News and events

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:

Supplementary classes:

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.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 8 July, 2023

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its 124th yaji meeting on Saturday 8 July. It will be a "hybrid" gathering, held both in person at SOAS in central London and online via Zoom. The theme of the yaji will be "A Summer of Festivities".

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 Wednesday 5 July, via this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/july-yaji-2023-summer-of-festivities-tickets-635514560157.

If you plan to play a piece online, please let us know which piece you will play, not later than Monday 3 July.

Date/time: Saturday, 8 July 2023

1:00 pm

Venue:
Room: Djam Lecture Theatre (DLT)

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:

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.

UKCE and LYQS to perform in Chinese New Celebrations at the Watford Palace Theatre - 29 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 at the Watford Palace Theatre.

Date/time
Wednesday 29 January 2023, 6 pm

Venue
Watford Palace Theatre

20 Clarendon Rd.
Watford WD17 1JZ

Further information and booking

https://watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk/.

BOX OFFICE: 01923 225671

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 to perform 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 will perform at Trafalgar Square.

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

Venue
Trafalgar Square
London WC2N 5DN

Click on the image below to enlarge the poster.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 12 November, 2022

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its 120th yaji meeting on Saturday 12 November, in person 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. You can 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 attend, please register on Eventbrite, not later than Thursday 10 November, via this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lyqs-hybrid-november-2022-yaji-tickets-448709982637.

If you plan to play a piece, please let us know asap which piece you will play, by replying to this email not later than Tuesday 8 November. There will be a limit of 20 players.

Date/time: Saturday, 12 November 2022

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Venue:
Room B101, Brunei Gallery

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

www.soas.ac.uk/

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

LYQS and UKCE 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.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 9th July, 2022

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its 119th yaji meeting on Saturday 9 July. Once again, it will be a "hybrid" gathering, held both in person at SOAS in central London and online via Zoom.

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. You can 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 attend, please register on Eventbrite, not later than Thursday 7 July, via this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lyqs-hybrid-july-yaji-2022-tickets-368848173817.

If you plan to play a piece, please let us know asap which piece you will play, by replying to this email not later than Tuesday 5 July. There will be a limit of 20 players in person and 10 online.

Date/time: Saturday, 9th July 2022

12:00 pm to 3:00 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, chengyu@ukchinesemusic.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.

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

Musicians from the London Youlan Qin Society and the UK Chinese Ensemble 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 are on the LYQS YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gd3b6XdBiI.

Download the poster here.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 14th May, 2022

The London Youlan Qin Society held its 118th yaji meeting on Saturday 14 May. It was a "hybrid" gathering, held both in person at SOAS in central London and online via Zoom.

Date/time: Saturday, 14th May 2022

12:00 pm to 3:00 pm

Venue:
Room B103, Brunei Gallery

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

For a full report and photos, please see http://www.ukchinesemusic.com/londonyoulanqin/yaji_20220514.htm/

For video highlights, please see https://youtu.be/BqZ0Sq5WJao/

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.

Chinese Instrumental Music Online Classes - 30 April to 15 July

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

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.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - ONLINE - 12th March, 2022

The London Youlan Qin Society's 117th yaji meeting will be held online on Saturday 12th March. We welcome participants to give performances related to guqin and other Chinese arts forms, such as poetry, singing or calligraphy. The yaji will be open to all qin friends, regardless of national boundaries and time zones.

Date/time: 12 March, 12:00 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 Wednesday 9th March on Eventbrite

If you plan to play a piece, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com which piece you will play, not later than Monday 7th March.

After Wednesday 9th March, 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 - 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

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

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

Guqin zither group lessons

Tuesdays 19:30-21:00 Complete beginners (Elaine Yu), starting 27th July
Sundays 9:30-11:00 Beginner level 2 (starting on pieces) (Jenny Zhao) 1st August
Thursdays 19:30-21:00 Intermediate (Charles Tsua), starting 29th July

Other instrumental group lessons Erhu fiddle, Beginners (Wang Xiao): Sundays 14:00-15:30, starting 1st August
Pipa, Beginners, (Zhang Zhuoqun): Saturdays 12:00-13:30, starting 31st July
Guzheng zither, Beginners (Wang Jiahe): Sundays 16:00-17:30, starting 1st August
Guzheng zither, Intermediate (Li Muqi): Saturdays: 16:00-17:30, starting 31st July
Dizi bamboo flutes, Beginners (Hu Ruijun): Mondays: 19:00-20:30, starting 26th July
Hulusi (gourd flute), Beginners Li Ming): Sundays: 0:00-11:30, starting 1st August

6 weekly classes （class size is limited).

