The New York Flute Club N E W S L E T T E R October 2001 Chen Tao: Traditional Chinese Music Interview by Ann Cecil Sterman
istening to Chen Tao play and speak was an experience I’ll never forget. Mr. Tao is a very humble, happy, astute, and modest man of rare depth. Much of his Lconversation was illustrated with some of the most exquisite and heartfelt flute playing I’ve heard on any flute. The frantic Friday afternoon in Chinatown seemed a world away as the soulful, inspiring and deeply moving music emanated from him. Don’t miss his October concert—he is truly a world class musician.
ANN CECIL STERMAN: Can I ask you why wanted. Here I have my own music you came to America? group, Melody of Dragon, but then, CHEN TAO: Sure. I came to this country if I had wanted to organize my own in 1993, almost eight years ago. It was my music group it would have been second time. During my first trip here, in very difficult. 1985, we toured the whole United States. (Cont’d on page 4) Many of the universities we visited offered me scholarships, but I refused because my major study is the Chinese flute and Chinese culture. I didn’t want to leave my country—I still had a lot of things to learn in China. But by 1993, though I was still a student and a teacher (at the Central Con- servatory of Music in Beijing), I was spending six months of each year in different countries, touring Europe, Asia and America. But there were limitations [keeping] me from doing what I really
In Concert CHEN TAO, flutist I N T H I S I S S U E with Melody of Dragon Sunday, October 21, 2001, 5:30 pm Meet Chen Tao ...... 1 CAMI Hall, 165 West 57th Street Interview by Program Ann Cecil Sterman Trip to Gusu ...... Jiang Xianwei From the President ...... 2 Hang Up the Red Lanterns ...... Er-Ren-Tai Music NYFC—A Beacon of Light The Partridge in Flight ...... Hunan Folk Music The Embroidered Purse of the South ...... Inner Mongolian Folk Music Member Profile ...... 3 Three, Five, Seven (San Wu Qi) ...... from Zhejiang Opera Rebecca Abrams Sayles Night Mooring at Maple Bridge ...... Chen Tao James Hosmer (1911–2001) ...... 4 Spring Comes to the Hsiang River ...... Ning Bao-Sheng Melody of Chu ...... Chen Tao 90th Birthday Gathering New Song of the Herdsmen ...... Jiang Guang-Yi A Website Is Born! ...... 5 Birds Amid Tree Shadows ...... Liu Guan-Yue by Nancy Toff The NYFC if grateful to the Chinese Music Ensemble of New York for co-sponsoring this concert. Announcements Program subject to change Pre-Concert Ensemble Gathering ...... 1 Dues Reminder ...... 2 YOU ARE INVITED to a Pre-Concert Ensemble Gathering on Dues Reduction for Seniors ...... 3 Sunday, October 21, 2001 at the Kaplan Space at Carnegie Hall, Flute Happenings ...... 3 from 3–5pm, prior to the 5:30pm recital by Chen Tao at CAMI Hall. Announcements ...... 4 CONTACT PATRICIA ZUBER if you plan to attend: 201-750-7989 or Call for Composer Nominations ...... 4 [email protected]. 2 — NYFC Newsletter NYFC: A Beacon of Light by Jan Vinci ear Members: THE NEW YORK FLUTE CLUB INC. As I begin my presidency of the New York Flute 2001–2002 D Club, I would like to express my sincerest appre- Board of Directors ciation for the opportunity to serve you. Jan Vinci, President Reflecting on the recent tragedy that has affected so Patricia Spencer, First Vice President many people from around the world, the New York Flute Ardith Bondi, Second Vice President Club board wishes to express its sincerest condolences and Svjetlana Kabalin, Recording Secretary deepest sympathy to members who may have lost relatives, Michele Smith, Membership Secretary friends, or loved ones. In this time of uncertainty, I hope Donna-Mari Fieldsa-Fowler, Treasurer From the President that music can help comfort and heal your souls. I truly Darla Dixon believe that despite the despicable crimes against humanity, Katherine Fink Susan Friedlander this time in history will be forever viewed as one in which Rochelle Itzen people embrace, unite and reach out to all who contribute to the well-being of our Sue Ann Kahn world; may the NYFC, in its own way, serve as a vehicle to help achieve that state. Bärli Nugent One mission of the flute club, set forth by our founder Georges