magazine of the philadelphia folklore project

VolumeVolume 23:1-223:1-2 springspring 2010 ISSN 1075-0029

● Vietnamese đàn tranh

● Kurt Jung’s musical worlds ● Wu Peter Tang’s music

● Under Autumn Moon

● Parallel destinies

Works in progress is the magazine of the Philadelphia Folklore Project, a 23-year-old public interest folklife agency. We work with people and communities in the Philadelphia area to build critical inside folk cultural knowledge, sustain the complex folk and traditional arts of our region, and challenge practices that diminish these local grassroots arts and humanities. To learn more, please visit us: www.folkloreproject.org or call 215.726.1106. 3 From the editor philadelphia folklore project staff

Editor/PFP Director: Debora Kodish 4 Parallel Destinies: notes Program Associates: Abimbola Cole from a collaboration Program Assistant: Thomas Owens Designer: IFE designs + Associates Printing: Garrison Printers 6 Ng ô Thanh Nhàn: scholar, musician, [Printed on recycled paper] activist by Elizabeth Sayre philadelphia folklore project board Why wouldn’t you be learning Leslie Esdaille Banks Linda Goss 0 1 Rechelle McJett Beatty Ife Nii-Owoo this?" Kurt Jung by Elizabeth Sayre Mawusi Simmons Yvette Smalls Ellen Somekawa Dorothy Wilkie 12  “This is such a beautiful thing to do:” Wu Peter Tang’s music by Elizabeth Sayre we gratefully acknowledge support from:

● The National Endowment for the Arts, 14  Under Autumn Moon which believes that a great nation by Joan May Cordova and Kathy Shimizu deserves great arts ● The National Endowment for the Arts - Front cover: Recovery Act At the 2008 Mid-Autumn Festival, Dun Mark, an 86-year-old resident of ● Pennsylvania Council on the Arts 31 PFP doings Chinatown, community Tai Chi teacher, ● Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and long-time member of the Mid- ● The Pennsylvania Humanities Council Autumn Festival Committee, points to ● The Pennsylvania Department of Community and the "No Casino in Chinatown" poster. Economic Development Over 25,000 people signed petitions ● The Philadelphia Cultural Fund oposing the proposed casino. ● The William Penn Foundation ● The Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage, through the Heritage Philadelphia Program ● Artography: Arts in a Changing America, a grant and documentation program of Leveraging Investments in Creativity, funded by the Ford Foundation ● The Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage, through Dance Advance ● The Pew Charitable Trusts ● The Philadelphia Center for Arts and Heritage, through the Philadelphia Music Project ● The Malka and Jacob Goldfarb Foundation ● The Samuel Fels Fund ● The Douty Foundation ● The Hilles Foundation ● The Henrietta Tower Wurts Foundation ● Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation ● PNC Arts Alive ● and wonderful individual Philadelphia Folklore Project members ● We invite your support: thank you to all

2 WIP 2010 Spring from the editor

What obligations do we carry—to neighbors, what happens when it beauty, and justice look, feel, and one another, to elders and ancestors, comes time to stand up for those who sound like. In this issue of Works in to young people? The question are defined as ‘other’?” What Mid- Progress, people share the model of threads through our work in many Autumn Festival has come to mean to their own lives: examples of active ways. people is described in the exhibition art-making that values the hopes and Kurt Jung grew up listening to now in PFP’s galleries, Under Autumn the collective imagination of ancestors laundrymen who gathered every Moon: Reclaiming Time and Space in (known and unknown), elders, Sunday on the second floor of his Chinatown. immigrants, and youth. In creating grandfather’s Chinatown store to In Parallel Destinies, an artist movement and music and gatherings play the music they loved. Ngô Than residency project supported by PFP grounded in particular folk arts, artists Nhàn was captivated by the music this year, Germaine Ingram, Bobby and activists cultivate our best hopes of itinerant troupes who visited Zankel, and John Dowell created for the world in which we want to live. Vietnamese villages and towns to choreography, music, and images These glimpses of PFP’s folk arts perform for local people. Wu Peter to address the experiences of nine education efforts, our artist residency Tang’s first lessons in erhu came enslaved Africans who labored in programs, and our community folklife from his father and included the George Washington’s President’s documentation projects hint at the “modernized” folk music taught in House in Philadelphia in the 1790s. alternatives offered up by courage, state-directed music conservatories. Using new research (some literally compassion, and persistence. Against considerable odds and in unearthed during recent excavations Introducing just a sampling of what different ways, all three men pursued of the “slave quarters”), they are we’ve been up to at PFP this year, this folk arts. They now teach in free developing a multimedia performance issue of our magazine reminds us again programs at public schools, including piece imagining the lives of Oney what we can learn from folk arts and the Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Judge, Hercules, and others. They are from one another. Charter School founded by Asian aided by what scholars have to say In a year of massive assaults on our Americans United (AAU) and PFP in about the persistence of ring shouts, communities and dwindling resources, 2005. And every year these artists and African traditions of movement, and we are privileged to join in imagining their students perform at the beloved self-fashioning: folk arts that sustained and cultivating such alternatives— Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinatown, people and that endure in ever-new what critical race scholar Mari created more than 15 years ago by the forms. Their work, too, pushes us Matsuda calls “radical pluralism and inspired and fearless organizers to move past obstacles of injustice, radical anti-subordination” and of AAU. obscured histories, fragmented Robin D. G. Kelley describes as Recognizing the loneliness and evidence. It pushes us to ask: How “freedom dreams.” In small ways, sacrifices of generations who came do we enact our responsibilities in these are efforts to live out our before and who made our way relation to painful pasts? How do we obligations to one another. possible, young people (led by AAU remember and imagine those who We invite your participation as staff) imagined an alternative. They came before us? well. For more news about these reclaimed a significant cultural Read between the lines: the efforts, samples of what these tradition and began Mid-Autumn conversations with artists and artists and cultural workers are Festival as a small gathering. Now activists excerpted in these pages accomplishing, and information about more than 5,000 people come hint at some of the enormous becoming a PFP member, check out together to enjoy the celebration forces that people have witnessed our website: www.folkloreproject.org every year. Ellen Somekawa, AAU and endured. It is a hard list: the or join us on Facebook. Director, writes: “When we create insidious evils of enslavement and a street festival, we strengthen entrenched racism, war and violence —Debora Kodish connections among people, honor destroying homelands, anti-immigrant the knowledge of the elders in our policies separating families, state- communities, activate people, and based erasures marginalizing people, value our own cultures. This is draconian development policies fundamental to social justice work crushing communities. In the face because if people don’t care deeply of any of these forces, forgetting about their neighbors, their fellow and compliance would seem to be workers, or themselves, what will tempting alternatives. Yet the folk motivate them to stand up for each arts work described here reminds us other? And if people are not up for (again and again) how critical change caring about themselves or their can begin by imagining what freedom,