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.

London Youlan Qin Society ONLINE yaji meeting - 10 July, 2021

The London Youlan Qin Society's 112th yaji meeting will be held online on Saturday 8 May. We are delighted to announce that our special guest, Master of Nanyin Music Lady Cai Yaji and her colleagues from the Quanzhou Nanyin Yayi Association, Fujian, China, will perform a few pieces at this yaji. Nanyin - one of China's oldest traditional narrative genres - still uses the Tang-style pipa (holding it horizontally) and xiao flute. It will be a rare treat to see a live performance of Nanyin music by these masters via Zoom. All qin friends are welcome, regardless of national boundaries or time zones.

Date/time: 10 July, 1:00 pm UK time (GMT)

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 Tuesday 6 July on Eventbrite

If you plan to play a piece, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com which piece you will play, not later than Monday 5 July.

There is also a Facebook page for the event

After Tuesday 6 July, 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.

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

London Youlan Qin Society ONLINE yaji meeting - 8 May, 2021

The London Youlan Qin Society's 112th yaji meeting will be held online on Saturday 8 May. We are delighted to present specially recorded guqin and xiao music and messages for this yaji by qin master Professor Li Fengyun 李凤云 and xiao flute master Professor Wang Jianxin 王健欣 from the Tianjin Conservatory of Music. They have transcribed and created much new music based on early scores and classic poems. All qin friends are welcome, regardless of national boundaries or time zones.

Date/time: 8 May, 1:00 pm UK time (GMT)

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 Tuesday 4 May on Eventbrite

If you plan to play a piece, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com which piece you will play, not later than Monday 3 May.

There is also a Facebook page for the event

After Tuesday 4 May, 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.

Van Gulik Two-Day Event - 9 and 10 April 2021
Cheng Yu to play Van Gulik's Silk string guqin Longyin 10 April

The KVVAK, Chair of Asian Art Leiden University, Ikigai (KVVAK’s young professionals network), the China Cultural Center Den Haag, and the Rijksmuseum invite you to join in a special two-day event on a subject that continues to fascinate. Robert van Gulik (1910-1967), known in China as Gāo Luópèi 髙羅佩, appears to us in many guises: some see him mainly as a diplomat or collector of Chinese art; some know him for his scholarly writings on the qin or on sexual life in ancient China; others know him as the author of the famous Judge Dee detective stories.

On 9 and 10 April 2021, at the KVVAK Young Scholars’ Symposium, lectures will introduce new perspectives and approaches, and you will be able to enjoy a keynote speech by Willem van Gulik, video tours of Van Gulik exhibitions at the Rijksmuseum and at the China Cultural Center, the film On The Track of Robert van Gulik by Rob Rombout, and a virtuoso guqin music performance on 10 April by Cheng Yu, using a qin once owned by van Gulik himself and fitted with an original set of Jinyu strings from the 1940s. She has recorded a CD with this qin, to be released in the summer of 2021 under the ARC label.

You are welcome to join this special Van Gulik two-day online event. For detailed information about the program, the speakers and how to accesss it, please see https://www.kvvak.nl/agenda/2021/the-kvvak-van-gulik-2-day-event/, https://www.kvvak.nl, the attached pdfs and the links on the flyer.

Download the flyer here.

Download the 9 April programme here.

Download the 10 April programme here.

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

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.

A report on the meeting can be found here.