Barrère, is to Rie Schmidt educate and expose its members to programming of a diverse nature. I look Nancy Toff Patricia Zuber forward to October 21 when we, as a club, will have a chance to experience and learn from the creative music of Chen Tao and ensemble members of Melody of Advisory Board Dragon. It will be an opportunity to rejoice in the diversity of our world, and to Julius Baker Gerardo Levy open our hearts and minds to the positive power of music. Jeanne Baxtresser Laurence Libin I eagerly await the chance to meet and work with you. Last year, as recording Harold Jones Marya Martin secretary, I viewed firsthand the abundant enthusiasm and true dedication of the board and so many club members. As I mentioned in my September letter, the Past Presidents board made a very tough decision not to present a Flute Fair this year in order to Georges Barrère ...... 1920–1944 John Wummer ...... 1944–1947 complete several significant projects. One in particular is a retrospective CD of Milton Wittgenstein ...... 1947–1952 recordings of Samuel Baron. If you would like to volunteer your services to help Mildred Hunt Wummer ...... 1952–1955 with that project or others, or if you have ideas for future events or projects, Frederick Wilkins ...... 1955–1957 please feel free to email me at [email protected], or call me at 718-651-4179. At Harry H. Moskovitz ...... 1957–1960 this time, I would also like to encourage members to participate in club perfor- Paige Brook ...... 1960–1963 Mildred Hunt Wummer ...... 1963–1964 mance opportunities such as the Ensemble Program, the Fall Ensemble Gathering, Maurice S. Rosen ...... 1964–1967 master classes and the NYFC Competition. Harry H. Moskovitz ...... 1967–1970 Last, but certainly not least, I would like to thank all those who contribute to Paige Brook ...... 1970–1973 the life of our organization. This summer, along with the help of many, Nancy Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1973–1976 Toff expertly created our new exciting online home, www.nyfluteclub.org. Ardith Harold Jones ...... 1976–1979 Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1979–1982 Bondi is doing a tremendous job of organizing the Samuel Baron CD project. Paige Brook ...... 1982–1983 Kathy Saenger and Alice Barmore continue to creatively produce our treasured John Solum ...... 1983–1986 Newsletter. To all the Program Coordinators on the board, thank you for taking on Eleanor Lawrence ...... 1986–1989 the huge responsibility of ensuring a successful concert season. The club sends its Sue Ann Kahn ...... 1989–1992 well-wishes to our fellow member and friend Calvin Mercer who has been ill. We Nancy Toff ...... 1992–1995 Rie Schmidt ...... 1995–1998 hope to see his smiling face and warm presence at our concerts soon. And, to the Patricia Spencer ...... 1998–2001 many people who serve in an array of capacities throughout the year, the club sincerely appreciates your numerous contributions. Newsletter To all, be safe. May our club serve as a beacon of light which heals the soul Katherine Saenger, Editor ❑ 115 Underhill Road and nurtures goodness. Ossining, NY 10562 (914) 762-8582 [email protected] Alice Barmore, Layout/Production 125 Christopher St., #4H Dues Reminder/Membership Information New York, NY 10014 o be included in the 2001–2002 Membership Directory, dues must be (212) 675-9706 [email protected] paid by OCTOBER 31 (Barrère’s birthday). Dues can be sent directly with identifying information (name, address, phone, email) to: www.nyfluteclub.org Michele Smith, Membership Secretary; Park West Finance Station; Copyright © 2001 by The New York Flute Club Inc. Box 20613; NY, NY 10025-1515 — 718-399-1842/[email protected] All rights reserved. T October 2001 — 3
FLUTE
