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Renowned musicians Ding Chengyun and Fu Lina will give two qin and se concerts themed "Harmonious Chords" in February.
Ding will play qin and Fu will play se. The latter instrument was lost for more than 1,000 years and has only recently been rediscovered. Based on ancient models, it is remade to produce the most harmonious and refreshing notes that hark back to a millennium ago.
Featuring an array of ancient tunes, including "The Moon over Guanshan", "A Dialogue between the Fisherman and the Woodcutter", "Wild Geese on the Sandbank", "Three Variations on Yangguan", "Lamentations of Lady Zhaojun", "Harmony between Man and God" and "Returning Home after Resignation", the concerts will begin at 7.30pm on February 27 (Friday) at the Lecture Hall, Sheung Wan Civic Centre and at 7.30pm on February 28 (Saturday) at the Xiang Hai Xuan Multi-purpose Hall, Nan Lian Garden.
Ding Chengyun is a famous scholar, particularly noted for his virtuosity in playing the qin and the zheng. He has made tremendous breakthroughs in the tuning and study of se in recent years, thus reviving the playing of this ancient instrument in performing Chinese music.
Ding is currently the professor of Musicology at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music, the visiting professor of the China Conservatory of Music and the Nanhua University of Taiwan. He has given many concerts in China and abroad in the form of qin recitals as well as qin and se duet concerts. His music is noted for its clarity and elegance in taste, and it has been critically acclaimed.
Fu Lina, who is Ding's wife and one of the few musicians who can play se, has made long-term efforts in the continuation and development of Chinese traditional music, sight-reading and listening and the related pedagogical studies, the study of the traditional teaching methods of the gong-che scores in Chinese music, and a study of the performing art of the se, zheng and the qin. In 1996, she won the "Class One Award for Outstanding Achievements in Scientific Studies", presented by the Henan Education Commission. Fu is currently the associate professor in Composition at the Wuhan Conservatory of Music and the visiting associate professor at the Nanhua University of Taiwan.
Qin and se are both important musical instruments in ancient China. They were often described as to be played in pair and, by tradition, symbols of harmony. Since the late Tang dynasty, the playing technique of se was gradually lost and it was seldom heard.
"Harmonious Chords - A Chinese Music Concert Featuring the Qin and the Se" is one of the concerts in "Nan Lian Garden Chinese Music Series" presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Tickets priced at $200 (no set seats) are now available at URBTIX outlets. Senior citizens aged 60 or above, people with disabilities, full-time students and Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) recipients may have 50% off (limited quotas for students and CSSA recipients on a first-come, first-served basis). A maximum discount of 20% is offered for group booking and "Nan Lian Garden Chinese Music Series" schemes. Please refer to the programme leaflet for details.
Other attractions in the "Nan Lian Garden Chinese Music Series" include "Guqin Concert by Li Xiangting" (January 16 and 17, 2009), "Nanyin Concert by Tong Kin-woon" (February 22, March 7 and 14), "Green is the Willow - Guqin Recital by Jin Wei" (March 6 and 7) and "By the Nan Lian Garden - Concert by Chinese Music Virtuosi" (March 21).
Nan Lian Garden is located at 60 Fung Tak Road, Diamond Hill, Kowloon, adjacent to the Chi Lin Nunnery. Enquiries: 2329 8811.
For enquiries about the programme, call 2268 7321 or visit www.lcsd.gov.hk/cp. Ticketing enquiries and reservations can be made on 2734 9009 and credit card telephone bookings on 2111 5999. Tickets can also be booked online at www.urbtix.hk.
Ends/Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Issued at HKT 10:01
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