2010 Spring WIP 3 <

Parallel destinies: notes from a collaboration between artist*residency

> John Dowell, Germaine Ingram, and Bobby Zankel

year, PFP’s long-running “Art at rehearsals and public discussions sharing Happens Here’ artist residency preliminary work at the Community Education program is supporting a multi- Center (on November 13, 2009) and at the disciplinary collaboration among African American Museum of Philadelphia tap dancer/choreographer (on December 11, 2009). In addition to the Germaine Ingram, jazz composer/saxophonist principal artists, dance ensemble members Bobby Zankel, and photographer/print-maker include Alexandria Bradley. Maurice Chestnut John Dowell. The three artists are creating and Karen Callaway Williams. Musicians include choreography, music, and visual environments Daniel Blacksburg (trombone), Ruth Naomi commemorating nine Africans enslaved in the Floyd (voice), Tom Lawton (piano), Mogauwane President’s House, Philadelphia's White House Mahoele (percussion) Craig McIver (drums), during George Washington’s presidency. Their Bryan Rogers (tenor sax), and Anthony Tidd collaboration occurs shortly after an excavation (bass). This phase of the project has been of that site occurred, stimulated by prolonged supported by the Philadelphia Center for public discussion about how this national and Arts and Heritage, through Dance Advance, local history should be commemorated. In this the National Endowment for the Arts and the very live context, the three artists are exploring Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. John Dowell‘s how art in general and African diaspora involvement has been supported through a study traditions in particular can offer distinct leave and a grant in aid of research from Temple means of imagining the meanings of this place, University. and the people who lived there. The project encourages reflection on the implications of slavery’s practice in America's first seat of Beginnings government, and on our own responsibilities in the light of this history. The excerpts that Joyce Wilkerson: [was Chief of Staff for then- follow are drawn from conversations recorded mayor John Street]: I got involved with the President’s

4 WIP 2010 Spring Photo: "The Dinner Party," by John House around the time of the background research]: The people had a more powerful symbol of the Dowell, created as part of the President's opening of the Liberty Bell Pavilion. of Philadelphia made this project intertwined nature of freedom and House/Parallel Destinies project. We set up an oversight committee happen. The National Park Service slavery in our history as what you saw Courtesy of the artist. comprised of people from across was definitely reticent to tell this looking down from that platform. And the city who had really protested story. This project is about people it spoke to people in ways that words and demonstrated and done the claiming their history and uncovering alone don’t convey. It was immediately research to get the project done, a forgotten and suppressed memory. understandable by people viewing the and we worked collaboratively with From a technical side, excavators site. It was undeniable to our viewers. them and the Park Service. We had faced the possibility of finding a decided to fund the excavation. But whole lot of nothing while a whole Joyce Wilkerson: And then, near there was no reason, really, to do it. lot of people were watching. But we the end of that, it occurred to me All the research indicated there was came to the conclusion that even if that we were about to fill in the not likely to be anything revealed we didn’t find anything, the very fact hole where the excavation happened, there because the site had been of looking shows the significance of and we really hadn’t done anything built over so many times. There the story. And by looking, we were with it. You know, there had been were people that were concerned showing respect. We had no idea that hundreds of thousands of people that with disturbing the ancestors on the the foundation of the kitchen house, had looked at the site. Over three one hand. And on the other hand, where Hercules was enslaved, still hundred thousand people visited the a lot of the demonstration was existed. The extraordinary thing is site, and the archaeologists had a about, literally, covering up history. when you stood on that platform, and platform, and they had this wonderful you looked down, you saw the curving dialogue going on. And we contracted Jed Levin: [is National Park bowed window associated with the with John Dowell to make some Service archaeologist, and one of President, and six feet away you photographs. It was all very fortuitous. several scholars with whom the saw where one of the men he had [Continued on p. 24 >] artists consulted as part of their enslaved worked. You couldn’t have