Member Profile High School: Friends Select School (K-12) HAPPENINGS in Philadelphia, PA Rebecca Abrams Sayles O C T O B E R Degrees: A.B. cum laude (Sociology, NYFC Member since the mid-80s and 2001 Harvard College, ’84), where she won October 11, 2001 the David McCord Prize for outstanding Thursday 8:00 pm Employment: achievement in the arts; M.A. (Interna- Linda Wetherill will perform the New York Director of Development, tional Education, Columbia University premiere of Joel Thome’s Star Forms for solo Hoff-Barthelson Music Teachers College, ’91), where she flute and world sounds. School, Scarsdale, NY combined international studies with • SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music Recital Hall, Purchase, NY • Admission is free • Info, Most recent recital/performances: a concentration in arts education. call 917-861-4528. Sunday, May 20, 2001 in a NYFC concert Most notable and/or personally satisfy- October 15, 2001 at the Bloomingdale House of Music, ing accomplishments: As a flutist, win- Monday 8:00 pm performing the Reicha Quartet (Op. 12); ning Lansdowne (PA) Symphony Concerto The Washington Square Contemporary Music Sunday, November 21, 1999 in the New Competition at age 16; being a Presiden- Society offers a concert including flutists Rochelle Public Library’s “Music, Wine, tial Scholars in the Arts finalist in 1980. Jayn Rosenfeld and Patricia Spencer, and Cheese” series, performing trios for As a sociologist, publishing papers such performing George Perle’s classic Monody I two flutes and cello by Mozart and Haydn. (for solo flute), Arthur Kreiger’s Close as “Why Did Quakers in Early America Encounters for flute and tape (1997 NFA Career highlights: As a teenager, summer Disapprove of Music?” [The American commission for the Young Artist competi- study at the Apple Hill Center for Cham- Music Teacher (June/July 1980)]; “Harmony tion), plus works by Sean Carson, Brian and Discord: The Social Structure of a Fennelly, Louis Karchin, Laura Schwendinger, ber Music, Bennington College Flute Edward Smaldone, and Virgil Thompson. Symphony Orchestra” [Abstracts from Seminar (with Sue Ann Kahn and Samuel • Merkin Concert Hall, 129 West 67th Street • Baron), Tanglewood Young Artists Conference on Social Theory, Politics, Tickets $10, $5 students/seniors • Info, call Instrumental Program, and L’Académie and the Arts (1984)]; “Cultural Develop- 212-998-8303. ment in an Immigrant Community: Arts d’Eté de Nice (with Jean-Pierre Rampal October 20, 2001 Education Through the Settlement Move- and Alain Marion). Being coached by Saturday 8:30 pm composer Leon Kirchner and violinist ment” [The Journal of Arts Management, Law, and Society 23:1 (Spring 1993)]. Song and Dance of the 20th Century, a Lynn Chang as an undergraduate in program by the award-winning ensemble Harvard’s “Music 180.” Business Manager Raising money professionally for the past Serenade, featuring Michelle LaPorte, flutist and co-principal flutist, Bach Society 15 years to benefit artists and the arts. and Gerry Saulter, guitarist. Music of Piazzolla, Machado and Pujol in world Orchestra (1980-84); co-principal flutist, Favorite Practice Routines: Learning premiere arrangements for flute, guitar and Columbia University Orchestra (1990-91). Suzuki violin with her 6-year-old daughter percussion; additional works by Bozza, Premiering Otto Luening’s “Three Canons (a wonderful refresher in ear training!). Domeniconi, Rodrigo, Moyse and Almeida. for Two Flutes” at Carnegie Recital Hall For her own flute playing, she always • Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, 7th (now Weill Recital Hall) in a concert Avenue at 57th Street, New York, NY. • Tickets goes back to Andersen and Maquarre. (with some proceeds planned for donation to presented by Composers Concordance the NY State World Trade Center Relief Fund) on May 3, 1985. Interests/hobbies: Playing chamber music, are $20 and $10 w/student ID, Carnegie Charge travel, spending time with her husband at 212-247-7800 or www.carnegiehall.org. Current flute: Wm. S. Haynes (circa and two daughters, ages six and nine. 1926) silver handmade French model. October 26, 2001 Advice for NYFC members: Read Kincaidi- Friday 8:00 pm Influential flute teachers: David Barg, ana by John Krell. Buy lots of inexpensive Linda Wetherill will perform the world Deborah Carter, Randolph Bowman, and and interesting flute music in Eastern premiere of the chamber concerto Forbidden Sue Ann Kahn. Europe. Dance! ❑ Colors by Dary John Mizelle. • SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music Recital Hall, Purchase, NY • Admission is free • Info, call 917-861-4528.