London Youlan Qin Society ONLINE yaji meeting - 9 January, 2021

The London Youlan Qin Society's 110th yaji meeting will be held online on Saturday 9 January. It will be our New Year yaji and will be held jointly with 日本古琴辰興会 (Japan Society for the Promotions of Guqin). 高欲生 Gao Yusheng, head of the society, will play a piece on two qins. We also will have as special guest singer and qin player 何怡 He Yi, who will perform a qin song. Cheng Yu will play a piece on the qin once owned by the famous Dutch diplomat, sinologist and qin scolar Robert Hans Van Gulik. Both the qin and the silk strings mounted on it were made during the 1930s. All qin friends are welcome, regardless of national boundaries or time zones.

Date/time: 9 January, 12:00 pm UK time (GMT)

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 7 January on Eventbrite

If you plan to play a piece, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com which piece you will play, not later than Monday 4 January.

There is also a Facebook page for the event

After Thursday 7 January, 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.

A report on the meeting can be found here.

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 10:00-12:00, 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

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.

A report on the meeting can be found here.

Photo: Cen Yan

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

Cheng Yu and her ensemble Silk Breeze were 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 was streamed online, after which it was available for 7 days.

WOMAD Festival 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 was 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/

Further information

athome.womad.co.uk

See the video trailer

Download the Silk Breeze poster here.

Download the WOMAD at Home poster here.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - ONLINE - 12th September, 2020

Date/time: 12 September, 1:00 pm UK time (BST)

We are delighted to announce that Master Gong Yi will attend the yaji as our special guest. He will give a speech, and play a recorded guqin piece. Master Gong Yi was our Society's founding adviser and has given classes and performances for our summer schools 5 times. It will be a great pleasure for our qin friends to meet Master Gong again.

We will use Zoom for the yaji. 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 10 September on Eventbrite

If you plan to play a piece, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com which piece you will play, not later than Wednesday 9 September.

There is also a Facebook page for the event

After Thursday 10 September, 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.

A report on the meeting can be found here.

The event was streamed live on Facebook and is available to view 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

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - ONLINE - 11th July, 2020

This yaji was held jointly with the Peach Garden Qin Society 桃园琴社 in Germany and the Ning Xin Qin Studio 宁心琴院 in Paris. The yaji included a video mesage from Profesor Li Xiangting.

Date/time: 11 July, 12:30 pm UK time (BST)

We will use Zoom for the yaji. This will work on computers (PC or Mac), as well as on iPhones, iPads and Android devices.

A report on the meeting can be found here.

The event was streamed live on Facebook and is available to view here.

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 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 - ONLINE - 9th May, 2020

As we cannot meet in London because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the London Youlan Qin Society has decided to hold its yaji meeting on 9th May online. This will be the first time we have held an online event, so it will be something of an experiment. We will continue to monitor the situation, and decide on a case by case basis whether to hold later yajis at SOAS or online.

Date/time: 9 May, 12:30 pm UK time (BST)

We will use Zoom for the yaji. 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 7 May on Eventbrite

If you plan to play a piece, please email jmgjoseph@ukchinesemusic.com which piece you will play, not later than Thursday 7 May.

There is also a Facebook page for the event

After Thursday 7 May, 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.

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

Invitation to an Evening of Classical Chinese Literature and Music: Dream of the Red Chamber - 16 December 2019

The Bulgarian Cultural Institute London and the London Youlan Qin Society cordially invite you to an evening of the Classical Chinese Literature and Music, to celebrate the launch of the first full Bulgarian translation of the great Chinese novel ‘Dream of the Red Chamber’ in September this year in Sofia.

Dream of the Red Chamber (Hong Lou Meng), written by Cao Xueqin in the middle of the 18th century during the Qing dynasty, is one of China's Four Great Classical Novels. The translator of the book, Mr. Petko Hinov, will share with us his 8-year hard work of translating the novel directly from the Chinese language in his interview. As music is a big theme in the novel, there will also be fabulous and rare live traditional musical performances on various classical instruments, including the guqin, pipa, xiao flute, ruan and voices. This is a must-see feast of literary translation and music, especially to those interested in China or Chinese culture.

Date: 16 December, 7 pm

Venue:
"Sofia" Gallery,
Bulgarian Cultural Institute,
London SW7 5HL

Free entry and all welcome; registration required

Download the poster here.

For further information, please see bcilondon.co.uk/china-traditions-and-culture/

Booking is via Eventbrite.

