Support New Work for the Guqin"From Beijing to San Francisco"

 

Dear qin friend,

I am writing to you with some exciting news and a special request.

As you probably know, there are very few new works for the guqin. NAGA is developing a new, 30-minute multidisciplinary work for the guqin called “From Beijing to San Francisco”. Through a variety of art forms, it will use a guqin player's own story to illustrate the fate of the guqin, and reflect on the last 30 years in China, for example: what happened to the guqin during the Cultural Revolution (1966 to 1976), when art was only allowed if it served the New China, the effect on the guqin of China's Open Door Policy (1980s), when western culture began to dominate China, and how the traditional art of the guqin survived during China's period of economic development (1990s), as well as the modernized China of the 21^st century.

The production will be performed on four consecutive days at the Performing Diaspora Festival at CounterPulse in San Francisco, November 19-22, 2009 and during the San Francisco International Art Festival in May 2010.

Participating artists in this production include artistic director, producer and writer Wang Fei, world class guqin master and composer Li Xiangting, and choreographer Xiaopei He Gelb.

Call for donations

NAGA is now raising funds for this project, and is asking you to support us to bring this exciting new piece to fruition.  Please see our work in progress video excerpt http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khHxDlb47V8&feature=channel

NAGA is receiving some support for this production from Meet the Composer and CounterPulse, but we need to raise an additional $5000-$7500 to meet our production costs. We invite you to make a contribution to support our new work “From Beijing to San Francisco”.

As a donor, you will have the opportunity to be actively involved in this project and give us your feedback during our work in progress.

Here are some suggestions for amounts and levels of benefit to the donor:

 

$25	You will be invited to one of our work in progress shows or rehearsals to give us feedback.
$100	All the above benefits plus: You will be invited to be a VIP guest at our show. Your name will be credited as a friend of NAGA and listed on our web site.
$500	All the above benefits plus: Your name and logo will be listed in the program notes of the Performing Diaspora festival, and all the publicity materials.
$1000	All the above benefits plus: Your name and logo will be listed on all programs and all publicity materials for shows in which this new piece is performed, from November 2009 to December 2010. You will be invited to meet our artists and to the celebration afterwards.

Larger donations can help cover the cost of travel for international artists and out of state artists, and help pay our wonderful musicians and dancers to participate.

NAGA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All contributions are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law. Tax ID: 205263250

Please send donation  to: North American Guqin Association, PO BOX 7113, Fremont, CA 94537-7113

Or make your donation online at https://www.networkforgood.org/donation/MakeDonation.aspx?ORGID2=20-5263250&source=GS&cmpgn=DNT&vlrStratCode=jwS6P5T0nhkRSxl7gbhL12bEgsy4gahQJ%2fDmTj%2f3pX%2b%2fTw5ngp4hbYVEGgfLn7ce.

Call for artists

A.     Female Dancer/Narrator, this role will carry both narration and dance. Good English narration skill and contemporary dance style.

B.     Stage artists who are good at lighting effects and backdrop design

C.     Multimedia artist with experience in live multimedia concert, video projection

Please send your bio and work sample link (if you have one) to info@guqin.org

Call  for volunteers

All skill levels welcome. Specific tasks will be allocated accordingly. Let us know what you can help with, for example as marketing, driving, reception.

If you want to give us comment, please go to our NAGA forum to discuss.

We are thrilled to embark on this new journey with your support.

Sincerely,

 

Wang Fei

Director

North American Guqin Association

http://www.guqin.org