October 28, 2001 Dues Sunday 3:00 pm Regular $50 Attention All Senior Citizens! Patricia Harper, flutist, continues her annual Student $35 The NYFC board is pleased to announce a new “Women in Music” concert series with Women Senior Citizen $35 membership dues rate for senior citizens of $35. on the Cutting Edge. Works of Shulamit Ran, Augusta Read Thomas, and the premiere of Contributing $75 Those that have already paid $50 for this year’s Sustaining $125 Elizabeth Walton Vercoe’s Angel Shadows. Patron $200 dues may request a refund of $15, or donate it to • Evans Hall, Conn. College, New London, CT • Life Member $1,000 the club as a contribution. ❑ Admission is charged • Info: 860-439-2720. (Cont’d on next page) 4 — NYFC Newsletter
FLUTE James Hosmer (1911–2001) HAPPENINGS THE CLUB IS SAD TO REPORT the death (Cont’d from previous page) of our longtime member and friend James N O V E M B E R Hosmer, who died at his home in November 12, 2001 Gladwyne, Pennsylvania, on September 21. Over Memorial Day weekend, Nancy Toff, Monday 8:00 pm Ardith Bondi, and Pat Spencer drove to UpTown Flutes, with NYFC members Carla suburban Philadelphia to visit Jim, a Club Auld, Elise Carter, Patricia Davila, Karen Demsey, Jeanne Fessenden, John stalwart for more than sixty years, on the McMurtery, Carol Shansky, Virginia occasion of his 90th birthday. Jim had a Schulze-Johnson, Rebecca Vega and guest distinguished career as a flutist with the artist Merynda Adams, harpist, in recital. Works Indianapolis Symphony and the Metropoli- by Fauré, MacMichael, Schocker, Berlioz, Ibert, tan Opera Orchestra, and is perhaps best Hoover, Scott, Griffes/Ben-Meir. known to New York Flute Club members • Kirby Theatre, Drew University, Madison, NJ • for the inimitably charming membership- $10 donation at door; free for Drew students/ faculty • Info, call 973-408-3428. renewal letters that he wrote during the many years he served as our financial sec- ❑ ANNOUNCEMENTS retary. Photo courtesy of Nancy Toff The Annual Skidmore Flute Ensemble Festival with guest artist Julius Baker will be held on Saturday, November 17, 2001 at the Filene Building at Skidmore College in Saratoga (Cont’d from page 1) musicians. A few years ago I did a piece Springs, NY. Ten flute ensembles and 250 called Metal, Stone, Silk, Bamboo with the flutists from around the Northeast will gather ACS: The government wouldn’t let you do it? for ensemble coachings/workshops (9 am), CT: Right. I did a lot of so-called contem- Manhattan School of Music and we made “Conversations with Julius Baker” (1 pm), a porary music there with Zhou Long and a CD. Also, every year I do a program masterclass (2:30 pm), and a flute ensemble my best friend Tan Dun [who wrote the called “Teach China,” for the China concert (5 pm). General admission is $5, music to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Institute, for American teachers. students/seniors $2. Info, contact Jan Vinci Dragon]. We were classmates in China. at 718-651-4179 or [email protected]. ACS: What instruments are in your group? We borrowed a lot of Western music CT: Erhu, pipa, hammered dulcimer, ruan theory for composition. (the moon-like instrument), played by my Call for ACS: Using Western harmonies with wife. She also plays the zither. We have COMPOSER NOMINATIONS Chinese melodies? the hammer dulcimer. If we can present CT: Yes—but also we also used Chinese my whole group, we have a large reper- instruments in combination with Western toire. We can do a classical or folk and In 2001–2002, the NYFC will be instruments. At that time only a few traditional program. On my own I can selecting another composer to write people were doing it. The government only do [some] traditional music. a commissioned work to enhance doesn’t support you in doing that. the flute repertoire. To nominate a ACS: Did you learn English in China? composer, send a cassette tape of a ACS: You have to stay traditional? CT: Actually I never had the chance to recent work, a brief resume of the CT: Right. At that time I wanted to come learn English in China or the U.S. because composer, and a signed note of here, but I actually had several choices. I never had a chance to go to school. I nomination to: I could have gone to Europe, Singapore, just read the paper by myself, talked with Hong Kong; many places, except Taiwan. people, listened to the radio, and watched Sue Ann Kahn, I chose here because New York City is the the TV. When I was very young, six or Commissioning Committee “melting pot” where different cultures seven years old, I was selected to learn New York Flute Club combine. I really wanted to promote Russian. The government wanted very Park West Finance Station Chinese culture and introduce it along young people to train in Russian for eight P.O. Box 20613 with the music to Western people. or ten years so they could send us to New York, NY 10025-1515 study, or to the border as spies. ACS: Do you want to introduce both Deadline for submissions: traditional and new music? ACS: Spies? November 