buchtelite 2014 09 30
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The editorially independent student voice at The University of Akron since 1889TRANSCRIPT
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A5Tuesday, September 30, 2014
After their performance on Sunday, Sept. 28 at Guzzetta’s Recital Hall, the Orchid En-semble gave a music work-shop as a part of China Week.
The workshop was held from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and had an intimate setting as they let audience members sit on the stage with them as they played and held discussions
about their backgrounds. The Orchid Ensemble con-
sists of three members: Lan Tung, Yu-Chen Wang from Taiwan, and Jonathan Bernard. They bring together traditional instruments blended together into a very intercultural sound that you wouldn’t hear from a traditional ensemble.
Tung plays the Chinese violin, or the erhu, which con-sists of a stick-like neck with two strings stretched across
it and a base with snakeskin stretched across it. The snake-skin on the base gives the erhu WKH� DPSOLÀFDWLRQ� QHHGHG� LQ� D�concert hall. Tung has traveled to India to study music and has played across the world in Vietnam and Japan with Or-chid Ensemble.
Wang played a much larger instrument called the zheng, which resembles a table-like guitar. The zheng has 21 strings and 21 bridges to ad-
just the tune. In Orchid Ensemble, Ber-
nard plays all of the different percussion instruments.
“Some of the most beauti-ful instruments in the percus-sion section come from Asia,” Bernard said.
Bernard has studied in Egypt, India and many other parts of Asia to build a vast array of knowledge among instruments and their histo-ries. Along with his travels to
study, he and the rest of the en-semble have traveled to many jazz, children’s, chamber, and folk music festivals to high-light their unique sound.
Throughout the workshop, students could ask questions about the key they were play-ing in or how they developed a certain song. The entire expe-rience was an interactive event as everyone was involved in the discussions that were conducted. One student even
brought his own erhu to the event to get some insight from Tung own techniques.
Orchid Ensemble’s sound is just as unique as all of the instruments they can play, bringing a very lively sound and energy to the stage with their performances. Bringing intercultural music from their extensive knowlegdge of in-struments to audiences at The University of Akron.
The University of Akron’s China Week, sponsored by The Confucius Institute, in-vites the UA community to come and explore the many sides of Chinese culture.
The many facets of Chinese culture will be represented in several events taking place starting Sept. 30 through Oct. 3. China Week has a lot to of-fer those interested in getting get a taste of Chinese culture and lifestyle.
The schedule of events in-cludes various keynote speak-ers including Sherry L. Muel-ler who hosted a workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 29 from 2 p.m., and a presentation by Paul Theroux will be held on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 p.m.
The schedule also includes many opportunities to learn more about China and its cul-tural distinctions and global
opportunities for one’s profes-sional future.
On Wednesday, Oct. 1, stu-dents can experience “Global Career Day” of China Week. On this day, each event is dedicated to improving one’s career and increasing their op-portunities. There will be sev-eral presentations on the im-portance of global expansion to modern careers and how to incorporate it.
Students can enjoy a morn-ing Tai Chi session on Buch-tel Commons from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednes-day and Thursday. Students had the chance to attend Chi-na’s Shanxi University Art Troupe’s evening performance Monday at 7p.m., located in E.J. Thomas Hall.
Shanxi University is a uni-versity located in Taiyun City, a city 300 miles southwest of Beijing. Those who attend these events can expect to have a great experience that
Nicholas Summers
Mary C. Barrett
Orchid Ensemble gives music workshop
Photos by Kamara Turner(�JHWWLSSH�NYV\W�7LU[H[VUP_�WLYMVYTZ�VU�:\UKH`�:LW[LTILY���[O�^OPSL�VU�[V\Y�HM[LY�^PUUPUN�5)*»Z�ZLHZVU�[OYLL�VM�;OL�:PUN�6Ɉ�MVY�Z[\KLU[Z�H[�[OL�,�1��;OVTHZ�/HSS�
Photo by Nicholas SummersAs part of China Week, the Confucius Institute hosted a booth at the Akron Marathon Runners Expo handing out tea to the runners.
Confucius Institue hosts 10th annual China Week at UA
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