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.

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.

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/.

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

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 9th March, 2019

This will be our second 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.

Date/time: Saturday, 9th March 2019

2:00 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/97th-lyqs-yaji-tickets-53209640467.

There is also a Facebook page for the event: https://www.facebook.com/events/404781723395208/.

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 master Xie Daoxiu passes away - 20 February, 2019

It is with great sadness we have to report that Lingnan guqin master Xie Daoxiu passed away on February 20, 2019 aged 79.

Xie Daoxiu, eighth generation master of the Lingnan School of guqin music, was born on February 25, 1940 in Zhouxi Village, Mei County, Guangdong Province. He was a member of the Guangdong Musicians Association, a director of the Guangzhou Musicians Association, a director of the Yanhai Culture Research Association of the Haizhu District of Guangzhou, President of the Guangdong Guqin Research Association, and a guest guqin teacher the Xinghai Conservatory of Music.

In August 1960, he was admitted to the Chinese music department of Guangzhou Music College (now the Xinghai Conservatory of Music) to study guqin music under the famous Lingnan guqin master Yang Xinlun. After graduating in 1963, he made it his life’s work to inherit and develop the Lingnan School of guqin music.

In December 1980, with Yang Xinlun and Mo Shangde, he established the Guangdong Guqin Research Association. For more than 20 years, he held concerts throughout China and beyond, gave numerous media interviews, and published five guqin music albums. He also taught a large number of students, many of who went on to become influential guqin players.

In May 2010 Xie Daoxiu came to London and gave one concert in Oxford and one in London. The London Youlan Qin Society organised a yaji gathering in his honour.

He is survived by his wife and his son, Jeremy Mingqiang Xie, to whom we extend our heartfelt condolences.

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

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 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 enabled 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.

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.

The Festival featured 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 presented masterclasses, performances, talks and discussions during the festival. Guqin player and teacher Zeng He, taught one of the classes.

Festival video

Festival events

1. Concert "Beyond the Strings": 20 August, Town Hall, Oxford
2. Summer School: 21-24 August
3. Masterclass with Zeng Chengwei: 21 August
4. Masters in Debate "Battle of the Strings" (guqin vs. sitar): 21 August China Exchange, London
5. Masterclass with Li Xiangting: 22 August
6. Concert "Flowing Water": 23 August, Emmanuel Church, Cambridge
7. Film Screening - "On the Track of Robert Van Gulik" by Rob Rombout: 24 August
8. Academic Conference: 25-26 August
9. Festival London Première Concert "Literati and Nature": 25 August, 7:30 pm, DLT Room, SOAS, London WC1H 0XG
10. Grand Yaji: 26 August
11. Festival London Closing Ceremony Concert "Resonance of the Guqin": 26 August, 7:00 pm, DLT Room, SOAS, London WC1H 0XG

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

This unique concert was part of the closing ceremony for the guqin festival. It showcased 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 included: 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.

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

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

This unique concert was part of a week-long guqin (7-stringed zither) festival: the first ever in the UK. It showcased 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 included: 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)

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

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

This unique concert ws a part of our week-long guqin (7-stringed zither) festival. It showcased 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 included: 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).

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

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

Li Xiangting led 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 represented Team India and the mighty sitar.

Further information

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 opened our week-long guqin (7-stringed zither) festival. It showcased 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 included: 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).

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

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 14th July, 2018

This will be our fourth yaji for 2018. 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).

This Saturday’s yaji is a special one. Major media agencies are coming to report on our Festival. We have also invited people from other Chinese culture organisations. Please come and support us.

The yaji will follow the Guqin Festival Press Release. For this reason, we have invited some media representatives including:

• China's national news agency Xinhua News, who did the report and filming at our Summer school in 2016
• Our media partner Chinese Minutes
• Phoenix TV will do a live transmission

This will be a very special yaji, and we hope as many people as possible will attend.

Date/time: Saturday, 14th July 2018

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm - please note the later than usual start time.

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.

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

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

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 11th November, 2017

This will be our sixth 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, 11th November 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.