15, 2001 CT: Yes, both. Since I came to the United CT: Yeah they wanted me to do that. When For additional information, contact States I’ve done a lot of contemporary I went to the music college in Beijing, we Sue Ann Kahn: music. I work with Melody of China and didn’t have other language lessons. We 212-675-1932 or every year we have a contemporary didn’t have English. So we just learned [email protected] concert in an American concert hall. Tan music theory. Every student had to learn Dun and Zhou Long still write a lot of the piano so I played piano for over ten pieces for me to play with Western years. I also learned composition, Western October 2001 — 5 music theory, Western music history, Chinese history, and Chinese music history. ACS: You learned both traditions in depth. CT: Yes. www.nyfluteclub.orgA Website is Born! ACS: How does musical training differ in China and America? by Nancy Toff, Webmaster CT: Basically it’s the same, [except] for the he New York Flute Club is delighted to announce the birth individual lessons. For the traditional Chinese instruments—20 or 30 years ago—they of its website, www.nyfluteclub.org, at 4:52 pm, EDT, on taught us one by one, orally. They didn’t August 11, 2001. This baby has 23 pages, is full of useful have any theory and we learned the instru- information, and is growing rapidly. It includes information ment from generation to generation. But onT membership, the concert season, publications and recordings, the right now things have changed because young artist competition, the commissioning program, ensemble we’ve borrowed Western teaching methods. program, community outreach, history and archives, and much more. There are e-mail hotlinks to the officer or coordinator responsible for ACS: So its an oral tradition, like Taiji each activity, making it easy to stay in touch with the club. The site and Qigong. includes a printable membership form, a printable application form for CT: Yes! Things are gradually changed. the competition, and an ensemble program questionnaire that can be That’s the difference right now. printed out and mailed or filled out online. ACS: Would you tell us a little about these All of our corporate members, whose donations help make our beautiful instruments? programs possible, are listed, along with links to their websites. More CT: Usually they can be divided into two “bells and whistles” (not to mention flutes) will be added in future different types, the qudi and the bangdi. months. These enhancements include: Each flute has its own key. Usually we call A portrait gallery of past presidents the C and the D flute the qudi and the F, G, A, we call the bangdi. Do you know Photos and biographies of the year’s concert performers, and why we call them qudi and the bangdi? concert programs and press releases as they become avail- able ACS: No, please tell us. Photos of past flute fairs and other special events CT: During the Ming Dynasty [1368–1644 CE] the opera was very popular in China. A selection of interesting material from our archives (photos, The Beijing Opera is in the north of China programs, etc.). and the Kun Opera is in the south. In the We hope to post a database of past concerts, but to do so we need Kun Opera, the leading accompanying a volunteer who can help set up a Microsoft Access database. If you instrument is the flute. When accompany- can help, please contact me at [email protected]. Suggestions for ing singers we use a C or D flute. The other features are also welcome; please send them to the same address. opera is called the Kunqu, so we take one Special thanks to the following people for their invaluable help in of those words, qu, and combine it with getting this project going: the word di (meaning “flute”): qudi. In the Pat Spencer, for finding us our web designer and host, north of China the local opera is called Karl Strieby of K-C-P.com Bang Tse Shi. There the flute is also a www.nyfluteclub.org leading accompanying instrument but Karl Strieby, for they use the smaller flute, in G or F. being a saint, Combining the words we get bangdi. If and the best- you say to the Chinese you play the qudi, humored techie they know you’re playing southern style. I’ve ever dealt If you say bangdi, they know it’s northern. with Different styles use different tech- Alice Barmore, niques. In the southern style the most for her eagle important thing is the breathing. We don’t eye, keen use much tonguing. [Plays very long design sense, melodies in one breath.] Only Chinese and scanning of flutes have membranes. In India, Japan graphics and North America they also use bamboo Jan Vinci and but none of these flutes have the mem- Pat Spencer for brane which is material you can peel from lots of useful inside cut bamboo. (We do not have to feedback on the use membrane—we can just use tape). I test site. ❑ can adjust it so that it’s tight or loose. If I (Cont’d on next page) 6 — NYFC Newsletter
