Film, Television and Radio
The UK Chinese Ensemble has recorded music for a number of major films and television programmes:
UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for "Dr Who" - 21 April 2022
Broadcast date: 21 April 2022
Musicians from the UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for a a special episode "Legend of The Sea Devils" of the BBC TV programme "Dr Who". The music was composed by Segun Akinola.
Cheng Yu on internet radio station Classical Turquoise - 20 July 2021
Laure Chan presented special guest Cheng Yu's music and interview on the internet radio programme Classical and Beyond.
The programme featured a selection of Cheng Yu's music including solo pieces on the pipa lute and guqin zither, plus a selection of ensemble pieces from the Silk String Quartet, Silk and Bamboo Ensemble and Silk Breeze. Special mention must be made of a distinctive solo guqin piece (6 below) using silk strings, once owned by Robert Van Gulik and Laurence Picken, two of the 20th century's most influential sinologists.
Date: Tuesday 20 July 2021, 18:00. The programme was available for approximately one month afterwards.
To listen, go to: https://www.classicalturquoise.com/ and scroll down to TODAY'S SCHEDULE. You will need to download the free app.
The programme included:
- Waterscape Silhouette 水乡剪影 – Silk String Quartet, by Mo Fan 2003
- Flowing Water 流水 – guqin, xiao flute and cello
- Dance of the Yi People 彝族舞曲 – pipa solo, 1965 composed by Wang Huiran
- Silk London 丝绕伦敦 – guqin and pipa improvisation with Master Li Xiangting
- Ambushed on All Sides 十面埋伏– pipa solo (trad. martial style)
- Moon Over the Mountain Pass 关山月 – guqin solo, on 1930’s silk string guqin zither
- Jasmine Flower 茉莉花 – Silk and Bamboo Ensemble
Pipa lute, erhu fiddle, guzheng zither, yangqin dulcimer and dizi flute - Little Stream 小河淌水 – Silk Breeze group
Pipa lute, erhu fiddle, bawu flute and cello
Silk Breeze on BBC Radio 3 - "Music Planet" - 8 May 2021
Our Silk Breeze group was 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 was broadcast as part of the Music "Planet" programme on Saturday 8th May 2021 at 16.00. After the broadcast the programme was available to listen to for 30 days via the BBC website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09ymx3v.
UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for the feature film "Man of the People" - March 2021
Having recorded the music for the film "Steamboat" at Abbey Road Studios, the UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for another film, "Man of the People", this time at Rogue Studios. The music was composed by John Califra (USA). The film is about the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping. Both films will be released later this year.
UK Chinese Music Ensemble recorded music for the feature film "Steamboat" - 21 February 2021
The UK Chinese Ensemble was invited to record music for "Steamboat" by Joel P. West at London's Abbey Road Studios. The film is expected to be out in the summer.
Cheng Yu 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 premiered on the CBeebies channel, after which it was available on iPlayer for 30 days.
Date: 15 February 2020 10:15 am
Channel: CBeebies
Cheng Yu on Late Junction, BBC Radio 3 - 17 April 2019
This episode of the BBC Radio 3 programme Late Junction featured Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh on 10-stringed Irish fiddle, Sam Underwood on his Invented String instruments, Elliot Galvin on prepared piano and Cheng Yu on the guqin and 5-stringed pipa.
Date and time
Wednesday 17 April 2019, 11 pm
Further information
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006tp52
Guqin Interview and guqin performance by Cheng Yu - Dutch Classical Radio - 17 September, 2017>
Cheng Yu was invited to give an interview and guqin performance on Dutch Classical Radio as part of the the Musica Scara Maastricht Kunstenfestival, a festival of religious music.
Date: Sunday, 17th September 2017, 9pm - 9:30pm Central European Time
Music recording for the Disney film "Born in China"
October, 2015: Musicians from our Ensemble once again recorded music composed by Barnaby Taylor, this time for the Disney film "Born in China". It will be out in early 2016.