2010 Spring WIP 5 Dr. Ngô Thanh Nhàn: >artist*profile< Scholar, musician, and activist

| interview conducted & edited by Elizabeth Sayre

Nhàn tuning a đành tran at FACTS. Photos: Elizabeth Sayre, 2009

6 WIP 2010 Spring DR. NGÔ THANH NHÀN teaches strings, though often quieter than a and he left his hometown. He went đàn tranh, a traditional Vietnamese given piece’s main melody, are part to Saigon somehow. And then my 16- or 17-string pentatonic board of a signature sound that corresponds mother, she was born in the central zither, to middle school students to the tonal and dialect-specific part of Vietnam. She had a hard life at the Folk Arts Cultural Treasures sound of language in Vietnam. too, and my grandma had to marry School in Philadelphia. The class is In our May 2009 interview, Nhàn her off in order to get the dowry to part of a residency organized by the talked about his childhood, his entry feed 18 children. My mother went Philadelphia Folklore Project and into music and political activism, to the south. She ran away from an Asian Americans United, who co- and the scholarship and research that arranged marriage, and then she met founded the school and continue to gave him insight into the deep mean- my father. coordinate folk arts and community ings of song lyrics and the history of ES: Why was your father’s family projects there. Nhàn clearly enjoys gender dynamics in Vietnam. killed? introducing his young students to NTN: Until the time he died, we Vietnamese music, food, and culture. tried to figure out what happened. I visited his class in May 2009. It We still don’t know. It was 1928, was the last day of class, and they and so it could have been the French, were preparing for a school concert. it could have been robbery, it could Nhàn gave students the freedom to have been gangs up in the moun- laugh, talk, and be themselves as he tains. directed a focused rehearsal. The ES: Once your parents were living middle-schoolers are learning how in Saigon . . . to wear and use finger picks on the NTN: My father joined the French thumbs and index and middle fingers army. He never went to school, so he of their right hands, how to press the was very low in rank. He married my strings with their left hands to alter mother. They lived in the soldiers’ and decorate the plucked pitches, barracks. We lived like that for al- how to read the special notation for most 10 years. I have eight brothers the instrument, and how to coordi- and sisters. I have an older brother nate with each other as an ensemble who died in 1973–74. Now I am the in music that is sometimes based on oldest. I have two sisters, and five non-metric phrases—that is, in some other brothers. My father was always parts, there is no steady pulse. away from home because he was in Nhàn’s students perhaps have little the army. So my mother, when she idea that their teacher witnessed gave birth to the others, said to me, firsthand the de-colonization of  “What’s the name?” I just opened Vietnam and the Tết Offensive,1 the dictionary and said, “This is the became an antiwar activist in the name…” I named them all. U.S. in the late 1960s, and is an ES: When did music start to come internationally recognized scholar of into your life? Vietnam’s ancient Nôm script2—or NTN: I grew up with more tra- that Nhàn, like many postcolonial ditional music because at that time cosmopolitan artists, has expanded the French hadn’t imported a lot of the uses and contexts of his instru- European music into Vietnam yet. ment, collaborating with jazz, blues, When performing troupes came, and Asian American experimental NTN: My name is Ngô Thanh they took over the market at night, artists since the 1970s. Nhàn. Ngô is a family name; Thanh and then they performed for free. I The đàn tranh has features in com- Nhàn means “pure leisure.” My got used to that, and I loved that life. mon with other Asian zithers like father had a very hard life, so he But my mother was very hard on me. the Chinese guzheng, the Japanese wanted the children to be relaxed, She kept me from running away with koto, and the Korean kayagum. Its to have a good time. He was aiming the troupes. origins are unknown, but a similar for a girl; Thanh Nhàn is the name They performed dance—they did instrument is depicted on ninth-cen- of a girl. When I grew up, everybody what’s called reformed theater (cải tury temple sculpture. The đàn tranh thought it was a girl’s name. But I lương) and traditional theater (hát was used in court music in Vietnam stuck with this name. bội). The traditional classical theater before the 1800s, and in the 20th I was born in Saigon in 1948, on was performed usually in temple, the century was used in chamber music, May 1. My father met my mother in temple of heroes. Every year they music for the cải lương or “reformed Saigon. He was from way up north. have a festival for that hero, and theater,”3 and folk music from many He worked in the rice fields when then you have performers come in of the country’s distinct regions.4 he was 14, and one day he came and re-enact his life or her life. We As with other unfretted string instru- back home, and all the family had would go to the temple and have free ments from Asia, the melodic orna- been killed. And so he got scared food and watch the performance. ments created through pressing its [Continued on next page >]

