and showcase a variety of classical Chinese instruments including pieces played on the guqin 古琴 (seven-stringed zither); the pipa 琵琶 – four-stringed lute; the hulusi 葫芦丝 (a gourd flute); and the dizi 笛子(bamboo flute). The music selected for the concert includes Flowing Water 流水; Three Variations on the Plum Blossom 梅花三弄; Moonlit Night by the Spring River; and Fernleaf Bamboo under the Moonlight 月光下的凤尾竹.

Date: Thursday, 9th February, 2017, 7:30-8:45 pm


Venue:
China Exchange
32A Gerrard Street
London

For further information and booking please visit http://chinaexchange.uk/whats-on/silk-bamboo-music-arrival-spring/







London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 12th November, 2016

This will be our seventh yaji for 2016. It is going to be interesting and exciting and all are welcome. The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its door not only to members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and playing music. (There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members).

For more information about the London Youlan Qin Society, see www.ukchinesemusic.com/londonyoulanqin

Date/time: Saturday, 12th November 2016

Members: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Non-members: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue:
Room G52
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.





China Arts presents “The Qin Zither in Zen” – Guqin Music Course Autumn 2016 - 27th September to 20th December, 2016

China Arts presents its new cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London.

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 27th September 2016 - 20th December - except 25th October (12 weekly classes):

Teacher

Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin virtuoso, studied under guqin master Li Xiangting, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998), President of the London Youlan Qin Society

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD

Further information







Chinese Music Concert – 26 August 2016

A double bill showcasing masterpieces on the guqin and xiao flute by musicians from the London Youlan Qin Society; plus the award-winning Silk String Quartet.

See the photo gallery here.

Xinhua News broadcast a news item about the summer school and concert in China, which can be seen at this link: v.gdtv.cn/news/zdbd/2016-08-28/505596.html.

Time: Friday, 26 August 2016, 7:30 pm

Venue:
China Exchange London








Chinese Music Summer School – 24-28 August 2016

See the photo gallery here.

Xinhua News broadcast a news item about the summer school and concert in China, which can be seen at this link: v.gdtv.cn/news/zdbd/2016-08-28/505596.html.

Venue:
China Exchange Gerrard Street
London







Silk String Quartet - Barcelona, 10th August 2016

The Silk String Quartet will perform an evening of Chinese music entitled "Noche de la China" ("China Night")as part of the CaixaForum's "Noches de verano en Barcelona 2016" ()"Summer Nights in Barcelona"

Date: Wednesday, 10th August, 2016 5 pm


Venue:
CaixaForum Barcelona
Barcelona

For further information and booking please visit agenda.obrasocial.lacaixa.es/es/-/silk-string-quartet-noche-de-china








Silk and Bamboo Ensemble - Bowness, 7th August 2016

The ensemble will play both traditional regional, and contemporary music inspired by the past.

Date: Monday, 7th August, 2016 5 pm


Venue:
Blackwell Arts & Crafts House
near Bowness

This event is fully booked. Please contact the box office (tel. 01539 742621) if you would like to add your name to the waiting list.

For further information please visit www.ldsm.org.uk/international-festival/2016-08-08-silk-and-bamboo-ensemble




Club Inégales: Cheng Yu, Hyelim Kim and Maya Youssef - 23rd July 2016

This weekend Club Inégales welcomes another diverse range of musicians - with 17 artists joining their Academy Inégales Weekender in the middle of which, on Saturday 23rd, they present three of their most distinguished guests from the last year: Cheng Yu (pipa), Maya Youssef (kanun), and Hyelim Kim (taegŭm) flute. Superb artists, equally at home in traditional music, new music and improvisation. Please enjoy their Chinese, Korean and Syrian music, preceded by Notes Inégales, followed by the whole band together, including two new pieces by Peter Wiergold. The Notes tonight will be Martin Butler (piano), Joel Bell (guitar), George Barton (percussion) and Peter Wiegold on keyboard.

Date: Saturday 23 July, 2016


Venue: Inégales
180, North Gower Street
Euston
London NW1 2NB

For more details please click here.

For tickets please click here.






London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - Asia House, London - 9th July, 2016

See the Saturday 9th July, 2016 page for details.




Silk String Trio - "An Audience at the Summer Palace" at the Royal School of Military Engineering - 9th July 2016

Our Silk String Trio was invited to play at the "An Audience at the Summer Palace" event at the Royal School of Military Engineering". It was a part of a series of activities on the theme of the Summer Palace in Beijing.

Date: Saturday, 9 July, 2016


Venue: Club






London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - Asia House, London - 9th July, 2016

See the Saturday 9th July, 2016 page for details.




China Arts presents “Qin and Zheng Zithers in Zen” – a Cultural Educational Project - 24th May to 9th August, 2016

China Arts presents its new cultural education project – systematic long-term guqin and guzheng zither courses in the Fo Guang Shan Temple in central London

The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The guzheng (21 string zither) has a history of over 2,500 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The Fo Guang Shan Temple is a quiet Pure Land in the busy heart of London in a Grade Two listed building. Since 1992, the Temple has been a major venue for Buddhist practice and cultural activities. It is a perfect environment for qin and zheng music practice.

Courses

Every Tuesday from 24th May 2016 - 9th August (12 weekly classes):

Teachers

Dr Cheng Yu (Guqin virtuoso, teaches guqin at SOAS, University of London, since 1998)

Ms Wu Mengmeng (Guzheng virtuoso from the Central Conservatory of Music, China)

Location

London Fo Guang Shan Temple
84 Margaret St., Fitzrovia
London, W1W 8TD








London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 14th May, 2016

This will be our second yaji for 2016. It is going to be interesting and exciting and all are welcome. The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its room not only to the members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and playing music. (There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members).

For more information about the London Youlan Qin Society, see www.ukchinesemusic.com/londonyoulanqin

Date/time: Saturday, 14th May 2016

Members: 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
Non-members: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue:
Room G52
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.





London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 12th March, 2016

See the Saturday 12th March, 2016 page for details.




Chinese String Duo - Rotherhithe, London, 24th February 2016

Internationally renowned pipa virtuoso Cheng Yu with award-winning guzheng player Wu Mengmeng will showcase a selection of traditional, regional music from China as well as modern compositions and improvisations. The pipa (4-stringed lute) and guzheng (21-stringed zither) are two of the most celebrated Chinese stringed instruments. Both have over two thousand years of history with distinctive sounds and a rich musical repertoire.

A rare chance to hear a range of traditional and comtemporary music on the two most celebrated Chinese string instruments: the pipa lute and guzheng zither, both solo and in duet by Cheng Yu and Wu Meng Meng. The Sands Films Studio - Southeast London's music venue - is a welcoming and relaxing environment for listening to such music.

Download the poster: Silk_String_Duo_poster.jpg

Date: Wednesday, 24th February, 2016 7:45 pm (doors 7:15)


Venue:
Sands Film Studios
82, St. Marychurch St.,
Rotherhithe,
London,
SE16 4HZ

Nearest station: Rotherhithe Overground (2 minutes); Buses: 381, C10, 188, 47

For tickets please visit www.eventbrite.co.uk and search for Tunedin or Silk String




Chinese New Year Concert - London, 1st February 2016

The QMUL Chinese Students and Scholars' Association, together with the Queen Mary University of London Confucius Institute, will be hosting this event to celebrate the 2016 Chinese New Year festival, by showcasing and combining art and science, specific to QMUL, in an imaginative way which demonstrates not only the strengths of both individually, but the strength and appeal of art and science when combined.

This is the first concert featuring leading UK-based Eastern and Western musicians on the theme of the fusion of art and science. This pioneering effort paves the way to close collaboration among different cultures and styles in music.

Guests include well-known Chinese musicians and innovative Western musicians from the UK. Among them are Cheng Yu and members of the UK Chinese Music Ensemble. You will hear pure music from each side and fabulous collaborations from them. Furthermore, the Magnetic Resonator Piano will present cutting-edge augmented instrument music. You will see and hear how musicians collaborate among different cultures and styles in music.

Download the poster: QM_CNY_2016 concert_poster.jpg

Date: Monday, 1st February, 2016 7:30 pm


Venue:
The Octagon
Queens Building,
Queen Mary University of London
London,
E1 4NS

For more information please visit qmul-cssa.org.uk/concert2016






London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 9th January, 2016

See the Saturday 9th January, 2016 page for details.




The Silk and Bamboo Ensemble (UKCE) Lecture and Concert - Barcelona, 10th and 11th December, 2015

Invited by the Confucius Institute of Barcelona and the Conservatori Municipal de Musica de Barcelona, our Silk and Bamboo Ensemble will give a lecture and concert on 10th and 11th December, 2015.

又来巴市演出了！巴塞罗那孔子学院将与亚洲之家、巴塞罗那市政府音乐厅、MTG组合（庞贝法布拉大学）和庞贝法布拉大学校园音乐计划合作，于2015年12月10日和11日为观众们献上一场由来自伦敦的丝竹乐队演出中国传统音乐与京剧的视听盛宴。

Download the programme: 10desembre.pdf

Download the poster: Barcelona_Prog_Dic10-Sizhu_2015.pdf

For more information please visit: http://www.confuciobarcelona.es/zh/index.php/actividades/cultura/cultura/707-dos-noches-musica-tradicional-opera-china:




Written In Dust - a modern silent film set in Beijing - London tour - November 2015

Written In Dust is a modern silent film set in Beijing with live music accompaniment. For the London shows in November, the music features traditional Chinese instruments (erhu, guzheng, xun) played by Ling Peng, in collaboration with Andy Middleton on guitar and keyboards.

