| I felt touched but unable to express myself in words. It | | | | Growing up in Shanghai, Ms. Qi began learning to play |
| seemed like listening to a story that moved every | | | | this difficult instrument at the age of six, taught by a |
| parts of my heart. I even wanted to ask, what | | | | friend of her father's. She was later accepted to the |
| happened after that? when the music finished. | | | | Shanghai Music Conservatory and won an award at |
| That's how I felt when Ms. Qi Xiaochun played her | | | | the Chinese National Erhu Competition. She has also |
| instrument, the erhu, at a Chinese New Year Show | | | | played at the Hollywood Bowl, but her most |
| sponsored by New Tang Dynasty Televison (NTDTV) | | | | memorable performances have been at the New |
| last January. | | | | Tang Dynasty television network's (NTDTV) Chinese |
| The erhu, sometimes known in the West as the | | | | New Year spectaculars. |
| Chinese violin or Chinese two string fiddle, is a | | | | In addition to performing, Ms. Qi also teaches the erhu. |
| two-stringed bowed musical instrument. The instrument | | | | "When learning to play the erhu," she says, "people |
| looks so simple that I even tried to build an Erhu when I | | | | must develop basic skills first. The music, however, |
| was about 12 years old. Of course, the sound quality | | | | comes from the person's character. People carry their |
| was not good at all, but I really loved it for a while. | | | | own things into the music. What they want to express, |
| The erhu can be traced back to instruments | | | | and also the person as a whole, is expressed through |
| introduced into China more than a thousand years ago. | | | | the music. As an artist, your moral character will also |
| It started to be popular in Southern China during the | | | | determine your skill." |
| Sung Dynasty (960-1279 AD), where it was called | | | | This idea is reflected throughout ancient Chinese |
| "Nan-hu", Nan meaning south in Chinese. | | | | culture, whether in painting, martial arts, or poetry-in |
| Nowadays the erhu often plays an important role in | | | | order to cultivate talent, one must cultivate the whole |
| national orchestras. In smaller orchestras, there are | | | | person. Ms. Qi finds this philosophy is also also present |
| usually two to six erhu players, in larger ones, 10 to 12. | | | | in NTDTV's performances. She hopes that when |
| In fact, in Chinese orchestras the erhu plays the part | | | | people see the show, they will not only be entertained, |
| the violin does in Western orchestras. Like the | | | | but will also experience something about the deeper |
| Western violin, the erhu is renowned for its | | | | qualities these ancient Chinese arts can bring to people. |
| expressiveness and is often said to echo the human | | | | In Ms. Qi's opinion, it is simple: "pure compassion, pure |
| voice. | | | | beauty. |