2010 Spring WIP 7 nhan/continued from p. 7

In Vietnam you have the audience American music. Suddenly in the '60s themselves. And so that seeped into squatting and standing in four direc- we started to hear Bob Dylan—the the story. tions, and you perform in the middle. Beatles first and then Bob Dylan. And By 1967 I graduated from high You have to repeat each act so that then we heard Peter, Paul, and Mary school, at the top of the school. I got a everybody sees what is happening in from the GIs who were living nearby. scholarship from the U.S. Agency for that story. You act a part of the story, They played antiwar songs during that International Development (USAID); and then you turn to the left, and you time—that was like '65, '66. There it was called the leadership scholar- act that part of the story again, and were a lot of conflicts during ’65 and ship. The aim was to create a younger then you do it to all four sides. And ’66, and the changing of governments, generation of leadership in Vietnam that’s how I got to like them, because and turbulence. The Buddhists were who could speak English. The older of the costumes, the very nice colors, repressed [in Vietnam], and then generation didn’t go to school, and and the stories are very nice, and there they revolted, right in the city. My they didn’t speak English. They was singing and music. mother was a Buddhist—we were all thought maybe taking us to the U.S. ES: Where do the stories come Buddhists at that time, so we joined to learn about U.S. culture and the from? Who are the heroes? in. And I started thinking about bad American way of thinking for four NTN: They are folk stories. Re- government and good government, years, we’d come back—yeah, a lot formed theater uses a lot of folk songs and what they mean to us. And then of my friends came back and became and court songs. Some of the stories one day I came back from school, deputy ministers, very high level. But have Confucian influences, so the and I saw Thích Quảng Đức, who unfortunately for us, 1968 came, and characters have to be loyal to the king, burned himself right in the middle of then there was the Tết offensive, just loyal to their partners, and children the square, and that changed my view two days before we were supposed to have to be loyal to the parents. That’s about government. leave for the U.S. So, [the trip] was the basics of the story, the moral of He was a Buddhist monk, very ven- delayed for about a month and a half. the story. And heroes are people who erable. He burned himself in protest I went to California March 23, are loyal to the country, or a king—a of the Ngô Đình Diệm government. 1968. After some seminars for us by good king. Some of the court music We got involved into politics unin- the USAID, I was sent to San Jose developed into popular music. There tentionally, and it started to seep into State. San Jose State was the hub of are also other stories besides those of the story. By the time I was in high the antiwar movement. The first day heroes—you have love affairs, you school. I started to go to boy scouts. I was there, people were demonstrat- have all these wrenching stories about The scout leader was a Buddhist. He ing in the school against the war, and people who got lost in their riches, got conscripted, and he went away. I saw for the first time the National and then they lost their love for their We had to manage ourselves. So Liberation Front of South Vietnam children and their wives, and that every Sunday I led the troops, and flag—we called it the Viet Cong caused a drama. we’d go around and see whatever flag—and also the North Vietnamese The French left Vietnam in ’54. My good we could do. We went into the flag, in college, in a U.S. college! I father didn’t have any money at all; area where the war was raging, and didn’t see it in South Vietnam; if you my mother had saved some money we tried to help. I spoke some English had that in your house in South Viet- because she did sewing work, and she and asked the Americans for tin roof nam, you were in trouble. In April built a house in the outskirts of Sai- and tin sheets and wood. We went Martin Luther King was assassinated. gon. We were living in our own home there and we tried to build houses. I had to write something about him. with no electricity for about four or And then one day one of the youngest I read his speeches. I read the speech five years. There was a market near- boy scouts [said], “How come when “Beyond Vietnam,” which he gave by; there was an elementary school, we were building houses for them, one year before in 1967, in New and also a theater. I just spent most people were standing around and York. I read that, and then I read the of my time at the theater. And that’s looking at us and laughing?” I didn’t Geneva Accords between the French when the influence of European music know how to answer that. Actually, and the Vietnamese, and the promise started. I watched a lot of Indian mov- we didn’t know how to build houses. of the U.S. not to intervene in Viet- ies. And in Indian movies, you know, We tried to build houses, and when nam, from the conference in 1954. At you have to have dance and music in we left, they took apart everything the end of our classes, Bobby Kenne- every story. Mostly the story of Rama and then rebuilt them themselves. dy got killed, too, and we had to write and Krishna and Shiva—that story Sometimes we went back to the same something about him and his political was quite popular. I watched those place, and the youngest kid was stance. And so a group of three or movies and reformed theater and also always asking, “How come we’re four of us started to oppose the war. traditional theater, and then European doing the same thing? Is this the Right in the first year. movies, like “Dancing in the Dark” place where we were before?” Then I ES: I guess that’s not what the [a Charisse-Astaire number from the started thinking maybe helping people USAID had in mind. 1953 film The Band Wagon] and on Sunday was not a good solution, NTN: All my life my mother tried Humphrey Bogart. When the Ameri- because a good solution has to be to keep me from going into music and cans came in, we started to have a permanent. You had to think—if you from running away with the perform- lot of American music. So I grew up ended the war, then this wouldn’t ing troupes. I got into high school with radio and French music and then happen anymore; people could fix it with high grades, and so I asked my

8 WIP 2010 Spring mother for a guitar at that time. The songs, and then usually song and  Confucian types…they make fun of Nhàn and đàn tran students at guy came by with the guitar—$25 or poetry and music, are one, unsepa- everything. From the Buddha to the FACTS. Photo: Elizabeth Sayre, 2009 $10 or something like that, and my rated. And dialect… kings, yeah! In Vietnam, there is no mother said, “How about $5?” The ES: Do you mean regional dialects song that hasn’t been rewritten, re- guy was hungry, but he couldn’t sell from different areas? cast into funny stories, including the it for $5. So, in the end, I didn’t have NTN: From different areas. The national anthem. People are like that. the guitar until I graduated from high Vietnamese have four or five major, When I graduated from high school. When I graduated from high and then many minor, dialects. school, I had some money, and I school, my mind had changed al- Hanoi is one, and then Huế, central started to learn the đàn tranh. I saw a ready. At that time, after listening to Vietnam, is one. Saigon is one major group playing, and it was so impres- European music and French music, group, and then you have the Nghệ sive, and I said, “Oh my God, this then Peter, Paul, and Mary, and Joan An and Quảng Ngãi area, and then is really good!” It was a group of Baez, folk music became interesting the north central part of Vietnam. đàn tranh playing together. I didn’t and then the antiwar music came in. These folk songs usually go with appreciate the other musical instru- I went to listen to antiwar music in the dialects—you can’t sing them ments yet. But the one that impacted Saigon in the evening. [Vietnamese] without using the dialects. me the most was the zither. But the folk music came in. People started to ES: Can people understand each đàn tranh is usually for women. I sing folk music again. I discovered other from dialect to dialect? Are went into class, and there were all that it was very intelligent, very hon- they very different? women in the class. I was learning est, to the point, no skirting around NTN: By studying folk music, I how to play like that for about three anything. And the sound—the tunes understood different dialects that I or four months. Then I ran out  were so new, and so difficult; they didn’t use to understand. We started of money. came from your speech. Vietnam- to understand the nuance of their ES: When they play in an ese popular music at that time was feelings. Folk music is really intel- ensemble, does everyone play the trying to tap into European music, ligent. Folk music is straight ahead, same melody? Vietnamese language to European talking about women, talking about NTN: Yes. Some people lead, music. It’s so difficult! It’s so unreal, sex, talking about men, making and there are a lot of variations, and pretentious. That’s why, in high fun of men, making fun of women, you could play counterpoint. When school and at the end of high school, all that sort of thing. Making fun I went to college in the U.S., in my I started to like folk music. Vietnam- of monks, about sex, and their bad suitcase there were only books—and ese folk music and Vietnamese folk habits, and making fun of pretentious [Continued on p. 20 >]