Two guqin events at Queen Mary University of London - 31 October and 1 November 2017

There will be two guqin events in London next week, both organised by the Confucius Institute at Queen Mary University of London. Two guqin players from China, Zhizang (who studied under Gong Yi, among others) and Bin Tang with be in London for these events.

Date/time:
Lecture: Tuesday 31 October, 7:00-9:00 pm.
Concert: Wednesday 1 November, 6:30-8:30 pm

Venue:
Queen Mary University of London

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.

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

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.

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 features 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.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 8th July, 2017

This will be our fourth 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, 12th November 2016

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.

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

Please let us know if you plan to attend.

Phone: 0788 089 6003

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

The nearest tube stations are Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus.

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):

Teachers

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

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

London Youlan Qin Society Mid-Autumn Moon Festival yaji meeting - SOAS, University of London - 10th September, 2016

This will be our sixth 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, 10th September 2016

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

Venue:
Room 4429 - note the change of room
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.

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

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - Walthamstow, London - 20th August, 2016

See the Saturday 20th August, 2016 page for details.

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

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

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

See the Saturday 14th May, 2016 page for details.

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

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

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

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

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting - at the home of Cheng Yu - 7th November, 2015

See the Saturday 7th November, 2015 page for details.

Chinese Music Summer School – 27-31 August 2015

Following over a decade of successful Chinese music summer schools, the London Youlan Qin Society (LYQS) focused 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 was held at a grand new venue – China Exchange in London’s Chinatown – and offered a rare opportunity for anyone interested in learning and understanding more about traditional Chinese music and instruments in the UK.

The course combined lectures, practice, and seminars and will finish with an end of course demonstration by participants and a concert by renowned musicians. It was 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)

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
Showcased masterpieces on the guqin 古琴 and guzheng 古筝, as well as the erhu 二胡 fiddle, xiao 笛箫 flute. Included 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. Featured 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.

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

See the Saturday 11th July, 2015 page for details.

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.

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

See the Saturday 8 November 2014 page for details.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 13 September 2014
伦敦幽兰琴社11月8日，伦敦大学亚非学院雅集，有兴者，欢迎参加

See the Saturday 13 September 2014 page for details.

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 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

Nearest tube station: South Kensington

For details and photo gallery, please see the 2014 Summer School page.

Talk on "The elegant life of a diplomat in the late Qing period, focussing on Zhang Yinhuan" – SOAS, University of London – 19 July 2014

This talk, organised by the UK Research and Development Centre for Chinese Traditional Culture (UKCTC), will be given by Dr Liang Jiyong.

Zhang Yinhuan (1837-1900) was Chinese ambassador to Spain and the United States, and visited the UK and other countries. He was an important figure behind the Hundred Days Reform.

Date/time: Saturday, 19 July 2014, 2:00 pm.

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

www.soas.ac.uk/

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 12 July 2014

See the Saturday 12 July 2014 page for details.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 10 May 2014

See the Saturday 10 May 2014 page for details.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting and Tea Ceremony demonstration: SOAS, University of London – 8 March 2014

See the Saturday 8 March 2014 page for details.

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.

The passing of Qin Master Lin Youren

The London Youlan Qin Society reports with great sadness that Lin Youren, one of China's best known and respected qin masters, a representative of the Guangling qin lineage, passed away on Saturday 12 October 2013. He was 75 years old. Master Lin visited London at least twice, in 2000 and 2007, and had yaji gatherings with qin lovers in London. We remember the wonderful concert (which we organised and which was sponsored by the London Confucius Institute and supported by SOAS) he and his daughter Lin Chen gave at SOAS on 5 May, 2007 and an interesting yaji with our members the following day.

Master Lin published 4 CDs:

1. 《中有真味》（与戴树红、戴微合作，上海信德科技文化发展中心企划制作，江苏省出版总社出版, 1996）
2. 《广陵琴韵》（专辑，香港雨果制作有限公司，1996）
3. "Music for the Qin Zither", Nimbus Records, LC 5871, London, 2001
4. 《鹤鸣九皋》——林友仁，姚公白先生古琴雅集（西安德音文化有限责任公司，中国唱片深圳公司出版，2001）

Master Lin Youren will be missed by all qin aficionados throughout the world. We extend our sincere condolences to his family.

