NAGA October 2005 guqin yaji Report

On Saturday October 8^th the North American Guqin Association hosted its monthly yaji at the Hayward Japanese Gardens. The local qin community gathered in the Tea House Pavilion. This month's yaji helped celebrate California Arts Day. Throughout the afternoon interested people from among those strolling the gardens, including one family of four, stepped up into the pavilion to join us. In addition to the usual playing of guqin and guzheng, first timers Monique on sanxian and Eliot on xiao joined us.

The first piece was a guqin solo by teacher Wang Fei of Guanshan Yue (关山月). Fred Pohlmann then played Qiu Feng Ci (秋风词). Next Wang Fei on guqin led an ensemble which played Qiu Feng Ci and included Fred on guqin, and Monique on sanxian (3-stringed lute) as some others sang. Almost the entire group joined in the singing for Yang Guan San Die (阳关三叠) with Wang Fei and Pat Wong on guqin, Monique on sanxian, Eliot on xiao, and a row of singers behind. Next Rebecca played guzheng with Monique on sanxian as Wang Fei sang. The trio performed Guan San Yue. The last offering was a solo by Rebecca Hsueh on guzheng.

Ten from the group followed the yaji with a delicious dinner at the West Lake restaurant.

A large number of photographs were taken by Michael Cohen at the yaji. These can be seen online at http://hustlepix.com/concerts/naga_yaji_10082005. The first 30 are of the garden itself, very beautiful.

Video clips of the yaji were also taken by Michael Cohen can be seen at the following URLs:

Wang Fei (qin) Guanshan Yue: http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/ram/05yaji/guanshanyue.ram

Fred Pohlmann (qin) Qiu Feng Ci: http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/ram/05yaji/qiufengcifred.ram

Wang Fei (qin), Fred Pohlmann (qin) Monique Kuo (sanxian), Eliot Greenleaf (xiao), all singing Qiu Feng Ci: http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/ram/05yaji/qiufengciwithsinging.ram

Wang Fei (qin), Pat Wong (qin) Monique Kuo (sanxian), Eliot Greenleaf (xiao), all singing Yangguan San Die: http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/ram/05yaji/yangguansandie.ram

Monique Kuo (sanxian), Eliot Greenleaf (xiao) and voice: http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/ram/05yaji/mianjianghong.ram

Rebecca Hsueh (guzheng), Monique Kuo (sanxian), Wang Fei (voice): http://www.chineseculture.net/guqin/ram/05yaji/guangshanyueguzheng.ram

Attendees:

Michael Cohen Philip Flavin Eliot Greenleaf Janet Dere Rebecca Hsueh Yi Ma

Wenyu Jiang Jason Lango J. Lui Fred Pohlmann Monique Kuo Ran Xie

Fei Wang Kwan Wong Pat Wong Weiran Zhao Yongan Wang Zhijun Lou

Fred Pohlmann

North American Guqin Association

http://www.guqin.org