NAGA Guqin Event for December, 2006

A Journey into China's Cultural Heritage Yaji Report

On Saturday December 16th at the Fremont Main Library, the North American Guqin Association held a retrospective of its trip to China with slide and video presentations of the conferences its members attended in Beijing and Qionglai and of the famous scenic spots they visited. A separate report and photos of our China trip will available online soon.

Please see the complete program listing below.

Michael Cohen's photos of the yaji can be viewed at:

http://hustlepix.com/concerts/naga_yaji_12162006/

Event summary

NAGA founder and director Wang Fei led off with slides of the Beijing conference, which included shots of some of the best guqin players in the world. Wang Fei's presentation in Beijing also featured the famous singer Jiang Jiaqiang during a rendition of Yang Guan San Die. Numerous photos and a video of the elaborate opening ceremonies that Qionglai had prepared for its guests were also included. The parade-like atmosphere, complete with timed releases of balloons and flocks of birds, delighted those at the yaji almost as much as it delighted us when we were in Qionglai. The festival included a duet performance of Mei Hua San Nong by Wang Fei on guqin and Li Xiangting on xiao. Some pictures of a post-conference boat outing on a nearby lake where members took turns playing a guqin were shown, as well as scenic shots of Jiuzhaigou National Park. One of the hits of the afternoon, as well as at the conferences in China, was the showing of the new NAGA DVD featuring Wang Fei on guqin with electronic music sound effects filmed to some of the lush scenery of the Bay Area. Les Stuck, an internationally known electronic music composer, created this DVD along with Wang Fei.

Les Stuck was present at the yaji to demonstrate how some of the DVD's special effects were achieved. He demonstrated how various sounds could be manipulated until a desirable effect was achieved. The audience revealed their enthusiastic interest in his presentation by asking questions.

Dr. Sanford Tom treated us to slides and an exquisite video of Jiuzhaigou, Huanglong, Emeishan, and the Leshan Buddha. The incredible turquoises and emerald greens of the water at Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong were captured beautifully on the video. The impressive slopes, temples, and statues of Emeishan and the grandeur of the Leshan Buddha were also breathtaking.

A musical interlude saw a rendition of Feng Qiu Huang similar to that NAGA played in China repeated three times for poem recitations in Chinese and English and the singing of the song's lyrics. Wang Fei also played some short qin pieces. Those of us in the qin world of the United States should never take for granted the rarity of an expertise such as hers.

Lastly Jiang Wenyu presented slides of yajis dating back several years. Faces of friends who attend yajis regularly as well as those of esteemed visitors and old qin friends not seen for years flashed across the screen.

Program

Wang Fei: “NAGA's Guqin and Cultural Heritage Tour”

Les Stuck: Electronic music demonstration

Dr. Tom Sanford: Video clips of the Qionglai International Guqin Festival, Jiuzhaigou, Leshan, and Emeishan

Feng Qiu Huang performed by Jiang Wenyu on guqin, with recitations of Du Fu's Qin Terrace in Chinese by Wang Fei and in English by Fred Pohlmann, and Feng Qiu Huang lyrics sung by Kwan Wong

Jiu Kuang and Guan Shan Yue performed by Wang Fei on guqin

Jiang Wenyu: NAGA yaji photo retrospective

List of attendees

NAGA is staffed entirely by volunteers and accepts donations to help with its efforts to bring the art of the guqin and related aspects of Chinese culture to the general public. NAGA currently has a limited number of gift items for donors. Materials presented at this yaji, including the Wang Fei DVD, and NAGA yaji photo retrospective, are among the gifts. For full details and to donate go to http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/newsletters/06nagaevents/naga0612/0612yajiinvite.htm.

Acknowledgements

Thanks go to Jiang Wenyu for technical support at the yaji, and to Christie Chen for the loan of a projector.

For an html version of the yaji report, please visit http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/newsletter.html

Please keep an eye on our news updates at http://www.chineseculture.net/news/index.html

Reporter: Fred Pohlmann

Editor: Julian Joseph

North American Guqin Association

http://www.guqin.org/