(Cont’d from pervious page) ACS: We have one at home —it’s one of tighten it: [Plays—sound has less buzz.] In the most beautiful sounds I know. the southern style of playing we use CT: Really? You have one? Yes, it’s breathing control, changing tone colors, beautiful. I will play one piece on it at the and ornaments. [Mr. Tao plays a long concert. In 1986 I was first to bring that melody unornamented and then repeats it instrument out of China. I had been with ornaments.] Northern style uses invited by the Asia Society, and I gave flutter tonguing techniques, slide sounds them one. [glissandi] and fingering techniques. [He ACS: You represent Chinese Buddhist plays a fast passage with flutter tonguing musicians. and glissandi.] CT: Yes, I was a member of the Chinese In ancient China different flutes had Buddhist musicians. We learned Buddhist different purposes. Now this is the vertical ACS: If a student learns the flute, do they music from the monks. Their music is flute, the xiao. It is without a membrane. learn all the styles? preserved generation by generation, and It was played in the Court by women, and CT: Basically you start from the south dates back to the Ming Dynasty. It’s only has a special name: Ya Yue—“Refined (big flute), play the long notes, and learn played in the temple. They never play Music.” They didn’t use the horizontal how to breathe. Later if you want to learn outside the temple and they only teach the flute because it’s really loud and was used different techniques, you learn northern monks. When I was teaching at the Central for outdoor and military music. This is for style. You learn horizontal flute first then Conservatorium of Music, many of us went indoors. [The small one is louder than the go to vertical flute. to the temple to learn from the monks longer one.] KI: Do the instruments improve with age? who were already in the 27th generation ACS: Do the northern people speak more CT: Yeah! You have to play them. This of their music. The oldest monk was 97 loudly, too? one is cracked, but it doesn’t matter. This years old but [more importantly], the CT: Yeah. When the southern people was made in 1981 but the sound is better youngest one was 75 years old. So we speak to each other the volume is very than from a new one. learned. Later we took it to Europe. soft. Northern people speak more loudly ACS: Did you meet Karajan when you ACS: Did you take the monks, too? because there are many mountains there. were in Germany? CT: Yeah! All the monks. In the south of China, instead of moun- CT: Yeah. In 1985. I went to West Berlin ACS: Is it in any way similar to Tibetan tains, there are many rivers and trees. I for the Oriental Horizon Festival. Seiji think that’s why the music is different. Buddhist music? Ozawa was there, too. Karajan came to CT: We called it the Jing Tse Hwa Se— This is the bawu, an instrument of the [Yi my concert. and Miao] minority people from Yunan in “Beijing Temple music.” Tse Hwa is the the far south of China. It has a reed. The ACS: He loved you. temple name, and Jing means Beijing. It’s sound is very special. [Mr. Tao’s embou- CT: Yeah. different from the music of Tibet. They chure completely covers the hole which is have the long horns. We only have the ACS: What did you do with the BBC bordered by two reeds.] This one is only guanzi (a long double reed instrument), orchestra? played by young boys in Yunan province xun, and mouth organ, all doubled—so six CT: That was 1989. We played contempo- when they are trying to date girls. players. Also we have nine small gongs, rary music with the BBC symphony played with small hammers, each at a ACS: Who makes your flutes? orchestra. different pitch. We call them Ju Luin Law. CT: I bought them from a private maker ACS: Is it easy to play in tune with They go over one octave. We have two in China twenty years ago. He used to Western orchestras? gong players and a drummer. work in an instrument factory in Shanghai. CT: Its easy. When I was in China we The most experienced makers are now on ACS: Do you practice Buddhism? used same pitch—442. I tune at 441. If I their own. CT: No, we just learned the music. We want to go a little higher I turn out, and if felt that we should preserve this music ACS: How long do the flutes last? I want to go lower I turn it a little bit in. as musicians—otherwise we’ll lose it. We CT: It depends on the weather. They can ACS: And that changes the color but it used a tape recorder and wrote it down. crack. But usually they can last for at least doesn’t matter. 