A six-year-old's Guzheng Adventure
Introducing the Guzheng, a string instrument from China.
Josie Smith enjoyed her first concert - an Instrumental Stories concert at a public library in lieu of storytime before bed.
Shirley Wong put on a fantastic performance, captivating audiences with her Guzheng, a traditional Chinese instrument similar to a zither. Her virtuosity was on full display as she played pieces with stories about horses galloping through a Moroccan desert, to two lovers transforming into butterflies. The passion and energy of the music left Josie, a six-year-old attendee, wide-eyed and fully engaged, well past her bedtime.
"I am hooked. It was just beautiful to experience live music in an intimate setting and to learn about an instrument that was new to me," said Shevaughn Smith. "I'm very happy I found the event at my local library."
The Guzheng's 25 strings are plucked with picks attached to one hand while the other hand manipulates the strings to produce a range of sounds. It's a truly versatile instrument, with the ability to produce everything from harp-like sounds to twangy, Looney Tunes-esque tones.
Shirley performs with her students every two years in the Harmony Guzheng Ensemble, with their next concert scheduled for May 2025 at the Bella Concert Hall. The whole ensemble memorizes their pieces, and don't perform with music, as they must look at the strings on the instrument as they play.
Each piece has a story that connects back to Chinese heritage, making memorization easier. Butterfly Lovers is one of the most famous folktales in Chinese culture and tells a story similar to Romeo and Juliet. The 18-minute, 4-part piece takes listeners on a journey through the lovers' meeting, friendship, tragic separation, and eventual transformation into butterflies.
Shirley's version of Butterfly Lovers beautifully captured the range of emotions in the story, from celebration to sombre tones to a delightful and touching ending mimicking the flutter of butterfly wings.
Josie's favourite piece was Horse Racing, a fast-paced and dramatic piece that emulates the clomping of horse hooves running through the desert. When the music changed pace, it was very exciting for the first-time attendee.
At the end of the concert, Shirley invited Josie to perform alongside her, and they played "Mary Had a Little Lamb" together on the Guzheng. Josie and Shevaughn will remember this experience for a long time.
Follow Harmony Guzheng Ensemble for smaller culture presentations in Calgary, leading to their next concert in 2025.
Instrumental Stories is your gateway to cultural musical experiences in Calgary. Back for a second season, this small, intimate monthly program is held in partnership with the Calgary Public LIbrary and is offered for free at the Central Memorial Calgary Public Library. It showcases instruments with deep cultural significance. Don't miss out on this extraordinary musical exploration. The next performance is Thursday, November 30, 2023 – Classical Concert Accordian with Sir N. Antonio Peruch.