Download the poster: WID_flyer_2 sides.pdf

There are trailers for the film, and this current tour, at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjgDkcsD-KppXHzm-pHTvGA:

For more information, including dates and venues, please visit www.writtenindust.net




Chinese Music Summer School - 27-31 August 2015

Following over a decade of successful Chinese music summer schools, the London Youlan Qin Society (LYQS) will focus its 2015 course on the guqin and guzheng. The guqin, with its refined and other-worldly tones, is the quintessential instrument of the Chinese literati, and mastery of this instrument along with chess, calligraphy, and ink-painting has historically been the mark of scholarly sophistication. The guzheng (21 string zither) has a history of over 2,000 years and is an expressive and colourful instrument which is widely loved by both Chinese and Western people. The summer school this year will be held at a grand new venue – China Exchange in London’s Chinatown – and offers a rare opportunity for anyone interested in learning and understanding more about traditional Chinese music and instruments in the UK.

The course will combine lectures, practice, and seminars and will finish with an end of course demonstration by participants and a concert by renowned musicians. It is open to student at all levels of experience.

Guqin
Taught by Dr Cheng Yu (SOAS, University of London), with Mr Charles Rupert Tsua (LYQS)

Guzheng
Taught by Wu Mengmeng (award-winning guzheng virtuoso from the Central conservatory of Music, Beijing)

Course Dates: 10am – 5pm, 27-31 August, Thursday-Monday

Seminar/demonstration (open to public) 公开讲座/示范: 2-3.30pm:
Guqin 古琴 Charles Tsua, 27th August)
Guzheng 古筝 (Wu Mengmeng, 29th August)
Pipa 琵琶 (Cheng Yu, 30th August)


Concert 音乐会: "Beyond the Silk Strings" 『 署夏丝韵』: 7.30pm, 28th August 2015
Showcases masterpieces on the guqin 古琴 and guzheng 古筝, as well as the erhu 二胡 fiddle, xiao 笛箫 flute. Includes contemporary pieces "Su" 塑 (by Zhou Long 周龙, 1983) for guqin 古琴 and Western flute 西笛, and "Lament at Lin’an" 临安遗恨 (by He Zhanhao 何占豪 1992) for guzheng 古筝 and piano 钢琴. Featuring renowned musicians including Chen Dacan (erhu), Cheng Yu (guqin and pipa), Wu Meng Meng (guzheng), Charles Tsua (guqin), Dennis Lee (xiao) and Lin Lin (flute and piano).


Photos from the concert are here.

Venue:
China Exchange
32A, Gerrard Street
London W1D 6JA

Photos from the summer school are here.








Original Voices – Jazz meets Chinese virtuosi; innovation, improvisation - 25th June, 2015

『原声』音乐会 – 爵士乐和中乐演奏家之即兴，创新，融合, 25th June, 2015

Notes Inégales welcomes internationally renowned pipa and guqin virtuoso Cheng Yu, performing together with Wang Xiao (erhu) and Wu Mengmeng (guzheng) plus a special appearance by the distinguished Chinese writer and advocate Xinran, author of the best-selling "China Witness – Voices From a Silent Generation".

Notes Inégales was created by Peter Wiegold and David Purser, devoted equally (or unequally) to improvisation as well as written music, and to devising new work alongside composers/other artists as well as playing contemporary repertoire. Featuring some of the finest players in Britain, all of whom are equally comfortable with complex modern scores and wide ranging improvisation – and can swing.

Date: Thursday, 25th June, 2015 7:00 pm


Venue:
Club Inégales
180 North Gower Street,
London,
NW1 2NB

For more information, please visit clubinegales.com/archives/event/cheng-yu?mc_cid=585e38e7bd&mc_eid=78e58903df

Booking: http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cheng-yu-notes-inegales-tickets-16970876348?aff=erelexporg

Tickets also available at the door at £10.







Pipa Recital by Cheng Yu: Tate, St Ives, Cornwall - 19th July, 2015

Having performed at the St Ives Arts Club in January this year, Cheng Yu has been invited back to perform play a selection of traditional and contemporary music on the pipa (4-stringed lute) to coincide with the Tate Gallery’s exhibition.

Date: 19th July, 2015 6:30 pm


Venue:
Tate St Ives
Porthmeor Beach,
Saint Ives,
Cornwall TR26 1TG

Free entry

For more information, please phone 01736 796226.




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 11th July, 2015

The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its door not only to members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and playing music. (There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members).

For more information about the London Youlan Qin Society, see www.ukchinesemusic.com/londonyoulanqin

Date/time: Saturday, 11th July 2015

Members: 11:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Non-members: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue:
Room G52
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.






A MUSICAL FUSION OF EAST AND WEST - A Unique Concert by Chinese Musician Lin Lin - London, 14th May, 2015

The Golden Flute Concerto by Chen Li (European Premiere)

Hua Mulan Saga for Flute and Orchestra by Sandy Clark (World Premiere)

Su by Zou Long

Flute pieces derived from Chinese folk tunes and based on Chinese stories and legends

Lin Lin Flute
Trinity Laban Orchestra
Jonathan Tilbrook Conductor
Gen Li Piano
Kirsten Lloyd-Leach Soprano
Yu Cheng Qin and Pipa
Xiao Wang Erhu
Mengmeng Wu Zheng
Jorge Fernandez Gracia Violin
Sarah James Cello
Henry Fynn Percussion

The up and coming, multi award-winning Chinese artist Lin Lin is a talented and skilled performer in both flute and piano. Lin is young but her unusual career path adds a special dimension to her understanding of music and her performance; she has long been an outstanding professional. She was described as a "truly gifted young musician who mastered two instruments, always bringing magical music to the audience..." by Chinese Weekly Magazine

Lin is to perform flute pieces derived from Chinese folk tunes, usually played by traditional Chinese instruments and based on traditional Chinese stories and legends. A western composer Sandy Clark has written a flute and orchestra work according to the 'Hua Mulan' legend story specially for this event. A flute concerto has also been written by a Chinese living composer Dr.Chen Yi; the accompanied Trinity Laban Orchestra will be conducted by renowned conductor Jonathan Tilbrook.

This occasion is exciting and unique as it will be the first time a Chinese musician has held such a major concert for flute dedicated to representing Chinese culture in classical music and highlighting the Anglo Chinese cultural exchange in the UK.

Su is a contemporary piece for guqin and flute composed by Zhou Long. It will be performed by Cheng Yu (guqin) and Lin Lin (flute).

Date: Saturday, 14 May, 2015, 7:30 pm


Venue:
Great Hall, Blackheath Halls
London SE3 9RQ

£15, concession £10

For more information and tickets, please visit

www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/whats-on/blackheath-halls-events/a-musical-fusion-of-east-and-west






Cheng Yu to perform at Festival Asia - London, 16th May, 2015

Cheng Yu will play pipa on the Performance Stage at Festival Asia, Tobacco Dock, London.

Date: Saturday, 16 May, 2015


Venue:
Tobacco Dock
London E1

For more information and tickets, please visit

www.festivalasia.co.uk/performance-stage




International Womens' Day - Global Fusion Music and Arts - London, 7:30pm, 7th March, 2015

Cheng Yu will play at an event by Global Fusion Music and Arts to celebrate International Womens' Day.

Date: Saturday, 7 March, 2015
Time: 7:30 pm to 10 pm


Venue:
Charlton House
Charlton Road
Charlton
London SE7 8TT

Tickets: £8, Concessions £7


For more information, please contact joyce.dent@durham.ac.uk

Box office: www.wegottickets.com or at the door from 7pm.

For more information, see poster: IWD_Flier_Front_2_sm.jpg




The Moon of My Hometown - concert by the Silk and Bamboo Quartet - Durham University, 7:30pm, 2nd March, 2015

Musicon Festival of East Asian Music

The Silk and Bamboo Quartet perform the first of 3 concerts celebrating the music of China, Japan and Korea. Playing a varied selection of traditional Chinese string and wind instruments (silk and bamboo), including the erhu fiddle, pipa lute, yangqin dulcimer, and dizi flute, these virtuoso regulars of the WOMAD and WOMEX festivals dazzle with their Shanghai tea-house and Cantonese melodies, and also showcase new pieces by contemporary composers.

Date: Monday, 2 March, 2015
Time: 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm


Venue:
Wolfson Gallery, Palace Green Library
Durham University

Tickets: £10, Students £4, Under 18s £1 Festival passe-partout: £25, students £10
Box Office: University Music School, Durham Tel: 0191 33 43140

For more information, please contact joyce.dent@durham.ac.uk

Poster: East_Asian_Music_Festival_Poster.jpg

Programme (pdf file): East_Asian_Music_Festival_Programme.pdf

See also https://www.dur.ac.uk/whatson/calendar/?day=2015-03-02 and https://www.dur.ac.uk/whatson/calendar/?eventno=23780.




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 14th March, 2015

See the Saturday 14th March, 2015 page for details.




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 24th January, 2015

See the Saturday 24th January, 2015 page for details.




Pipa and guqin Recital by Cheng Yu - St Ives Arts Club, Cornwall 7pm, 30th January, 2015

Invited by the St Ives Arts Club, Cheng Yu will play a selection of traditional/classical music on the pipa (4-stringed lute) and guqin (7-stringed zither), the two most celebrated Chinese classical instruments.

