QUOTE(subangman @ Apr 1 2010, 12:32 PM)
her sifus drag her in to public performances after she won the Klang Parade chinese instrument solo division last yr....her sifus really geng
in chinese instrument... *teach me how to post video clips here then u will see their performances*
earning little bit of extra pocket money but i am limiting her as need to sit for her PMR tis year.... on top of tis she still taking her ABRSM
exam and latin competitions... tis gal of mine sch really pack during the weekends... hardly have time for ah pa....
Wow..
ur gals are really cool... so young but so much experience..
i dunno how to post video here as well.. haha
QUOTE(faceless @ Apr 1 2010, 12:45 PM)
Thanks for the info Subang. It seems you stayed pass midnight to do it. I appreciate it. I look forward to your analysis after the weekends.
I think I have the answer to Cassie’s question. Piano players use a ball-holding grip when they play. That is they make believe that they are holding a tennis ball in their hand. With guzheng player there is a slight variation. The fingers form a line and the thumb sits behind the fingers. This would enable both fingers and thumb to strike the strings in a natural swing motion. When you join the thumb and the fingers at their tips, it is shaped like a bird’s mouth. It is one of the shapes of the three shapes of “one-two-jus” game. The thumb and fingers are not joined. The bird shape is just to give an idea. The fingers resemble the ball holding grip except the position of the thumb varies. It would be easy for piano players to adapt to the guzheng grip and vice versa. The difference is in piano the finger press keys while guzheng player strike the strings. It is easy for a pianist to pick up guzheng and vice versa. In the case of guzheng players, they had to learn to read notes on the treble and bass staff. Furthermore, Cassie had already learnt how to coordinate the left hand with the right from her piano days. Cassie, does my comment make any sense to you?
Is playing with feelings part of the syllabus too? Playing with feeling is hard to define. I have two version of it. I had gathered from movies that it is the use of tempo and volume to create an atmosphere (sad, happy, or lively). Ever notice how the themes of movie play with these elements to suit the scene. In a sad scene they play theme slow and soft, and it has the ability to touch you. It is the question of using the right mood as you play/sing. Knowing the lyrics is not necessary. There is a song the goes “Lonely, I am so lonely.” The singer sang it in such a jovial tone that it does not create the right feel.
The second version has to do with how music can paint pictures in our minds. The 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky painted the scenario of the Russian defense of Moscow against Napoleon. The first drum beat and how the other instrument echo the beat to create a cannonball sound effect was unforgettable. If you really get into it you can notice how some instruments tried to mimic the sound of horse gallop, the sad moments of seeing a broken homeland, and the pride of a final triumphant victory over Napoleon at the end. These classical pieces had no lyric nor would anyone attempt to put lyrics into them. They are to be appreciated as they are written to feel the scenario and moods.
The guzheng classics are mostly about appreciation of China’s scenic nature. The guzheng is noted to create water, wind, thunder, horse gallop, drums and gongs sound effects. Water beats them all. There is cascading waterfalls, rain drops, gushing rivers, gentle waves, turbulence waves, water flowing off a rain gutter, and perhaps others I had not known yet.
I was playing a peice “the Hills and Waters of Guilin” 桂林山水. Guilin is most noted for its waterfalls and majestic hills. It is a hot tourist spot. I was able to pluck it right but it did not make requirement. I was stuck on this piece for 3 months. On day a senior student told me “put in feeling and laoshi will give you a new piece to play”. She told me to picture Guilin’s beauty. If I cant then search some pictures of it on the net. After that I was suppose to go to some local waterfalls and rivers to listen to the sound water. I did more than that. I brought my instrument to a waterfall in Bentong and then to Templer’s Park and played while I listen to the water. It was easier to see (hear) the similarities. You got to use tempo, volume and accented notes to mimic the sounds. On volume it is not like the f, p, m notations for a certain section of the song as used by piano. It is varying loudness form one note to the next. It can be “loud soft loud soft” and many other possible combinations. In this case although it is called played with feelings, there is no emotion involved. It is more like feeling the environment. Laoshi later gave me “Gratitude to the Huang Ho” to play. Even though I knew where the water sounds are, I know it does not feel right. I ask my senior to explain the piece. It was about the composer gratitude to the Huang Ho for sustaining the people (the Chinese title is a 3 word poetic form where you could never guess the context). It is a question of knowing theme (like the 1812 Overture) and using the pieces to paint a picture. I hope these points will help your daughters. Empire, do you have anything to add? You had always stress feelings.
Hey! thanks so much.. so tat means since i hav background in music, i can go faster?
but now i seems lack of expression.. and ur explanation really helps.. do u really bring ur instrument to the waterfall.. so cool!
I think I can only be satisfied with nature cd music and pictures in the net..
Would like to hear u play as well.. any chances?
Mar 3 2010, 09:58 AM
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) .. so i forgotten to check the seatin... dun worry i will confirm wit them next few days.
um.. that's not what I mean actually.. 
even if no one seize ur camera, but u still hav to respect the performance rite? 
besides, u wouldn't feel good if u r being warn rite? 
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