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 11 January 2014

See the Saturday 11 January 2014 page for details.

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.

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

London Youlan Qin Society yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 14 September 2013

The Society’s September 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 14th September 2013
2:00-4:00 pm, for all non-members who are interested in listening to and playing music.
(There will be a charge of £4 per person for non-members)

Venue:
Room B104
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

For more information about the Silk and Bamboo Ensemble, please visit: The ukchinesemusic.com/silkbamboo.htm

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 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 students 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 of the summer school, 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.

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.

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 winter 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 10th November 2012
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 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.

London Youlan Qin Society Summer yaji meeting – SOAS, University of London – 8 September 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.

Date: Saturday 8th September 2012
1:00-4:00 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 563
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 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

Click here for a full report on the Summer School.

Click on the image below to enlarge (Our grateful thanks to designer Wang Jian for this).

Guqin concert "The sound of the Shu Qin" 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

Click here for a full report on the Concert.

FREE ENTRY

Click on the image below to enlarge (Our grateful thanks to designer Wang Jian for this).

LYQS yaji meeting at SOAS, Friday 22 June 2012

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Friday 22 June. It will take place at SOAS, in central London, and will take place during the Guqin Summer School. We are delighted that Professor Zeng Chengwei will join us.

Time:

5:00 pm to 7:00 pm (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.

LYQS Spring yaji meeting at SOAS, Saturday 12 May 2012

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji 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.

LYQS meeting Sunday 25 March 2012

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Sunday 25 March. It will take place at the Malaysia Kopi Tiam Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown, 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)

Venue:

Malaysia Kopi Tiam
1st floor
67, Charing Cross Road
London WC2H 0NE
Tel: 020 7287 1113

Phone: 0788 089 6003 (LYQS)

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

Directions are at the following URL (Google maps):

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=67,+Charing+Cross+Road+London+WC2H+0NE+&hnear=67+Charing+Cross+Rd,+London+WC2H+0NE,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=16

The nearest tube stations is Leicester Square.

LYQS celebrates the Year of the Dragon in Trafalgar Square 29 January 2012

The London Youlan Qin Society was selected by the London Chinatown Chinese Association to perform at this important event in Trafalgar Square. Members of the Society performed two well-known qin pieces.

2:00 - 5:00 pm, Sunday 29 January 2012

Venue:

Trafalgar Square, Central London

Photographs and video from the performance are here.

LYQS meeting Saturday 14 January 2012

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Saturday 14 January. 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: TBA
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003 (LYQS), 020 7637 2388 (SOAS)

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.

LYQS meeting Saturday 12 November 2011

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji 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:

1:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Members)
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm (Non-members)

Venue:

Room L67
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003 (LYQS), 020 7637 2388 (SOAS)

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.

LYQS meeting Saturday 10 September 2011

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Saturday 10 September. It will take place at SOAS, in central London.

Any members who have not already done so are encouraged to pay their annual subscription for 2011 at this meeting.

Time: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Venue:

Room G51

Main Building

SOAS, University of London

Thornhaugh Street

Russell Square

London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003 (LYQS), 020 7637 2388 (SOAS)

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.

LYQS meeting Friday 8 July 2011

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Friday 8 July. It will take place in the Music Department, Royal Holloway College London (RHUL) in Egham, Surrey.

All members who have not already done so are encouraged to pay their annual subscription for 2011 at this meeting.

Time: 7:00 pm - please note the updated time.

Venue: Music Department, Royal Holloway College London (RHUL) in Egham, Surrey.

Further details will be announced shortly.

Chinese Four Arts Summer School – 27-31 May 2011

The project

A 5-day course to study and experience the four quintessential Chinese traditional arts – the classical guqin, or qin (7-stringed zither), qi (Weiqi or Go, a board game for training the mind), shu (calligraphy) and hua (brush painting). This is the first time such a course has been held in the UK, enabling participants to study the techniques, aesthetics and cultural meanings of these four interlinked art forms with a focus on the qin. Invited experts include qin grand master Professor Li Xiangting from the China Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, UK based painter and calligrapher Guo Le, and Go teacher Tony Atkins. Participants will receive an informative free booklet on qin and the four arts. There will be lecture-workshops introducing the four arts and an exciting concert of traditional and new guqin music with Li Xiangting, a multimedia presentation, and Chinese-Western musical collaboration.