Date: Friday, 30 January, 2015
Doors: 6.30 pm
Performance: 7.00 pm

Venue:
St Ives Arts Club
Westcott's Quay
St Ives
Cornwall, TR26 2DY

Tickets: £13.00
From: Will Sleath - 01736 794 477 - williamsleath@hotmail.com

For more details, please visit http://www.stivesartsclub.org/world-classic-series.html.




Silk String Trio Performance - V&A Museum, London SW7 - 7pm, 5th February 2015



Invited by CBI, the string group will perform a set of Chinese traditional and modern repertories for the CBI's Chinese New Year Celebration. Silk String Group - Magical journeys on Chinese strings - see https://www.facebook.com/ukchinesemusic.

Date: Thursday, 5 February, 2015
Time: 18.45 - 22.30

Venue:
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL

For more details, see http://www.cbi.org.uk/events/chinese-new-year-dinner-2015/.




ChinaNext presents Concert - China Then and Now: A Musical Journey, Kings Place, London N1 - 7:00pm, Sunday, 8 February 2015



This charity concert juxtaposes traditional and contemporary Chinese music, which are played on traditional Chinese as well as Western instruments. The Silk String Trio is led by the internationally renowned virtuoso, Cheng Yu on the pipa (lute) and features Zhao Xiao on the erhu (fiddle) and Xu Muzi on the guzheng (zither). They will perform a selection of traditional and popular and contemporary Chinese music. The concert also showcases three talented, award-winning young Chinese musicians: Chi-Ling Lok (piano), Jian Ren (violin) and Catherine Cheung (piano), who will perform Chinese solo and chamber music works by renowned contemporary Chinese composers.

Join us for an exploration into the wealth of Chinese musical traditions - not just in their classical form, but also in an exciting, modern blend with Western musical concepts. Such ‘East meets West’ pioneers include Chinese contemporary composers Zhou Long and Bright Sheng, who have each gained international success, winning major awards including the Pulitzer Prize for Music (Zhou Long, 2011).

China Then and Now: A Musical Journey is part of the Love Flows with Music International charity concert series, which is taking place in Beijing, Shanghai and London. It is organised by the ChinaNext Foundation, a UK-registered charity that aims to raise funds to support charities in China.

Time/Date: Sunday, 8 February 2015 - 7:00pm

Venue:
Hall Two
Kings Place
90 York Way
London, N1 9AG

Box Office: 020 7520 1490

Date: Thursday, 5 February, 2015
Time: 18.45 - 22.30

Venue:
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL

For more details, see http://http://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on-book-tickets/music/chinanext-presents-china-then-and-now-a-musical-journey#.VL5ODyz562g/.

Programme

Trad, North West China Full of Joy - Chinese string trio
Wang Xuanzhi Flowing Water from High Mountain - guzheng solo (1979)
Trad, South East China Jasmine Flower - Chinese string trio (arr. Cheng Yu)
Huang Haihe Galloping Horse - erhu solo (1981)
Bright Sheng My Song - piano solo (1989)
Brahms Klavierstuecke, Op. 118: Intermezzo in A
Zhou Long Pianogongs - piano solo doubling with two Chinese Opera Gongs (2005)

Interval

Bright Sheng The Stream Flows - violin solo (1988)
JS Bach Sonata No. 4 for violin and keyboard in C minor, BWV 1017: Allegro
Han-Kun Sha Pastoral for violin and piano (1953)
A Bing Moon Reflected in Second Spring (1939) (arr. for violin and piano)
Trad Chinese Three and Six - Chinese string trio (arr. Cheng Yu)
Trad Chinese White Snow in Sunny Spring - pipa solo
Liu Tieshan Dance of the Yao People - Chinese string trio (1965)

Cheng Yu pipa (4-stringed Chinese lute)
Zhao Xiao erhu ((2-stringed Chinese fiddle)
Xu Muzi guzheng (21-stringed Chinese zither)
Chi-Ling Lok pipa Piano solo
Jian Ren Violin
Catherine Cheung piano




Silk String Trio - Lunchtime Concert at Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 - 1-2pm, 18th February 2015

For this Chinese New Year (Year of the Sheep) concert the Silk String Trio will take you on a seasonal journey through the music of China. The goup will perform a selection of solo and group pieces from traditional and regional repertories as well as popular melodies and modern pieces.

Time: 1-2pm, 18th February 2015

Venue:

Atrium 3,
Guy’s Hospital, (London Bridge)
St Thomas Street,
London SE1 9RT

Free entry

Nearest station: London Bridge

For further information please visit:

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/getting-here/travel-guys.aspx



Chinese New Year Day performance - Hutong, Shard, London Bridge SE1, 7.30pm, 19 February 2015

"...perfect, vibrant performances... technical perfection and brilliant playing..." Songlines



Our musicians has been invited to play at one of London’s most luxurious venues to mark the Year of the Sheep, with delicious Chinese food and extraordinary panoramic views of London’s wonderful night scenery from this 33 storey glass building.

Time: 7pm, 19th February 2015

Venue:
Level 33, The Shard, 31 St Thomas Street
London SE1 9RY

Tel: 020 3011 1257

For reservations, see http://www.aquahutong.co.uk/reservations/.




Chinese Music Performances - Shangri-la, The Shard, London Bridge, 12-3 and 3-6pm, Saturdays and Sundays every weekend January, February, March 2015



Following the celebratory performance by our String group at the opening of London’s first Shangri-la Hotel on 6 May 2014, when the Mayor of London was present, our Ensemble has been chosen to provide a range of musicians for regular variety performances at the Shangri-la Ting Restaurant in the Shard. What a style in which to enjoy London’s classic elegance and breath-taking views from the heart of the City’s tallest modern glass tower with enchanting Chinese music and delicious delicacies.

Music performances for Lunch time and Afternoon Tea time
12-3pm and 3-6pm (Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, January to March, 2015)

Venue:
Ting Restaurant
Level 35, The Shard, 31 St Thomas Street
London SE1 9SY

For more details, see http://www.shangri-la.com/london/shangrila/dining/restaurants/ting/.




The Sound of Silk and Bamboo Concert, SOAS, University of London, 23 February, 2015 (Free entry)

丝竹之声音乐会 - 英国中乐团





To celebrate the Chinese New Year (19 February) this evening of Chinese music showcases various string (si - silk) and bamboo (zhu -wind) instruments performing solo and ensemble music from different regions, styles and ages. Besides traditional repertoires including Shanghai tea-house and Cantonese pieces, the group will also present some modern pieces by contemporary composers. This ensemble of excellent musicians regularly performs across London and abroad; tonight the line-up will feature erhu (2-stringed fiddle), pipa (4-stringed zither), yangqin (hammered dulcimer), guzheng (21-stringed zither), dizi (bamboo flute) and percussion. www.ukchinesemusic.com.

羊年之际，我乐团丝竹之声音乐会(免费）将于下周一晚7点，在伦敦大学亚非学院 Brunei Lecture Treatre 举行, 是一场不常见的10人乐队阵容。传统和现代，中西风格兼并：有丝竹乐，丝弦乐，独奏，重奏合奏，乐曲包括春节序曲，京韵，瑶族舞曲，英国传统乐曲绿袖子和 新创作乐曲故乡月等。有兴者，勿失良机 。

Date: 23 February 2015
Time: 7:00 PM (Free Admission)

Venue:
Brunei Gallery
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
Tel: 020 7637 2388

Series: SOAS Concert Series

Contact email: musicevents@soas.ac.uk
Contact Tel: 020 7898 4500

For more details, see http://www.soas.ac.uk/music/events/concerts/23feb2015-the-sound-of-silk-and-bamboo.html.




Guqin (7-stringed zither) performances – British Museum – Room 33, 6.15pm and 7.10pm, 14th November 2014

Cheng Yu has been invited to play a selection of guqin masterpieces for this special celebration at the British Museum titled "Ming Late: Courtly Pleasures". It is in conjunction with the BP Exhibition - Ming: 50 years that changed China (18 September 2014 – 5 January 2015), with some China’s most Exquisite objects and treasures. Cheng Yu will play a few Ming dynasty (1368-1644) pieces including "Flowing Water" and "Three Variations on the Plum Blossom" from the Spiritual and Secret Scores, published in 1425. Presented by the The UK Chinese Ensemble.

Date: Friday, 14 November, 6.15 pm and 7.10 pm

Venue:
Room 33, British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG

Admission: Free, just drop in, limited seating available

For more details, please see the exhibition programme.





London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 8 November 2014

Our regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its room not only to the members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and playing music. (There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members).

For more information about the London Youlan Qin Society, see www.ukchinesemusic.com/londonyoulanqin

Date/time: Saturday, 8th November 2014

Members: 11:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Non-members: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue:
Room G52
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.





Shaohao live at the Comedy - 8 October 2014

Singer-songwriter Li Shaohao will perform at The Comedy, near Leicester Square in London. There will be a set of 7 original songs using such instruments as guqin, singing bowl, Ableton Live, guitar.

Date: Wednesday, 8 October, 8:45 pm

Venue:
The Comedy
7 Oxendon St.
London SW1Y 4EE

Admission: £5 with the flyer below.

To get £5 discounted entry, print the flyer or show the event cover image from your phone at the door.


Further information is available at the event Facebook page.




Chinese Music Concert – 9 August 2014

The London Youlan Qin Society and the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble present a selection of masterpieces of guqin music from different periods, as well as other Chinese instrumental music such as the erhu (2-stringed fiddle) guzheng (21-stringed zither), pipa (4-stringed lute) and xiao (bamboo flute). This is a rare opportunity and not to be missed.