50 years. ACS: And then put it in the CT: No. [plays at two distinctly different Conservatorium Library? ACS: What are these holes near the end pitches with no real color change] It’s easy CT: Right, in the Conservatorium Library. for? for me to change the pitch, but it’s not for CT: These four holes are to adjust the everybody, because when you even turn ACS: Do you go back to China often? sound. If the high notes are not easy to just a little bit you need more breathing CT: No, no. In eight years, I’ve been too play, we use a knife to cut out some of control—otherwise you get a mess. busy to go back there. the bamboo so they speak more easily. ACS: Do you play the xun? ACS: How did the cultural revolution Karen Ivanyi: I always thought they were CT: This year I went to Paris to play Tan affect musicians? to hang tassels! Dun’s xun piece [Orchestral Theatre I: CT: There were good things for Chinese CT: Some people hang tassels, but we Xun] with the Lyon Orchestra. You know music during the cultural revolution, and just use them to adjust the sound. it’s a clay instrument. also there were very bad things for Chinese October 2001 — 7 music. The good were that there was no KI: You have to experience the music in whole society, the whole country. Chinese entertainment aside from music—except China, itself. people think nature, country and family for eight movies. Only EIGHT movies! CT: I told my students in China that if are more important than the individual. you want to really play Western music In Western music they write down all the ACS: Approved by the government... you have to go to America or Europe details, but in Chinese music they never CT: Yeah. and you have to drink coffee. You have write down the details. Just the simple ACS: For the whole ten years? to eat bread. You cannot drink tea or eat tune. So that’s why we teach students CT: For all ten years. So people learned Chinese food. If you want to experience orally, generation by generation. instruments like dizi or fiddle to pass their the different culture you have to live ACS: Are Western students frustrating? leisure time and that was a good thing. there. It’s the same with China. I first CT: No. I think it’s very difficult to learn When the Cultural Revolution [1966–76] learned southern style, but the conserva- Chinese music because the details are started I was only two years old. So in tory was in Beijing, so I learned northern not [obvious]. You have to learn a lot 1976, when I went to Shanghai (where I style, too. Musicians that live only in the about the north and the south, gain a lot was born) to audition for the Central north or south can never play the style of experience and only then can you Conservatory in Beijing, there were 2000 of the other. know how to play a piece. For Western flute players in Shanghai alone audition- ACS: Where will you play next? music you can play quite well just by ing. In the whole of China there were CT: I’m going to Montreal in December. following the written music. But for only six [openings], and they selected I will play Zhou Long’s piece, Metal, Chinese music you cannot. me out of everyone! Stone, Silk, Bamboo, and Tan Dun’s Previously many students played ACS: What if someone listened to lots of CDs? Crouching Tiger. Western instruments like violin or Western CT: That’s not enough. You can have a flute but during the Cultural Revolution ACS: Are you on the movie soundtrack? lot of CDs but you cannot learn from they could not continue them. They could CT: I’m not in the movie because Tan them alone. If you had a Kun Opera CD not even refer to anything Western. So the Dun was [on a budget] and recorded and the written music, and I wrote in all first time I went to the Conservatory and the movie in Shanghai, but I will play the details, it wouldn’t sound right. I don’t heard Beethoven’s 5th, I fell asleep! A lot the piece this year. In September and know why. You’d have to go to the Kun of students did! We hadn’t heard that kind November of next year we will play at Opera and play with them, not just for of music before! When I went to the the Mahler Festival in Germany. two or three days—two or three MONTHS, Central Conservatory I played my flute otherwise you cannot know. ACS: Do you practice Taiji and Qigong? eight hours a day but after two years I CT: I don’t play Taiji but as for Qigong, ACS: You’re promoting new music written started to learn the piano. I found some- I think I practice Qigong on the Chinese by yourself and friends. Do you play the thing I never knew before—I really liked flute every day. flute differently for the new music? the piano, and I enjoyed Western music CT: Yeah. It’s different techniques. I use and Western orchestras. So I started ACS: The breathing. a longer instrument, the bass qudi, like playing piano six hours a day, followed CT: The breathing and also I have this—[Plays lots of bent tones, covers hole by two hours of flute. Two years before spoken to Qigong masters and the and blows, slap fingerings, beautiful I graduated, though, I turned back to my breathing is the same. The theory is melody, wide variety of tone colors.] [original] instrument again, because I the same. found that the way to express your ACS: Which do you prefer playing? ACS: On what soundtracks do you feelings—your mind, your everything— CT: I prefer the traditional music. I want appear? is the same. to introduce the American people to CT: On the ones made in New York, Chinese culture. Contemporary music— ACS: It doesn’t matter what you play... Seven Years in Tibet and The Corruptor, it’s not the best of Chinese