2010 Spring WIP 9 <

|interview conducted & edited by Elizabeth Sayre artist*profile >

Qin Qian and Kurt Jung perform at Mid-Autumn Festival. Photo: Joan May Cordova

10 WIP 2010 Spring Why wouldn’t you be learning this? a conversation with Kurt Jung

KURT JUNG has performed culturally literate people. This is the vegetables; he had the general store Chinese and other world musics question of the century for music for a little while. He dealt with John in the Philadelphia area for more education and research at all levels. Wanamaker. My grandfather would than 20 years. In September Western music has affected write all the letters [to China] for 2009 he discussed his passion for almost every corner of the globe. him. A lot of people used to meet Chinese traditional instruments, Today, some knowledge of Chinese up on the second floor of our especially those played and learned music in all its historical, regional, store every Sunday to play these in a community setting. His main and stylistic vastness should be instruments, to play this music. interest is music “of the people,” near the top of everyone's agenda. Most of them were laundrymen. created by and for “regular people” The global study of music exposes At that time the U.S. forbade them who love music and learn it from the falsehood of stereotypes about from bringing their wives over, and one another, above storefronts regional or national identities. One they would send money back to the in Chinatown or in local parks or discovers that exchanges of ideas and old country because the economy living rooms. Kurt’s family, originally adaptation are the rule and not the there was so bad at the time. We’re from the Guangdong (Canton) exception when it comes to culture. talking right after the Depression. area of southern China, goes back Look below the surface of almost any They used to play a lot of several generations in Philadelphia’s musical instrument identified with traditional folk songs from what they Chinatown. He first studied the a particular region or country, and call the Guangdong area; "Canton" erhu (two-string stick fiddle) and you will usually discover that it came was the British name for the city yangqin in the 1980s, learning from from somewhere else—and even of Guangdong. Most of the people older men in Chinatown. (He also that “somewhere else” was never that came over to the Chinatowns plays Western violin and Celtic culturally homogeneous. Kurt and in New York, San Francisco, and harp.) The yangqin, his instrument his erhu-playing colleague Qin Qian Philadelphia are from that area, of choice, is a delicate-sounding are resources for Chinese music and from the south. That’s why the stringed instrument like a hammered its history right here in our region. predominant language is Cantonese dulcimer with origins in Central among the older generations. A lot Asia and the Middle East. It likely KJ: I was born in Philadelphia. My of people from Hong Kong came came to China along Silk Road trade parents were living in Chinatown over. It wasn’t till much later that routes. The yangqin can provide both at the time [the mid-1960s]. I’m the Mandarin-speaking Chinese melodic doubling or chordal support number four of five kids. They came over. And now we’re getting for other stringed instruments used to have a store. My great- people from Fujian province. played in small ensembles. grandfather [Jung Sing Lee] started My grandparents, they spoke Discussing his interest in "world Hong Fook Incorporated. It was Cantonese, and my grandmother music," Kurt responds: “Why on 10th Street, where the On Lok spoke an off-dialect of Cantonese. I wouldn’t you be learning this?” House is now, the senior home, and don’t know if you understand how “World music” is shorthand for the hairdresser, Rainbow. It was the dialects work in Chinese. It’s folk, traditional, and popular like a general store. Back in the old one written language, but they say musics from anywhere, as well as days, in Chinatown you didn’t have the words differently. The dialects non-Western art musics. Kurt’s the big supermarkets that you have end up having their own flavors. question prods us to think about now; it was all tiny little stores. what we need to know to be My grandfather [Jung Kay] sold [Continued on p. 22 >]

2010 Spring WIP 11 < artist*profile >

Wu Peter Tang playing erhu. Photo courtesy of the artist.