Musicians: Cheng Yu – pipa lute and guqin zither, Chen Dacan – erhu fiddle, Dennis Kwong Thye Lee – xiao and dizi flutes, Chan Fungying – guzheng zither.

Date: Saturday, 9 August, 7:00 pm

Venue:
Parry Room
The Royal College of Music
Prince Consort Road
South Kensington
London SW7 2BS

Nearest tube station: South Kensington

Admission: Free (Donations appreciated)

For details and and photo gallery, please see the concert page.





Chinese Music Summer School – 6-10 August 2014

Following the London Youlan Qin Society’s (LYQS) successful guqin summer school last year, we will hold a full 5 day course this summer at the Royal College of Music in South Kensington, London, for both beginners and advanced level students. it will be taught by Dr Cheng Yu, who has been teaching guqin at SOAS, University of London, for more than 16 years, and Charles Rupert Tsua, an accomplished guqin player with over 10 years of experience.

The course will combine classes, workshops and an informal concert, and will be open to participants of all levels of experience.

Dates: 6-10 August, Wednesday-Sunday

Venue:
The Royal College of Music
Prince Consort Road
South Kensington
London SW7 2BS

For details and photo gallery, please see the 2014 Summer School page.




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 12 July 2014

The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its room not only to the members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and playing music. (There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members)

Date/time: Saturday, 12th July 2014

Members: 11:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Non-members: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue:
Room G52
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.




Silk String Quartet Concert - World City Music Village Festival - Wilton’s Music Hall, City of London - 2pm, 5th and 6th July, 2014.

"SATURDAY 5th JULY 2pm:

Silk String Quartet - Magical journeys on Chinese strings led by Cheng Yu of the UK Chinese Music Ensemble


Naghmeh Ensemble - Intense, stirring sounds from Ancient Persia
Nogabe Randriaharimalala - Charismatic Malagasy melodies fused with Ghanaian-Iranian percussion
Olcay Bayir - Honey-toned singer/songwriter of rich Anatolian musical tradition
Lokkhi Terra - Infectious, genre-defying Bengali-Cuban rhythms

SUNDAY 6th JULY

Maya Youssef - Lightning-fingered qanun virtuosity (Maya Kanun Player)
Perunika Trio - Hauntingly beautiful harmonies from Bulgaria
Namvula - Soulful Zambian songs and hip-wiggling rhythms
Kasai Masai- Body-shaking soukous from dedicated Congolese groovers
Family Atlantica - Carnivalesque Latin and African beats from Atlantic superstars

Venue:

Wilton’s Music Hall
City of London

(Free Admission; capacity limited; TIMED ENTRY TICKET must be booked in advance)

To reserve a place for this event visit: http://www.www.culturalcooperation.eventbrite.co.uk/Wilton's Music Hall








Chinese Arts Cultural Day - Festival of Gold, Larkmead School, Oxford – 3 July, 2014

Our Ensemble has been chosen to deliver a series of workshops on Chinese music and arts for the award-winning school’s China project. The workshops are designed to be both educational and hands-on for the students to have an interesting learning experience about Chinese arts. The workshops include:

1. Chinese music (Singing and Percussion)
2. Calligraphy and brush painting
3. Origami
4. Lion and Dragon dance
5. Ribbon and Fan dance
6. Drama/storytelling

Date: 3rd July, 2014

Venue:

Larkmead School
Faringdon Road
Abingdon
Oxfordshire OX14 1RF

http://www.larkmead-school.com




Silk and Bamboo Ensemble – City of London Festival – 12.30pm 1 July 2014

"...perfect, vibrant performances... technical perfection and brilliant playing..." Songlines

Music performances for Lunch time and Afternoon Tea time:

Time and date: 12.30-2pm, Tuesday 1st July 2014

Venue:

Devonshire Square
London EC2M 4WQ

Nearest tube station: Liverpool Street

Free Admission

http://www.colf.org/whats-on/1299-silk-and-bamboo






A Celebration of Culture – Global Fusion of Music and Arts Concert, 7.30pm – 26 June 2014

This year’s Global Fusion Music and Arts, and Greenwich Social Network, Celebration of Culture Event on Thursday 26th June is a feast of music and culture with artists from China, Africa and India. Internationally renowned Chinese pipa player, Cheng Yu, makes a welcome return to Charlton House after her stunning performance at this year’s GFMA international Women's Day event in March. She wowed the 150 strong audience with her virtuoso playing of her four stringed instrument the pipa. 'I don't know how she manages to achieve the speed of playing, range and quality of sounds she gets from her beautiful instrument, it's so melodic, yet so technical' said project manager Louisa Le Marchand when asked about Cheng Yu's return to Charlton House. 'We were putting the programme together and everyone was so excited that Cheng Yu was returning and would be performing a longer set' Louisa added.

Joining the exciting line-up for the evening will be GFMA favourite Mosi Conde, kora player from Guinea who is currently recording his album at the GFMA studios in Charlton. Mosi is a very established kora player and is one of the top kora players currently residing in the UK. His soulful voice and skilful playing soothe even the most troubled soul. 'Our cat will not make an appearance if anyone is recording in the studio, but every time Mosi plays the kora, she sits and listens as if in rapture' Louisa told us. To give a taste of India GFMA have invited Unnati Dasgupta with her beautiful voice and Indian harmonium. Unnati will be performing songs from her latest album 'Indigo Soul' accompanied by guitar and kora.

Time and date: 26 June 2014, 7.30-10 pm doors open at 7pm

Venue:

Charlton House
Charlton Road
Charlton, SE7 8RE

Information: 020 8858 9497






Chinese Music Performances – Shangri-la, The Shard, London Bridge – 12-3pm and 3-6pm, Saturdays and Sundays since May 2014

Following the celebratory performance by our String group at the opening of London’s first Shangri-la Hotel on 6 May when the Mayor of London was present, our Ensemble has been chosen to provide a range of musicians for a variety of regular performances at the Shargri-la Ting Restaurant in the Shard. What a style in which to enjoy London’s classic elegance and breathtaking views from the heart of the City’s tallest modern glass tower with enchanting Chinese music, yet it is reasonably affordable.

Music performances for Lunch time and Afternoon Tea time:

Time and date: 12–3 pm and 3-6 pm Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays, May to December 2014

Venue:

Ting Restaurant
Level 35, The Shard
31 St Thomas Street
London SE1 9SY

Tel: 020 7234 8000

www.shangri-la.com/london/shangrila/dining/restaurants/ting/

www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/ting








Pipa workshop and talk with Wu Man at SOAS - 7 June 2014

Following her performance at Wigmore Hall, Wu Man will give a pipa workshop and talk at SOAS (Room G52) on Saturday 7th June. 11:00 am-12:00.




Pipa concert by Wu Man, Wigmore Hall, London - 6 June 2014

Wu Man will give a concert of traditional and modern pipa music at Wigmore Hall on Saturday 6th June. 10:00 pm.

Further details and booking: www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/whats-on/productions/wu-man-pipa-34896




Guzheng zither demonstration workshop with Sun Zhuo at SOAS - 31 May 2014

Following her performance in Durham, Sun Zhuo will give a guzheng demonstration workshop at SOAS (Room L67) on Saturday 31st May at 11:00 am-1:00 pm.




Heavenly Sound of the Bamboo Flute - Southbank Centre, London 28 May 2014

The Chinese Bamboo Orchestra presents music spanning thousands of years. They demonstrate the ancient charm of 8000-year-old Chinese musical instruments in a performance of ancient masterpieces. Joined by musicians from the Philharmonia Orchestra, they also perform a selection of contemporary works in a concert that brings together the music of East and West.

Further details and booking: www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whatson/heavenly-sound-of-bamboo-flute-83571




The Chinese Zheng Forever: Two Generations in Harmony, Durham - 7.30 pm, 27 May 2014

Widely respected for their virtuosity and versatility, Qu Yun and her daughter Sun Zhuo are masters of the zheng zither. They are leading figures in the Qin zheng style, which hails from their own home town of Xi’an, the ancient walled capital of Imperial China. Tonight’s programme highlights this style with a selection of traditional and contemporary pieces.

Further details and booking: www.dur.ac.uk/musicon.concerts/concerts1314/eastasian/eastasian1/




Pipa and guqin Recital by Cheng Yu, The Museum of East Asian Art, Bath – 15 May 2014

As part of a UK-wide Festival - Museum at Night, Cheng Yu has been invited by the Museum of East Asian Art, to play a selection of traditional/classical music on the pipa (4-stringed lute) and guqin (7-stringed zither) the two most celebrated Chinese classical instruments. Seats are limited, early booking is advanced.

Time and date: 18.30 pm, Friday 15th May 2014

Venue:

Museum of East Asian Art
12 Bennett Street
Bath BA1 2QJ

Phone: 01225 464640



Web site: www.meaa.org.uk




Concert by BBC National Orchestra of Wales with Cheng Yu – Gale of Glamorgan Festival, BBC Hoddinott Hall, Cardiff – 7pm, 14 May 2014

Invited by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Cheng Yu is the soloist who will play the pipa for Xiao Ying’s award-winning composition – The Cloud on the Wishful Side with the Orchestra.