music. For CT: It doesn’t matter, you use the piano, when I played with the New York the October concert I will play a lot of you use the flute. For me, Chinese culture Philharmonic. I also played on the traditional pieces. and music is in my blood so I returned to Channel 13 documentaries, Under the that particularly. Red Flag and The Voice of China. ACS: Are you named after the philosophy? CT: The translation to English sounds ACS: Do you still play piano? ACS: What mindset does a Western the same but my name means “wave on CT: I don’t have time to touch the piano. student have to adopt to become profi- the sea.” cient in the Chinese flute? ACS: Can your Western students in New CT: American students ask me questions York sound Chinese? that are totally different. American stu- CT: One of them, Michael Fedderer, Ann Cecil Sterman recently returned dents ask questions with a lot of detail. studied for three years and he can play from Australia where she performed a Chinese students don’t ask about detail very well on the Chinese style. He series of lecture demonstrations on the at all. You see, in Chinese painting, there understands about Chinese. He speaks aesthetics, criticism and evolution of are always high mountains, rivers, and it and he lived there six years. That’s modern flute sounds at the University of trees, but the people are very tiny. So why he can play. Marsha Baxter, a flute Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts. the Chinese people—philosophers, teacher at Columbia University, learned musicians, and artists—think about the Acknowledgment: ACS thanks Karen from me for two years. She’s very good. whole universe. The whole nature, the Ivanyi for her assistance. ❑ But you have to go to China. The New York Flute Club Park West Finance Station P.O. Box 20613 New York, NY 10025-1515
October 2001 concert CHEN TAO—Traditional Chinese Music October 21, 2001 • Sunday 5:30 pm • CAMI Hall, 165 W. 57th (across from Carnegie Hall) With members of Melody of Dragon, Chen Tao will perform Hunan Folk Music, Er-Ren-Tai Music, and music from Zhejang Opera, along with compositions by Jiang Xian-Wei, Feng Zi-Chuen, Chen Tao, and others.
e start the NYFC’s 2001-2002 season amidst a land- 2001–2002 Concert Season From the scape much changed—both physically and men- Editor: tally—since our last Newsletter. I still find myself October 21, 2001 • Sunday 5:30 pm W CHEN TAO—Traditional Chinese Music involuntarily categorizing the routine events of everyday life by whether they occurred before or after 8:47 am on Tuesday November 18, 2001 • Sunday 5:30 pm JIM WALKER, flute September 11, 2001. An example from this newsletter: Ann Cecil Sterman’s interview with Chen Tao took place in Chinatown on December 9, 2001 • Sunday 5:30 pm NOW, HEAR THIS!—Great New Music the Friday before September 11, and she sent the finished From the interview to me by email on the Friday after September 11. January 20, 2002 • Sunday 5:30 pm NYFC President Jan Vinci touches on these current events WOODWIND TREASURES from Georges Editor Barrère’s Library—featuring The Sylvan in her From the President, and leaves us with some reasons Winds, Borealis Wind Quintet and friends for optimism. Elsewhere in this Newsletter we have a profile February 17, 2002 • Sunday 5:30 pm of NYFC member Rebecca Sayles, and a birth announcement of our NYFC website ELEANOR LAWRENCE MEMORIAL TRIBUTE (www.nyfluteclub.org). As this issue goes to press, we are sad to report the Septem- with guest artists William Bennett, William ber 21 death of James Hosmer, a longtime member of the NYFC. He celebrated his Montgomery, and others 90th birthday in May (see photo on p. 4); an obituary will appear in November. March 24, 2002 • Sunday 5:30 pm Content-wise, this should be an exciting and invigorating year for the Newsletter, MARY KAY FINK, flute and piccolo and you’ll probably see some new columns in the coming months. Member Perspec- April 28, 2002 • Sunday 5:30 pm tives will continue as a column, but be occasional rather than regular. Readers with 2002 NYFC COMPETITION WINNERS ideas for articles or Member Profile subjects should let me know. May 19, 2002 • Sunday 4:00 pm Hope to see you all at the Chen Tao concert on October 21, 2001. And if Ann’s inter- NYFC ENSEMBLE PROGRAM view leaves you wanting more information about Chinese flutes, music, and culture (or Kaplan Space at Carnegie Hall color photos of the instruments Chen Tao will be playing) check out some of the websites Concerts are at CAMI Hall, 165 West 57th Street that I discovered during a weekend of sorting out the preferred spellings of all those (across from Carnegie Hall), unless otherwise noted. Chinese instrument names: www.presser.com/zhou.html, www.chinesepipa.com/nature.html, All programs are subject to change. Tickets $10, only www.melodyofchina.com, and www.chinainstitute.org. at the door; free to members. For more information, visit the NYFC website at www.nyfluteclub.org or call Regards, (212)799-0448. Katherine Saenger ([email protected])