12 WIP 2010 Spring |interview conducted & edited by Elizabeth Sayre

WU PETER TANG, master erhu in the greater Philadelphia area for Abing as a great blind traditional player, has lived in the Philadelphia the past ten years. I am also the music musician who composed some famous area since the late 1990s. He was consultant for the Philadelphia School erhu pieces. He composed the erhu conservatory-trained in northeastern District, and in charge of the Chi- classic called “Moon Reflection in China and also taught by his father, nese music program for three public Second Spring.” Abing was an orphan. a well-known specialist in Chinese schools: Key, Kirkbride and McCall He was raised in a temple. Someone traditional instruments. The Chinese Schools. My main instrument is from the temple taught him a little bit Revolution altered folk and traditional the erhu. of music and he really liked it. Then music education in China in striking ES: Is it true that the erhu was a he went wandering the streets, ways. Before 1949 the designation folk instrument? performing to make a living. The of “professional musician” meant WPT: Yes, the erhu is a tradition- people loved his music. But it’s hard that one was a relatively low-status al folk instrument with a long history to make a living when you play on performer for hire; after the Revolu- in China. The erhu became a major the streets. He was really sick and tion, musicians came to be considered string instrument just in the last 300 became blind. But his music was so highly trained and respectable artists.1 years. The plucked string instruments good! Despite all the hardships he The history of the erhu, and Peter’s were invented first, and then later endured, he still composed beautiful musical history, reflect these changes. on—about 300, 400 years ago—the music. Today, Abing’s music is among The erhu itself is a deceptively simple erhu and the string instruments took the best-known music taught instrument. This two-string stick the leading part. They became the in Chinese music conservatories. “fiddle” apparently derives from major instruments. ES: So, Peter, how old were you instruments introduced into China ES: There was a time when when you started playing? over the last 2,000 years. Its hexago- people didn’t learn the erhu in a con- WPT: I started learning from my nal sound box is usually covered with servatory or a school, right? father when I was six years old. My snakeskin. In the past its strings were WPT: Yes, After the People’s father, Yu Bin Tang, was an important made of silk, although steel strings Republic of China was founded, the person in guiding me into the erhu. (sometimes wrapped with nylon) are government did a lot of preserving. He is a highly respected Chinese clas- commonplace today. In contrast to They really put a lot of money into sical musician, the former Director of the Western violin’s bow, the erhu’s it. The people just love this instru- the Traditional Music Department of bow fits between the strings, and the ment. Actually, if we talk about how Shenyang Music Conservatory. player bows horizontally, with one the erhu instrument moved from the ES: Did you learn to read nota- surface of the bow on the front string street to the Conservatory, we need tion from the beginning? and the other on the back string. The to introduce two famous musicians. WPT: From the beginning, yes. erhu can, and does, play any type of One is Liu Tianhua [1895–1932], a top My father taught me in the same way melodic music from anywhere in the musician in Chinese music. He also that other students from the mu- world. As a fretless instrument, it can learned Western music. He played sic conservatory learned. It is very play in any tuning with all the shading almost every kind of Chinese instru- systematized. In China right now, and sophisticated ornamentation that ment. He wrote famous compositions they have the same degree examina- may be required. In September 2009 for the erhu and some pieces for pipa tions as in some Western music. They Peter talked with me about his life in [Chinese lute]. His biggest contribu- give you certificates at certain levels. music. tion was to collect many traditional There are nine levels of erhu. I went WPT: My name is Wu Peter erhu pieces and then rearrange and to music middle school for four years. Tang. I am from northeast China. I edit them for systematized music And then I went to the conservatory am music director for Peter Tang’s teaching and practice. for four years. Then when I gradu- Chinese Music Ensemble. We have The other one was Abing [1893– ated, I worked for the Beijing Central introduced and played Chinese music 1950]. 2 In China, everybody knows [Continued on p. 27 >]

2010 Spring WIP 13 <

Included here is the full text of the "Under Autumn Moon" exhibition. Numbered captions refer to photos by Joan May Cordova, unless otherwise identified. Kathy Shimizu's block prints are interspersed through the text. Visit www.folkloreproject.org for the full exhibition. home*place >

14 WIP 2010 Spring

exhibition by Joanie May Cordova and Kathy Shimizu |

From left: Kathy Shimizu's block print of the Chinatown Friendship Gate; Mayor Nutter, Helen Gym and Deborah Wei at Mid-Autumn Festival (exhibition photo #8), Volunteer Amy Lee at the lantern riddle booth (exhibition photo #6). Photos by Joan May Cordova.

o live as an Asian in Philadel- It started in 1995 when a for a day and evening of cultural phia is to be told in many ways group of Chinese immigrant youth performances, carnival games, arts Tthat you don’t belong. Our expressed to Asian Americans activities, a lion dance, and a lantern faces are missing from the media. We United (AAU) members their parade. The Festival culminates in aren’t represented in government. homesickness and their longing for a tradition of our own making: a Our histories aren’t taught in the the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival mooncake-eating contest. And most schools. Even in Chinatown, Asians – a time of family reunification that significant of all, the event is commu- are too often shoved aside— by the was all but ignored here in the US. nity-made: hundreds of volunteers, Convention Center with its busloads These young people decided dozens of businesses, and scores of out-of-towners, in streets choked to recreate that festival here in honor of artists come together to create with commuters, and by attempts to of the elderly. Four hundred people something reflecting our values and push a stadium, a prison, and a casino gathered at the first celebration hopes for our slice of the world. onto the community. But for the in the Holy Redeemer parking lot, past 15 years, there has been a night and a Philadelphia Chinatown tradi-

when the streets really belong to the tion began. [Continued on p. 16 >] people, when who we are and what Each year, thousands of people we do takes center stage. crowd the main street of Chinatown