Three UK composers whose stars are undoubtedly in the ascendant: Duncan Ward shines both as conductor and composer, Tarik O’Regan charts the chilling story of Conrad’s classic novel and Huw Watkins allows us not only to enjoy his art but also the virtuoso playing of flautist Adam Walker, for whom he wrote the concerto. This concert is part of BBC Hoddinott Hall 2013-14 and Vales of Glamorgan Festival Appearances. The programme includes:

Tarik O'Regan - Latent Manifest
Xiao Ying - The Cloud on the Wishful Side
Huw Watkins - Flute Concerto
Duncan Ward - Fumes
Tarik O'Regan - Suite from 'The Heart of Darkness'

Duncan Ward - Conductor

Adam Walker - Flute
Cheng Yu - Pipa
Simon Callow - Narrator

Time and date: 14 May 2014, 7.00 pm

Venue:

BBC Hoddinott Hall
Wales Millennium Centre
Cardiff
Cardiff Bay
Cardiff CF10 5AL

Phone: 01225 464640

For more information, please visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e2gmxj

Tickets: £13.50

BBC National Orchestra of Wales Audience Line: 0800 052 1812

http://valeofglamorganfestival.ticketsource.co.uk




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 10 May 2014

The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its room not only to members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and/or playing music. (There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members.)

Date/time: Saturday, 10th May 2014

Members: 11:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Non-members: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue:
Room G52
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.




VOICE OF SPRING CONCERT – 春之声音乐会 – 22 March 2014

Time: Saturday, 22 March 2014, 7:30 pm
日期：2014年3月22日 星期六 7：30

Venue:

TRINITY CHURCH GOLDERS GREEN

90 Hodford Road
London NW11 8EG

地点：戈德斯格林 圣三一教堂 邮编 NW11 8EG

Performers:

London Chinese Philharmonic Choir 伦敦华人爱乐合唱团
Tenor: WANG　BO　男高音歌唱家： 王博
Soprano： WANG BEIBEI　女高音歌唱家： 王蓓蓓
Soprano： WU HE 女高音歌唱家： 武赫
Erhu: CHEN DACAN 二胡演奏家： 陈大燦
Pipa and guqin (7-stringed zither): CHENG YU 琵琶古琴演奏家： 程玉
Piano - Young Star: FIDELIA DANTING JIANG 钢琴 少年新星： 蒋丹亭

Tickets:

£10.00, Students 学生 £6.00
Purchase in Advance 预购
At the front hall of the Church　教堂大堂 6:00pm on the day of the Concert 音乐会当天6:00後




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting and Tea Ceremony demonstration: SOAS, University of London – 8 March 2014

The Society’s regular yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting as always opens its room not only to members but also to non-members and the public who are interested in listening to and/or playing music. For this yaji, we have a special performance by Audrey Sun of a Chinese Tea Ceremony demonstration. (There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members)

Date: Saturday 8th March, 2014


Members: 11:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Non-members: 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue:
Room G52
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.




Cheng Yu has been invited to perform at the International Women’s Day Celebration, Charlton House, London SE7 – Friday 7th March 2014

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2014, Global Fusion Music and Arts have joined forces with the Her Centre in Woolwich for a feast of music, dance, poetry drama and food. Starting at 5pm, it will run until 10pm on Friday 7th March in Charlton House.

The evening will be filled with a wide range of female talent from the young to the not so young. DJ Debbie from the Women’s Radio group will kick off the evening and will be the MC. There will be tasty Indian food, African dance from Malaika Dance Unique, powerful and vibrant singing from Ugandan singer-songwriter Milly Namukasa and Kenyan Diva Apelles Ogaga. Greenwich singer Simone Plummer and poet and musician Louisa Le Marchand will be performing some original material, in keeping with International Women’s Day, and newcomer singer/songwriter Zarina will be showing us how the younger generation also have something important to say. This will be followed by some drama from writer actor Tanya and that’s just the first half. Nadia Al Faghill will be beating out some rhythms and vocals with the aid of her trusty djembe drum, followed by traditional Chinese Music from international artist Cheng Yu playing the pipa. The evening will finish with a piano and flute recital of female composers by Fie Ren and Helen Vidovich. All of this for only £5 - food, music, theatre, poetry and dance, a truly international evening of female talent at Charlton House.

Time and date: 5:00-10:00pm, Friday 7th March

Venue:

Charlton House

Charlton Road

SE7 8RE

Tickets: www.wegottickets.com

Funded by Greenwich Council

Sponsored by the Co-operative Party and Holloway Electrics Charlton.




Colchester Chinese lantern Festival Gala 2014, Mercury Theatre, Essex – 23 February 2014

Colchester Chinese lantern Festival Gala 2014, Mercury Theatre, Essex – 23rd Feb 2014 Having helped to purchase and set up an entire orchestra of Chinese instruments, and an orchestra for Essex Council 3 years ago, the musicians of our UKCE have been invited to perform at this year's Chinese New Year Celebration by the Colchester Chinese Culture Society. The Mayor of Colchester Councillor Collin Sykes, Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell, and Chairperson of the Colchester Chinese Culture Society Simone Xue will give speeches and present at this special event. This gala features many different performances including music, dance and Kungfu.

Time and date: 2:00-4:00pm, Sunday 23rd February 2014

Venue:

Mercury Theatre

Balkerne Gate

Colchester

Essex CO1 1PT




Chinese New Year Music performance At Rich Mix, London – 1st February 2014

Musicians from our Ensemble have been invited to play at the popular East London venue Rich Mix. This year, our music programme will include instrumental solo and singing of Chinese traditional and modern popular songs. This celebration with various performances is organized by the Chinese Association of Tower Hamlets to mark the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Horse.

Time: 12-4pm, 1st February 2014

Venue:

Rich Mix
35-47 Bethnal Green Road
City of London E1 6LA

Tel: 020 7613 7498

For further information please visit:

www.thchinese.org.uk/

For travel information please visit:

www.richmix.org.uk/visit/how-to-get-here/



Silk and Bamboo Trio – Celebrating Chinese New Year Day at Tutong, The Shard, London SE1 – 7pm, 31st January 2014

Our Silk and Bamboo Trio has been invited to play at the London’s most luxurious restaurant to mark the Year of the Horse, with delicious Chinese food and extraordinary panoramic views of London’s wonderful night scenery from this 33 storey high glass building.

Time: 7pm, 31st January 2014

Venue:

Level 33 The Shard
31 St Thomas St
London SE1 9RY

Tel: 020 3011 1257

For reservations please visit:

www.aquahutong.co.uk/reservations/



Music and Song – Lunchtime Concert, Citigroup, Canada Square, London E14 – 12-1pm, 30th January 2014

Our renowned pipa (4-stringed lute) virtuoso Cheng Yu and the celebrated Chinese soprano Wang Chen present a selection of popular tradition and modern Chinese music and songs for this special occasion – Celebration of the Year of the Horse.

Time: 12.00 – 1.00pm, 30 January 2014

Venue:

Citigroup Global Markets Limited
25 Canada Square
London E14 5LB

For further information please visit: www.citigroup.com/citi/




Silk String Trio – Lunchtime Concert at Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 – 1-2pm, 29th January 2014

For this Chinese New Year (Year of the Horse) concert the Silk String Trio will take you on a seasonal journey through the music of China. The goup will perform a selection of solo and group pieces from traditional and regional repertories as well as popular melodies and modern pieces.

Time: 1-2pm, 29th January 2014

Venue:

Atrium 3,
Guy’s Hospital, (London Bridge)
St Thomas Street,
London SE1 9RT

Free entry

Nearest station: London Bridge

For further information please visit:

www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/getting-here/travel-guys.aspx



UKCE Silk and Bamboo Ensemble – Freshfields, Fleet Street, City of London – 6.30pm, 21st January 2014

Following our successful concert at the V and A Museum on Sunday 19th January, the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble opens the first Chinese New Year（马年 - the Year of the Horse) celebration performance at Freshfields (富而德) International Law Company. This is a grand celebration during which Mr. Zhou Xiaoming (Ministerial Counsellor, Commercial Section, Embassy of P.R. China in the UK) and Ms Teresa Ko (China Chair of Freshfields) will give speeches.

Time: 6.30 pm, 21st January 2014

Venue:

65 Feet Street
London,
EC4Y 1HT

www.freshfields.com/en/global/



UK Chinese Music Ensemble with the London Youlan Qin Society Concert at the Victoria and Albert Chinese Festival: 15.30 – 16.15pm, 19th January 2014

Having performed for the opening of the Masterpiece of Chinese Painting 700-1900 exhibition at London’s V&A Museum, the UK Chinese Music Ensemble and the London Youlan Qin Society have been invited to play at its closing day Chinese Festival on 19th January. They will give 2 special performances featuring the erhu fiddle, pipa lute, guqin and guzheng zithers, yangqin dulcimer and di and xiao flutes.

UK Chinese Music Ensemble with the London Youlan Qin Society

15.30 – 16.15

The Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre (Admission free, first come first served)

The Ensemble and the Qin Society will perform on many of the instruments that are featured in the Masterpieces of Chinese Painting 700-1900 exhibition. They will play a selection of traditional, modern and period music including examples from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.

For photos please visit:

Concert photos

Venue:

Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7






Inspired – Chinese Painter meets Musicians Victoria and Albert Museum, Chinese Festival: 2-3pm and 3.30-4.30pm 19th January 2014

Painting and Music Demonstration

14.00 – 15.00 (Guo Le and Cheng Yu on the pipa lute)

15.30 – 16.30 (Guo Le and Charles Tsua on the guqin)

Room 220, Sackler Centre (Free event)

Watch contemporary artist Guo Le create interpretational and improvisatory art inspired by Chinese music.