For a full report, see Chinese Four Arts Summer School.

For a report on the concert, see Concert: "The Elegant Orchid".

A 7 minute TV programme by Phoenix TV can be seen at:

http://v.ifeng.com/news/world/201108/a89cfc06-038f-4370-927e-e76fa87bb006.shtml

Here is a newspaper report by the Sun Post (page 2).

Organisers, partners and sponsors

The project was initiated by the London Youlan Qin Society in collaboration with the Prince’s Charities Foundation (Sponsor), the British Museum and SOAS, University of London.

LYQS meeting Saturday 14 May 2011

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Saturday 14 May. It will take place at SOAS, in central London.

All members who have not already done so are encouraged to pay their annual subscription for 2011 at this meeting.

Time: 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Venue:

Room G51

Main Building

SOAS, University of London

Thornhaugh Street

Russell Square

London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

Phone: 0788 089 6003 (LYQS), 020 7637 2388 (SOAS)

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.

LYQS meeting Saturday 12 March 2011

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Saturday, 12th March. The meeting is free of charge to members of LYQS and to staff and students of SOAS. Otherwise there is a charge of £4. The meeting will take place at SOAS, in central London.

Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Venue:

Room G51
Main Building
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

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.

LYQS meeting Saturday 15 January 2011

The London Youlan Qin Society will hold its next yaji meeting on Saturday, 15th January to celebrate the New Year. The Society is pleased to announce that this meeting will be open to all and free of charge. It will take place at SOAS, in central London.

Time: 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Venue:

Room B111 - IMPORTANT - please note that the room number has changed!
Brunei Gallery
SOAS, University of London
Thornhaugh Street
Russell Square
London WC1H 0XG

www.soas.ac.uk/

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.

2011 National Guqin Dapu Conference

The 2011 Chinese Guqin Dapu Conference is to be held in Changshu in May 2011.

 

Translation by Christopher Evans

The subject of the Chinese Guqin Dapu Conference to be held in Changshu in May 2011 is the Ming dynasty Songxianguan Qinpu (the version in the Si Ku Quan Shu, Qin Qu Jicheng Vol. 8, and downloadable from www.chinese guqin.org). We now invite good dapu works from qin players in all areas, the procedures being as follows:

1. Each person may freely select up to three pieces from the Songxianguan Qinpu (including the Appendices) to dapu; the draft dapu are to be given in both cipher (number) notation and jianzi-pu; manuscript work must be clearly written. Sound recordings (CD) should be attached. The paper and recorded materials must be submitted to the office of the Chinese Guqin Society on or before 31 December 2010.
   
   
2. Chinese and foreigners who are involved in the qin may take part in the activities. During the dapu process the symbols in the original tablatures must be followed strictly; changes must not be made unless there are obvious mistakes in the original tablature, in which case the reasons for the changes must be given.


3. When the drafts have all been received, between one and three of the best for each piece will be selected and centrally recorded.


4. At the same time, new compositions are sought for the Dapu Conference; they must be new works which have not been published or recorded on CD, DVD or in other formats. The deadline is as above.


5. During the dapu Conference there will be separate conferences for dapu works and new compositions. Academic papers related to the Songxianguan Qinpu are invited, to be submitted to and discussed at the Conference.


6. The selected dapu works, new compositions and papers will be collected and published, the copyright being retained by the Guqin Academic Committee of the Chinese Nationalities’ Instrumental Music Association. The Association will bear all food and accommodation costs in Changshu of persons whose work is selected, together with part of their travel costs.

Postal address: BAI Yunlong, D/1506, Building 3, Dongsheng Gujia Yuan, Anwai, Beijing, post code 100029 (materials must be sent by registered or express mail)

Telephone enquiries: 0106441 5082 or 13391838383 ZHANG Zisheng

Chinese Guqin Association

Guqin Academic Committee of the Chinese Nationalities’ Instrumental Music Association