2010 Spring WIP 15 under autumn moon/continued from p. 15

n working for social justice, Mid-Autumn Festival. College guess riddles receive small priz- we need to build a sense of students (former AAU high es. High school volunteer Amy history and belonging-to- school youth) return to volun- Lee stands beside the lantern place among our people teer, often in new leadership po- riddle booth. whoseI lives are marked by dislo- sitions, coordinating committees 7. At the 2008 Mid-Autumn cation. For our children to have roots, for our families to have organizing the stage, arts, food, Festival, Dun Mark, an 86-year a sense of community, for our carnival and younger volunteers: old resident of Chinatown, elderly to embrace memories MAF is a community and leader- community Tai Chi teacher, and discover the power of pass- ship building process. Here, Z. and longtime member of the ing on meaningful traditions, we T. Lin, Joseph Tran and Chenny Mid-Autumn Festival Commit- must continually fight for the To set up chairs. tee, points to the “No Casino time and space to celebrate. 4. AAU volunteer Matt Tae in Chinatown” poster. Over Over the past 15 years, the Mid- hangs a poster created by 25,000 people signed petitions Autumn Festival has become a middle school youth in AAU’s opposing the proposed casino. focal point for that fight. Paths to Leadership summer 8. Philadelphia Mayor Michael This exhibit of photographs and block prints of recent program. Youth studied China- Nutter, AAU board member Mid-Autumn Festivals by AAU town and Chinatown North and Helen Gym, and AAU co-found- members Joan May Cordova created posters showing what er Debbie Wei enjoy perfor- and Kathy Shimizu is the first they would like to see changed. mances during the 2008 Mid- event in a yearlong celebration They noticed a lack of green in Autumn Festival. AAU moved of AAU’s 25th anniversary. A the community and envisioned the Mid-Autumn Festival to the work in progress, the display will gardens in the place of vacant main street of Chinatown in an be the basis for other documen- lots and food markets in the effort to reclaim public space tation efforts. The quotations place of abandoned buildings. and to assert Chinatown’s right included here were drawn from 5. Children work on Chinese to exist as a community. For gatherings of AAU members, who reflected on the meanings paper cutting at one of the many too long, Chinatown has been the celebration holds. arts and crafts tables led by regarded as a tourist destina- 1. 7:30 AM, 10th Street, day of local artists. A team of commu- tion rather than a residential Mid-Autumn Festival (MAF). nity-minded artists organizes neighborhood. Bringing elected Following months of work by arts activities for children every officials to the Festival is a way dozens of people on commit- year (calligraphy, lantern-making, of demonstrating the vitality and tees, the festival begins. Ellen paper folding, hat-making, print- strength of the community. Somekawa, Asian Americans making, and more). 9. Mei Mei Dancers perform a United (AAU) Executive Direc- Mountain Village Dance. Per- tor, draws a chalk map of the formers: Christy Levandowski, festival on 10th Street to show Maddie McCann-Colvard, the 10 AM volunteer crew Heather McCarty, Lili McElhill, where to set up the tents, art Sophie Sharm, Emily Taylor- tables, chairs, and the carnival. Bannan, Becky Wenner. The Mei Photo by Kathy Shimizu, 2009 Mei dancers of South Jersey are 2. View from Race and 10th all adopted from China. Their Streets in 2008. AAU student performance in the center of volunteers in blue shirts sign in Chinatown at Mid-Autumn Fes- for their shifts. Front row seats 6. Lantern riddles are a tival helps “give them a perspec- are reserved for elders to watch traditional activity in China at tive on their roots,” according cultural performances on the Mid-Autumn Festival and other to one mother. stage. festivals such as the Lantern 10. 10th Street audience. More 3. More than 100 students Festival. The riddles, often us- than 6000 people – a multira- volunteer to work with AAU ing puns, word play, and logic cial, intergenerational crowd leaders to set up and run the problems are posted on lanterns. – participate in the Mid-Autumn Festival-goers who correctly Festival.

16 WIP 2010 Spring Children work on paper-cutting at a craft table. (Photo #5).

11. Between Lion Dance before loading materials for the promote pride in Chinese culture and performances, Nathan Trinh and move back to FACT Charter community; To engage various sec- Zhao Gu Gammage listen to School where they will be stored tors of the community in support for a until next year’s Mid-Autumn community-wide celebration; To promote their kung fu teacher, Sifu (Mas- intergenerational cooperation. —Written Festival. ter) Cheung, explain the Chinese by AAU in 1996 lunar calendar. 15. In 2009, hundreds of people 12. Cheung Shu Pui’s Hung Gar sat through torrential rain to AAU has always seen arts and cultural Kung Fu Academy lion dancers watch all of the evening cultural work as a fundamental means wait to perform. A lion dance, performances at the Mid-Autumn for creating social change in our dragon dance and lantern parade Festival. Photo by Kathy Shimizu communities. Folk arts in particular can have been features of the festival be a catalyst for social change with a for many years. The parade power that unites the political fight for through Chinatown engages the social justice with a profound cultural thread which speaks to the heart and broader neighborhood in the the spirit. —Debbie Wei festivities, and the lion dancers are important signs of celebration. I see my students eagerly volunteer- 13. Yu Jan Wang, from Phila- ing each year. For them, it’s a way to delphia Asian Music and Dance feel needed and part of the process of Association, performs a Chinese cultural transmission in a way that teens folk dance. One of many per- aren’t called upon to do. —Gina Hart forming groups who fill the stage from People talk about having neighbors. noon to 10 PM. When you come to the Festival, these 14. Brooms are ready for many Excerpts from are your neighbors.—Hon Lui late night AAU volunteers who reflections: sweep streets, pack up the stage Today, Mid-Autumn remains one of the equipment, stack chairs, and Goals of the Mid-Autumn Festival: most special celebrations for our own organize garbage and recycling, To promote Chinatown community family. It has become a tradition that my unity through cultural reclamation; To children look forward to. My own family