Chinese Music performance: Devonshire Square, World of Food and Music Festival, London E1 – 12:00-2:00pm, 22 October 2013

Musicians from our Ensemble have been invited to perform at this colorful multicultural food and music festival featuring music from around the world from 21-25th October (music from a different country is presented each day) in Devonshire Square. Come along to enjoy “Music and Gourmet foods from all around the Globe !!!

Dates and times:

Chinese String Performance: 12:00-2:00pm, 22nd October
Other music performances: 12:00-2:00pm, 21st, 23rd-25th October
Festival time: 10:00am–3:00pm, 21st Monday - 25th Friday, October

Admission: Free to all

Venue: Devonshire Square, London E1

londontown.com/LondonStreets/devonshire_square_4af.html/



The Silk String Quartet: Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Masterpieces of Chinese Painting exhibition – 23 October 2013

Our String Quartet has been invited to perform at the opening of the grand exhibition of Masterpieces of Chinese Paintings 700-1900. Having previously performed at many significant museum events including China – the Three Emperors (1662-1795) at the Royal Academy of Art (2006-7), The First Emperor – China’s Terracotta Army (2007-8) and Forbidden City – Treasures of an Emperor at Royal Museum, Edinburgh, the silk strings will impress the 600 VIP guests at this Private View by performing a set from the classical and modern repertoires at this very special occasion.

The exhibition, presenting one of the world’s greatest artistic traditions, is an once-in-a-lifetime chance to see rare surviving works of art drawn from collections around the world. Explore over 70 of the finest examples of Chinese painting, from small-scale intimate works by monks and literati through to a 14-metre-long scroll painting, many of which are shown together for the first time.

Date and time: 12:00-2:00pm, 22 October

Venue:

Sculptures Gallery
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL



Chinese String Duo: International Culture and Food Festival, St Mary Magdalene Primary School, London, W2 – 24 October 2013

Our Ensemble will send the Chinese String Duo as part of the celebration of international culture, food and music in St Mary Magdalene primary school, West London. They will play a selection of traditional and modern pieces on the erhu fiddle and yangqin dulcimer for this occasion.

Time and date: 4pm-5.30pm, 24th October 2013

Venue:

The school hall
St Mary Magdalene Primary School
Rowington Close, London, W2 5TF
st-marymagdalene.westminster.sch.uk/school/



Live performance by Xu Fengxia and Lucas Niggli (aka Black Lotos): Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Masterpieces of Chinese Painting exhibition – 8 November 2013

To complement the Museum's major Autumn exhibition ‘Masterpieces of Chinese Painting 700-1900’, the Victoria and Albert Museum will be hosting a live performance by Xu Fengxia and Lucas Niggli (aka Black Lotos) on Friday 8 November 2013. This unique duo engages tradition as well as innovation through a repertoire that combines traditional Chinese instruments with percussion and borderless vocals.

Date and time: 8:00 pm, Friday, 8 November

Venue:

Cafe
Victoria and Albert Museum
Cromwell Road
London SW7 2RL

Nearest tube stations: South Kensington, Knightsbridge

Buses: C1, 14, 414 and 74

For more information visit:

vam.ac.uk/whatson/event/2994/challenging-chinese-musical-traditions-4375//




Flowing Water – Chinese Music Concert – SOAS, University of London – 9 November 2013

Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the designation of the guqin as “a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity” by UNESCO

Fundraising for publication of the 10th Anniversary Booklet by the London Youlan Qin Society

The London Youlan Qin Society (LYQS) presents a special concert at SOAS, University of London. This musical gala features a programme which not only showcases guqin masterpieces, but also presents selected solo and Silk and Bamboo ensemble music on the erhu fiddle, xiao flute, pipa lute, guzheng zither and yangqin dulcimer performed by professional musicians. In addition, there will be a martial arts performance by a renowned expert, with live music. We hope you will come to share this rare moment and support our celebration of Chinese musical culture. This is in place of our regular yaji meeting.

Date: Saturday 9th November 2013, 1:00 pm.

时间/日期： 2013年11月9号下午1点

Venue:
Room G52
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG
www.soas.ac.uk/

Doors open at 12.40 pm. Seats are limited, first come first served.

Admission free (Donations appreciated)

门票:免费 (欢迎随缘乐捐)

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com
Phone: 0788 089 6003



Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.




The Silk String Quartet, World Music Showcase by Cultural Co-operation, Camden Town, London NW1 – 12th November 2013

Our award-winning Silk String Quartet has been chosen to perform at Cultural Co-Operation’s showcase together with other musics from different part of the world. This is an excellent and rare opportunity for festival and event organisers, journalists and broadcasters, arts officers and venue managers, music agents, and others professionally involved in promoting inter-cultural understanding, opportunity to meet the artists presented and to network with one and another. Don’t miss this great chance.

Time and Date: 6.30-9.45pm 12th November 2013

Venue:

EFDSS
Cecil House
2 Regent's Park Rd
London NW1 7AY

Nearest tube station: Camden Town

Admission: Free plus drinks and snacks (Advance booking essential)

For further details: please email artistnetwork@culturalco-orperation.org or call 020 7264 0005

Guqin recital in Birmingham by Charles Rupert Tsua – 27 September 2013

Date and time: Friday 27th September, 18:30

Venue:

6/8 Kafe
6/8 Temple Row
Birmingham B2 5HG

Tickets: £2 at the door

6/8 Kafe

Click here for flyer




The Sino-British Weiqi Event – 7th September 2013

Time: Saturday 7th September 2013, 13:00 to 18:00

Weiqi (also known as Go) is a board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,500 years ago. The game is noted for being rich in strategy despite its relatively simple rules. According to chess master Emanuel Lasker: "The rules of Weiqi (Go) are so elegant, organic, and rigorously logical that if intelligent life forms exist elsewhere in the universe, they almost certainly play Go"

Guest Speaker: Mr. Runan Wang

13:00-13:30 Admission
13:30-14:00 Guest Speakers
14:00-15:30 History and Development of Weiqi
15:30-17:30 Games and Commentary
17:30-18:00 Q & A

Venue:
The British Museum
The Hugh and Catherine Stevenson Lecture Theatre
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG

Reservations:
Sherry Kuei 020 7435 6087 sherry.kuei@gmail.com
Liangwei Zhu 07766 655168 zhuliangwei@yahoo.co.uk
Daisy Dai 07709 554637 daisy5031@gmail.com

Organizer: UK Research and Development Centre for Chinese Traditional Culture
East Midland Youth Chinese Organization
Co-organizer：The British Go Association

For further information, please download (English) or (Chinese)




Chinese Music Summer School – 23-26 August 2013

The London Youlan Qin Society’s (LYQS) 11th Summer School on the guqin zither will be held at the Royal School of Music in South Kensington, London.

We will offer the following course:

Guqin (7-stringed zither)
Taught by Dr Cheng Yu, who has been teaching guqin at SOAS, University of London, for 16 years, and Charles Rupert Tsua, an accomplished guqin player with over 10 years of experience.

The course will combine classes, workshops and an informal concert, and will be open to student of all levels of experience.

Dates: 23-26 August, Friday-Monday (Bank Holiday)

Venue:
The Royal College of Music
Prince Consort Road
South Kensington
London SW7 2BS

For details, please see Guqin Summer School: Guqin Classes with Cheng Yu and Charles Tsua, August 2013

For details of the LYQS 10th Anniversary Concert, please see Guqin LYQS 10th Anniversary Concert, 26 August 2013




Cheng Yu and Chinese Music live on Radio Resonance 104.4 FM – 6.30-7.30pm, 17 July 2013

Invited by Resonance FM - a London based radio channel focusing on World Music, Cheng Yu will be talking live about her music and life and will play a few pieces of music on the pipa and guqin. She will talk about the UK Chinese Music Ensemble, especially the guqin zither and the London Youlan Qin Society, and its forthcoming guqin and guzheng zither music summer school taking place at the Royal College of Music, 23rd to 26th August.

Resonance FM broadcasts on 104.4 FM and the interview will also be broadcast online at http://resonancefm.com/listen.

Details: 17th July at 6:30 p.m. If you miss the live broadcast it will be available online at https://soundcloud.com/resonance-fm/18-30-00-world-city-live-19.




Xuefei Yang Performance – East meets West: Asia House, London – 18 June 2013

Yang Xuefei is acclaimed as one of the world’s finest classical guitarists. She has performed as a soloist and in leading orchestras worldwide including the RPO, Hong Kong and Hamburg Symphony Orchestras and in venues including the Royal Albert Hall, Wigmore Hall and Philharmonie Berlin.

In a programme devised for Asia House she plays traditional Chinese music and pieces by both Western and Eastern composers. The globalisation of classical music is largely thought of as West influencing East, yet Xuefei demonstrates how cultural influence flows in both directions. She pairs Debussy, who was famously inspired by Hokusai and ukiyo-e art with the 20th century Japanese composer Takemitsu.

This is a rare opportunity to see this musician of extraordinary talent perform in the intimate setting of Asia House.

Date and time: 18:45 - 20:00, Tuesday 18th June 2013

Venue:

Asia House
63, New Cavendish Street
London W1G 7LP

Tickets: £15 (Friends of Asia House £10)

Booking:

Online: http://asiahouse.org/exhibitions-and-events/detail?id=312

Email: enquiries@asiahouse.co.uk

Phone: 020 7307 5454

Asia House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London, W1G 7LP




The Rare, the New and the Beautiful – Concert with Composer Raymond Yiu and Cheng Yu: LSO St. Luke's – 6 July 2013

LSO Soundhub presents this concert in association with composer and jazz pianist Raymond Yiu, graduate of the LSO Panufnik Young Composers Scheme. The evening will include the world premiere of a new set of piano variations, and the latest creative projects the Soundhub composers have been working on, as well as a pipa performance by Cheng Yu.