See our Facebook page for more photos.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, May 2008
10-12 May, 2008: Having recorded music for Shanghai Noon, Shanghai Knights and Balls of Fury, the musicians from the UK Chinese Ensemble have once again been working with US composer
Randy Edelman on another major Hollywood film - The Mummy. This is the fourth film music project on which our musicians have worked with the same composer. The music is significant in the film
and "is longer then the actual film, with over 140 minutes music" said Randy. This Hollywood major blockbuster action film will be released in August to coincide the China Olympic 2008.
Starring: Jet Li, Maria Bello, Brendan Fraser, John Hannah, Michelle Yeoh, Russell Wong, Luke Ford, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Isabella Leong, Tian Liang
Director: Rob Cohen
Release Date: August 1, 2008
Studio: Universal Pictures
Synopsis: In the Far East, trouble-seeking father-and-son duo Rick (Fraser) and Alex O'Connell (Ford) unearth the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin (Li) - a shape-shifting entity who was
cursed by a wizard (Yeoh) centuries ago.
Official web site: http://www.themummy.com/
See also: http://www.killermovies.com/m/themummy3/
Music for BBC Bristol 6 episode TV documentary series "Wild China"
Having recently recorded the hunting music for the film Ghosts, directed by Nick Brookfield, about the 23 Chinese drowned while cockling in dangerous Morecambe Bay, Cheng Yu and the
UK Chinese Ensemble musicians worked with composer Barnaby Taylor in November and December 2007 to create music for the 6 episode BBC TV documentary "Wild China", broadcast in 2008. It was very popular in China as well as in the UK.
See the Projects page for more information.
Balls of Fury
2007: The musicians of the UK Chinese Music Ensemble has successfully recorded music for the film Balls of Fury at Abbey Road Studios, London. This is be the third Hollywood film music project after Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights on which the UK Chinese Music Ensemble has worked with composer Randy Edelman. The musicians worked from written scores and improvised. The instruments used included the pipa lute, guqin zither, guzheng zither, erhu and gaohu fiddles, dizi and xiao flutes, sheng mouth-organ and guanzi pipe.
The Boat People, 23-25 January, 2006
Cheng Yu composed and improvised with composer and blues guitarist Neil McArthur and film director Rob Curry to provide music for the new film "The Boat People". The film will
feature classical/traditional guqin (7-stringed zither) music and improvisations as the main music of the film.
For details about the film please visit: http://www.fifthcolumn.org.uk.
Two Brothers
2004: This film about two tigers from the China/Cambodia border is currently being co-produced by British and French film companies. The UK Chinese Ensemble worked with composer Stephen Warbeck.
Around the World in 80 Days
2004: This is the fourth film the ensemble has recorded for Disney, the others being Mulan, Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knight (see below). This was the second time time the group
worked with composer Trevor Jones.
Warriors of Heaven and Earth
2003: The UK Chinese Ensemble worked with composer A. R. Rahman to create music for this film.
Shanghai Knights
2003: the ensemble worked for a second time with composer Randy Edelman. Jackie Chan starred in this film.
From Hell
2002: The UK Chinese Ensemble worked with composer Trevor Jones to produce music for this film.
Shanghai Noon
2000: the ensemble worked with composer Randy Edelman for this film, which starred Jackie Chan.
Mulan
1998: The UK Chinese Ensemble recorded music for this animated film by Disney.
RADIO BROADCASTS
- BBC Radio 4 broadcast an interview with Cheng Yu on her 5-stringed pipa music.
- BBC Radio 3, WOMAD Festival broadcast a live performance on the pipa.
- BBC World Service programme Arts Review had a special feature on her 5-stringed pipa premieres.
- BBC 5 programme Every Woman had special feature on her 5-stringed pipa music.
- BBC Radio 4 programme Woman's Hour featured the 5-stringed pipa project.
- BBC World Service programme The Ticket featured the 5-stringed pipa music.
TELEVISION APPEARANCES
- Half hour television documentary Classic Challenge with composer Karl Jenkins on Channel 4.
- Worldwide Television television series UK Today featured a profile of Cheng Yu. Broadcast monthly in more than 150 countries and by major airlines.
- The Chinese television series Across England devoted a half hour programme to feature Cheng Yu. Broadcast by CCTV in China.
- Howard Goodall's Big Bangs on Channel 4.