Press release (pdf file): The Rare_The_New_The_Wonderful_Press_Release.pdf

Programme (pdf file): The_Rare_The_New_The_Wonderful_Programme_Running_Order.pdf

Date and time: 6 July 2013, 7:30 pm

Venue:

LSO St Luke’s
161 Old Street
London EC1V 9NG

Tickets: £7 (concessions £5)

Booking:

Online: https://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=14951

Enquiries: olivia@wildkatpr.com

Phone: +44 (0)20 7499 9334

Further information





Pipa and Jazz piano concert and film "The Heart of Qin in Hong Kong" – King's College London – 27 May 2013

There is to be a concert by Wang Ting and Chris Lee – "Encounter between Pipa and Jazz Piano", followed by the UK premiere of the documentary film: "The Heart of Qin in Hong Kong" at the Chinese Visual Festival, King's College London.

Date/time: 27 May, 8:00 pm

Further information and tickets: http://chinesevisualfestival.org/programme/




London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 11 May 2013

The Society’s May yaji (guqin & Chinese music gathering) meeting will be open to members and non-members. We welcome newcomers and the general public to join our yaji.

Date: Saturday 11th May 2013
2:00-4:00 pm, for all non-members who are interested in listening and playing music.
(There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members)

Venue:
Room 4418
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.




Flute recital by Lin Lin at the Royal College of Music, London – 13 March 2013

Time: 13 March 2013, 10:00 am

Venue: Royal College of Music
Prince Consort Road
London SW7 2BS





Concert: "Seaming To + Kira Kira – Part of of Women of the World – 10 March 2013

An experimental music gig at Southbank Centre featuring the Chinese sensation Seaming To alongside Icelandic audio/visual artist Kira Kira.

Having been described as "the voice of the 21st century" by BBC Radio 1, Seaming To is an exciting artist who has contributed her unique vocals to the music of Robert Wyatt, Jean Claude Vannier, Leila, Homelife, Graham Massey, Herbaliser and Cinematic Orchestra.

Seaming To and Kira Kira are performing at the Southbank Centre for one night only on Sunday 10th March. Tickets are just £10 and can be booked in person at the Royal Festival Hall Ticket Office, by phone on 0844 847 9913, or online.

Time: 10th March 2013, 7:45 pm

Venue: Royal Festival Hall
Southbank Centre
London
SE1 8XX

For further information and tickets, see the Southbank Centre web site.

Concert: "The London Citizen Exceedingly Injured" by Raymond Yiu – 18 January 2013

The BBC Symphony Orchestra will give the world premiere of Raymond Yiu's orchestral piece The London Citizen Exceedingly Injured. The concert will also include Elgar’s Cockagine (In London Town), the London premiere of Qigang Chen’s Reflet d’un temps disparu (with soloist Li-Wei Qin) and Haydn’s Symphony No. 104 ‘London’.

The concert will be conducted by Long Yu – Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, Music Director of the Shanghai and Guanzhou Symphony Orchestras, and Artistic Director of the Beijing Music Festival. It will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, and will be available online for a week after that.

Here is a link to an article written by Raymond Yiu for the Gramophone, inspired by the experience of writing the piece: http://www.gramophone.co.uk/blog/gramophone-guest-blog/sounds-and-sweet-airs-that-give-delight.

Time: 18th January 2013, 7:30 pm

Venue:
Barbican
Silk Street
London EC2Y 8DS

For booking details, see http://www.bbc.co.uk/orchestras/events/934




London Youlan Qin Society Winter yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 10 November 2012

Following the successful 10th guqin Summer school at SOAS, University of London this year, the Society’s summer yaji (guqin & Chinese music gathering) meeting will be open to members and non-members. We welcome newcomers and the general public to join our yaji.

Date: Saturday 10 November 2012
2:00-4:00 pm, for all non-members who are interested in listening and playing music.
(There will be a charge at £4 per person for non-members)

Venue:
Room G51
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.




The Silk String Quartet concert, Cultuurcentrum De Adelberg, Lommel, Belgium – 13th October 2012

Our Silk String Quartet has been invited to play a concert at the Cultuurcentrum De Adelberg festival. The group has performed widely in Europe including Spain, France, Holland, Germany, Finland, Sweden and Italy. The group will present a set of fresh programme for this festival.

Venue:
Cultuurcentrum De Adelberg
Adelbergpark 1
B-3920 Lommel
Belgium


Time: 8:00pm, 13th October, 2012

Phone: 0032 (0)11 55 35 11

Email: info@ccdeadelberg.be

Further information: http://www.ccdeadelberg.be/categorie/wereldmuziek.




The Silk String group – Mid-Autumn Moon Celebration, Clifford Chance, Canary Wharf, London (Private Event) – 10 October 2012

Invited by Clifford Chance, the long established international Law firm, our String group will perform at this special occasion to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival.

Time: 5th September 2012, 7:00-9:00 pm

Venue:
Clifford Chance
10 Upper Bank Street
London E14 5JJ

Web site: http://www.cliffordchance.com




Pipa and guqin Recital by Cheng Yu: Horniman Museum, London – 5 September 2012

Invited by the Horniman Museum, Cheng Yu will play a selection of traditional/classical music on the pipa (4-stringed lute) and guqin (7-stringed zither), the two most celebrated Chinese classical instruments.

Time: 5th September 2012, 7:00-9:00 pm

Venue: The Pavillion in the Horniman Garden
Horniman Museum
100 London Road
Forest Hill
London
SE23 IPQ

Telephone: +44 (0)208 291 8684

Admissions: £12, £14 (on the day), £10 for Friends of the Horniman Museum, and £6 for students

Web site: www.horniman.ac.uk





Chinese Instruments And Western Museums, Chime/MIMO Workshop, Leiden, The Netherlands – 13-16 Sept 2012

From 13 to 16 September 2012 The CHIME Foundation and Leiden University in The Netherlands will host a workshop on the topic of Chinese Instruments and Western Museums. Everyone with a passion for and research interest in Chinese instruments, and/or interest in how to present them in museum contexts, is encouraged to submit contributions. The meeting should be of interest to museum curators and others who work with instrument collections, and to scholars active in the realm of Chinese instruments and instrumental music. We hope to bring museum curators and afficionados and scholars of Chinese instrumental music and musical instruments more closely together in a workshop of modest dimensions and with an informal character.

The meeting takes place in the wake of the initiation of the MIMO project (Musical Instrument Museums Online) which was started in September 2011. MIMO opened a public online access point to the musical instruments catalogues of the project’s affiliated museums in Europe (www.mimo-international.com/). The meeting in Leiden is a joint initiative of the CMA (Chinese Music Archive) of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the CHIME Foundation in Leiden (European Foundation for Chinese Music Research) and Leiden University. We look forward to a lively meeting with individual papers, practical demonstrations, discussions, films and some performances. Possible topics include: the relationship between Chinese musical instruments and European museums; biographies of individual Chinese musical instruments and/or special Chinese instrument collections; Chinese musical instruments within and beyond museum display; potential collaborative research and database creation projects; Chinese musical instruments and European (post)colonialism.

The languages of the meeting will be English and Chinese. Please submit abstract proposals for 20- to 30-minute presentations in English (max. 350 words) to CI&EM@google.com on or before 20 April. The result of our selection will be announced by 30 April 2012.

CHIME, European Foundation for Chinese Music Research
P.O. Box 11092, 2301 EB Leiden, The Netherlands

Visiting address Chime: Gerecht 1, 2311 TC Leiden

Tel 071-5133974 / 5133123 Fax: 071-5123183

E-mail: chime@wxs.nl

Web site: home.wxs.nl/~chime






The Silk & Bamboo Trio – Newham’s Pop Up Music, Olympic/Paralympic, East London (Free Public Events) – 29th, 30th and 31st August 2012

The Silk & Bamboo Trio – Newham’s Pop Up Music, Olympic/Paralympic, 29th, 30th and 31st August 2012, East London (Free Public Events) Invited by the Cultural 2012, Olympic/Paralympic, London Borough of Newham, our Silk & Bamboo Trio will play for the three-day free music event during the Paralympic period. The Mayor of Newham's Pop Up music programme is a series of professional acoustic music events in and around Newham during the Olympics and Paralympics to reach as many residents and public as possible. Five areas around the borough have been chosen for their high footfall in the afternoons between 1 - 4pm to include Strafford (Meridian Square), East Ham (High Street north), and Green Street (Queen’s Market and Green Street).

The idea is that the musicians play in different spots within the area in Stratford so that more residents and visitors are reached and can enjoy, and be inspired by, the wonderful music and cultural experience.

Events:

Wednesday 29th August, 1 - 4pm
Thursday 30th August, 1 - 4pm
Friday 31st August, 1 - 4pm


Performance Locations:

Strafford (Meridian Square)
Strafford (Meridian Square)
Green Street (Queen’s Market and Green Street)

Further details: www.newham.gov.uk/EntertainmentandLeisure/ArtsAndEvents.htm




China to Hackney Festival – 8-12 August 2012

Events:

Wednesday 8 August, 7.30pm: Light Up the World - Doudou in Concert (£27.50–£10)

Thursday 9 August, 7.30pm: Chinese Youth Carnival (£5)

Saturday 11 August, 7.30pm: Lü Wei in Concert (£27.50–£10)

Sunday 12 August, 1pm and 5pm: the Monkey king and Other Tales - three traditional Peking opera tales (£27.50–£10)

Venue:

Hackney Empire Theatre
291 Mare Street
London
E8 1EJ

Tel: 020 8985 2424
Nearest underground station: Hackney Central

Flyer (pdf file): China_to_Hackney_HR1.pdf

Further details: hackneyempire.co.uk

The UK Chinese Ensemble – performances for Olympic China Team receptions during the Games – July and August 2012

The Ensemble has been chosen to perform a variety of musical performances for a series of welcomes and receptions for the China Olympic Teams and events at London’s Waldorf Hilton Hotel.

Event dates:

25 July, 12:00-14:30
25 July, 18:30-21:00
2 August, 17:00-19:00
6 August, 18:00-21:00
8 August, 18:00-21:00

Venue:

China House
Waldorf Hilton
Aldwych
London
WC2B 4DD

Further details: http://www.waldorfhilton.co.uk/location/getting-here.html




Concert by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Beijing Symphony Orchestra at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall – 29th July 2012

The London Philharmonic Orchestra will join forces with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra for a special gala concert.

Venue: Royal Festival Hall
Southbank Centre
London
SE1 8XX

Flyer (pdf file): Beijing_Symph_Orch_London_Phil_Orch_Gala Concert.pdf

Full information about the concert including how to book are on the Southbank Centre website (http://ticketing.southbankcentre.co.uk/find/music/classical/tickets/beijing-symphony-orchestra-and-london-philharmonic-orchestra-64521.

The UK Chinese Ensemble – performances for an Olympic China Cultural presentation at Chatsworth House, Derbyshire – 17th July 2012

Date: 20:00 – 22:45, July 2012

Venue:

Chatsworth House
Chatsworth
Aldwych
Bakewell
Derbyshire
DE45 1PP

Further details: http://www.chatsworth.org/visiting/finding-us




Guqin Summer School: SOAS, University of London, 21-24 June 2012

A 4-day course to study the guqin with Professor Zeng Chengwei of the Shu school from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, southwest China. The sophisticated guqin, with a history of over 3,000 years, is one of China’s most significant classical instruments. It is the first of the four quintessential Chinese arts for the self-cultivation of scholars and cultured individuals, alongside qi the game of (Weiqi or Go), shu (calligraphy) and hua (brush painting). It is also the only Chinese instrument to have been recognized by UNESCO as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”.

The course combines classes, workshops and an evening concert. It is a part of the 10th World Music Summer School presented by the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, in collaboration with the London Youlan Qin Society, and supported by The Prince's Charities Foundation (China).

Open to all levels.

Evening concert with Professor Zeng Chengwei and Dr Cheng Yu: Thursday 21 June, 7:00 pm (see below)

Dates: 21-24 June, Thursday-Sunday 10:00 am-5:00 pm

Course fee: £140 (concessions £95)

For further details and booking information, please see the SOAS web site.



Click on the image below to enlarge (Our grateful thanks to designer Wang Jian for this).





Guqin concert by Zeng Chengwei and Cheng Yu: SOAS, University of London, 21 June 2012

This is a rare opportunity to hear guqin music by Professor Zeng Chengwei – an authentic representative of the Shu 蜀 (southwest China) School of qin playing, who has been specially invited from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Sichuan, Southwest China. He is also an expert maker of qins. His instruments are admired not only by professional qin players but also by collectors, both in China and abroad. In this concert he will play qin pieces from the repertoire of Shu School, including Da Hujia 大胡笳 (Great Nomad Reedpipe), Liu Shui 流水 (Flowing Water), and Qiu Shui 秋水 (Autumn Water). He will be joined by Dr Cheng Yu, who teaches guqin at SOAS. Pieces she will perform include Meihua San Nong 梅花三弄 (Three Variations on the Plum blossom) and Puan Zhou 普庵咒（Incantation of Puan) (qin & xiao duet).

Time: Thursday 21 June, 7:00 pm

Venue: Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.

FREE ENTRY

Click on the image below to enlarge (Our grateful thanks to designer Wang Jian for this).





The Silk & Bamboo Ensemble: Concert in the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London, “Equator Festival” on World Music, Dance & Theatre – 13 June 2012

Having given many well-received concerts in the UK and Europe, this virtuosic string and wind instrumental group has been invited by the Equator Festival (Web site: www.equatorfestival.com/) to play at London’s most prestigious venue for chamber music. For this concert, the group will showcase Chinese instruments and present a selection of ensemble and virtuoso solo pieces of traditional/folk and modern Chinese music.


Web site: /www.equatorfestival.com/

Venue: Purcell Room
Southbank Centre
London
SE1 8XX

Tickets: £14, £9.50. Concessions 50%, limited availability

Tickets: 08444 847 9910

SOUTHBANKCENTRE.CO.UK southbankcentre.co.uk/, or

Book by telephone: 01233 330316

Email: tourism@ashford.gov.uk

Book online: http://www.equatorfestival.com/booking-form.html

For groups of 6 or more, discounted tickets are available. For details see: http://http://www.equatorfestival.com/silkandbamboo.html

Flyer - click on the image to enlarge:



Flyer (pdf file): A5EquatorLondon2012.pdf

The Silk String Quartet: concert at Radley College, Oxford – 29th May 2012

Following their successful concert last year at Radley College, Our String Quartet has been invited again to play a concert this May. The performances will part of the one day conference on China for Radley College (Oxford) and Downe House Girls School (Newbury).

Venue: Radley College
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
London
OX14 2HR

Telephone: 01235 543000

Web site: www.radley.org.uk

LYQS Spring yaji meeting at SOAS, Saturday 12 May 2012

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its Spring yaji (guqin and Chinese music gathering) meeting on Saturday 12 November. It will take place at SOAS, in central London. The meeting will be open to members and non-members.

There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members.

Time:

12:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Members)
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Non-members)

Venue:

Room V221
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003

Email: jmgjoseph@btinternet.com, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.com

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Thornhaugh+Street&sll=51.521448,-0.125774&sspn=0.004893,0.010192&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Thornhaugh+St,+Camden+Town,+Greater+London+WC1B+5,+United+Kingdom&z=16/

The nearest tube stations are Russell Square and Euston Square.




The Silk String Trio: London Book Fair 2012 Opening, Ballroom, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, London – 15 April 2012

Having performed music for many important Chinese-Western cultural events, including the launches for China Telecom (UK), China Construction Bank (UK), and China Daily European Edition, our musicians have been invited to play at The London Book Fair, China Market Focus 2012.

Venue: The Ball Room
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
66 Knightsbridge
London
SW1X 7LA





Silk & Bamboo Ensemble: Lunchtime concert, University of Kent – 26 March 2012

Time:

1:00pm, 26 March 2012

Venue:

The Gulbenkian Theatre
Eliot College
University of Kent
Canterbury
Kent CT2 7NS

Tel: +44 (0) 1227 823305

Further information:

www.kent.ac.uk/music/whatson.html




Chinese New Year Music performance At Rich Mix, London – 5th February 2012

Musicians of The Silk String Quartet have been invited to play at the popular East London venue Rich Mix. This celebration with various performances is organized by the Chinese Association of Tower Hamlets to mark the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Dragon.

Time:

11:30am-4:30pm, 5th February 2012

Venue:

Rich Mix
35-47 Bethnal Green Road
City of London E1 6LA

020 7613 7498

The event is open to all.

Further information:

www.thchinese.org.uk/




The Silk & Bamboo Ensemble, UK Chinese Music Ensemble – Celebrate the Year of the Dragon – Trafalgar Square, London – 29 January 2012

The Ensemble has been selected by the London Chinatown Chinese Association to perform with many other fine acts and groups both from China and here in the UK for this important occasion at London’s best-known landmark – Trafalgar Square. To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, the group has chosen several well-known Chinese melodies from different regions and styles to mark this special occasion including "Full of Joy" and "Jasmine".

... perfect, vibrant performances... technical perfection and brilliant playing... Songlines

Time:

2:00 - 5:00 pm, Sunday 29 January 2012

Venue:

Trafalgar Square, Central London

Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross and Leicester Square

FREE public entry




The Silk String Quartet – Chinese New Year performance – Holiday Inn Surrey – 28 January 2012

The Quartet has been invited to play at a Charity function to celebrate Chinese New Year. It will also raise fund to support for Cancer Research.

Time:

7:00 - 9:00 pm, Saturday 28 January 2012 - (By invitation only)

Venue:

Holiday Inn
Gibson Road
Sutton
Surrey SM1 2RF

Phone: 08719 429 113

Nearest underground stations: Charing Cross and Leicester Square

FREE public entry




The Silk & Bamboo Ensemble concert, Turner Sims, University of Southampton – 24 January 2012

Celebrate Chinese New Year with this renowned string and wind group. Using traditional Chinese instruments, these virtuoso musicians present a selection of ensemble and solo pieces of traditional/folk and modern Chinese music to mark the Year of the Dragon. Be transported to another world with the enchanting sound of silk strings and bamboo flutes.

... perfect, vibrant performances... technical perfection and brilliant playing... Songlines

Time:

8:00 pm, Tuesday 24 January 2012

Venue:

Turner Sims
Highfield Campus
University of Southampton
SO17 1BJ

BOX OFFICE: 023 8059 5151, info@turnersims.co.uk

Further information:

www.turnersims.co.uk/upcoming-events/2011/autumn-2011/january-2012/the-silk-and-bamboo-ensemble




www.soas.ac.uk/





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