2010 Spring WIP 17 under autumn moon/continued from p. 15

now honors Chusok and our Korean heri- has done for Chinatown. After all, the learn about serving the community. And tage. And every year under the autumn thing is to get people together. —Dun they learn about leadership – about tak- moon, I am ever grateful for the AAU Mark ing responsibility and getting along with family, this celebration, and the new tra- their colleagues. —Michael Chow ditions we create together. —Helen Gym The festival is the crossroads of commu- nity, culture, and family. There is no other I want to be part of something that can When I help old people, it honors my place like it. —Alex Buligon unite people and make them happy. grandfather. —Andy Zheng —Jade Trinh It’s good for the second generation to I want the elderly to be happy. learn to be in charge of the Mid-Autumn We’ve been struggling as a community —Bai Wei Wu Festival. They learn about culture. They fighting against the development of highways, baseball stadiums, and casinos that only harm and constrain us. Mid- We knew that working with these youth Autumn Festival is our time to celebrate to establish a Mid-Autumn Festival in our triumphs and be proud that we’re an Chinatown would not only fill a cultural awesome community together. need, but also could serve to raise the —Ally Vuong consciousness of the Chinatown commu- nity to the fundamental human right to If there were no Mid-Autumn Festival, I culture. —Debbie Wei would probably not be the person I am today. Mid-Autumn Festival connected To me this is the greatest thing that AAU me to Asian Americans United and AAU

Above: Mei Mei dancers (exhibition photo #9). Right: Sifu Shu Pui Cheung explains the Chinese lunar calendar to two of his students, between lion dance performances (exhibition photo #11).

18 WIP 2010 Spring brought forth my passion for fighting communities, activate people, and value The exhibition is part of PFP’s “Home Place” the social injustices faced by minority our own cultures. This is fundamental project exploring ways in which local folk arts address displacement. It is funded by the Phila- communities. I am truly humbled by the to social justice work because if people delphia Center for Arts and Heritage through opportunity to volunteer and plan this don’t care deeply about their neighbors, the Heritage Philadelphia Program, National festival from my high school years and as their fellow workers, or themselves, what Endowment for the Arts, Pennsylvania Humani- I graduate from college. I hope to will motivate them to stand up for each ties Council and PNC Arts Alive. continue this tradition and pass on to other? And if people are not up for caring future generations the fundamental about themselves or their neighbors, cultural and community values that the what happens when it comes time to Mid-Autumn Festival has been stand up for those who are defined as founded on. —Maxine Chang “other”? — Ellen Somekawa

The decorations I like seeing the most Acknowledgments: are the lanterns some of the kids from Kathy and Joanie thank all the generations FACTS made in art class and brought of community members who’ve worked with here tonight to light and to carry in the AAU to create the Mid-Autumn Festival; Ellen parade. —Eric Joselyn Somekawa and the current AAU Thursday night regulars who continue to fight oppres- I see a big organization that’s trying to sion and build communities; Stuart Brent from help out one big community.—TJ Do Vacord Screen Printing and Custom Vinyl for the wall art vinyl; family and friends in all of our I understand what it’s like for people to communities; and the Leeway Foundation for supporting our work. Special thanks to Gregor immigrate to a new country and learn a Reid from Kathy. new culture so it’s always nice to bring something from home to share. —Mary Founded in 1985, Asian Americans United Banhdith exists so that people of Asian ancestry in Philadelphia exercise leadership to build our I think it’s just the fun of it, just the communities and unite to challenge oppres- fun of meeting new people. I learn new sion. AAU has worked in Philadelphia’s Asian things every time I come here. – TJ Do American communities and in broader multira- cial coalitions around quality education, youth When we create a street festival, we leadership, anti-Asian violence, immigrant rights, and folk arts and cultural maintenance. For more strengthen connections among people, information: www.aaunited.org honor the knowledge of the elders in our

2010 Spring WIP 19 nhàn / continued from p. 9

one đàn tranh. I walked around NTN: Pretty solitary. My teach- a good piece is, if every instrument with the đàn tranh. It looked like a ers didn’t know much about Asian plays nicely, then the piece goes to- bazooka. So I always got searched music. In my fourth year I met one gether— that’s all his theory is. If all everywhere—“What the heck is of the teachers who was a jazz musi- the voices have their own lines and that?” Everybody thought I was cian, and then he started to under- their own tunes, and they go nicely, crazy because I didn’t think about stand me a little bit more. Every year then the whole group, the whole clothing, and I didn’t think about I played at the International Day— block, will go nicely. But mostly the how I’d stay in the U.S. I didn’t you know, they have a performance Vietnamese use counterpoint—one think about that, just books and . . . a for all the groups, and I would come line and another line could go any- đàn tranh. in and play some Vietnamese songs. where… a call and then an answer; During that time, the antiwar time, I learned how to perform. I wasn’t a it goes mostly like that in order to I went to class, and everybody asked performer before, and learning how avoid block chords. about Vietnam. “What do you think to perform is not that easy. In 1997 a ES: What happened in the ‘70s about North Vietnam? What do you group of young Asians got together and ‘80s? think about South Vietnam? What and formed a group called Peeling NTN: I was in college; I opposed do you think about the peace agree- the Banana5 in New York, and one the war so they wanted to deport ment?” I had to go to the library of them invited me into the group. I me back to Vietnam. The National to read about it in order to answer. learned from them how to perform. Lawyers Guild supported us. During There were so many different nu- Also, I learned how to deal with jazz that time we formed a group and ances. music, and I learned how to deal performed cultural shows about the One of my teachers was the vener- with blues. resistance of the Vietnamese, the able Thích Nhất Hạnh. He’s very I discovered that jazz and Viet- history of Vietnam, and the poetry famous right now. He’s a very good namese music are very close of Vietnam, the poetry of resistance, author. I took his class when I was together. Jazz thinks in sentences; and things like that. We ran around in high school. I read his book when they don’t think of measures. There the country doing that. And then I was in high school. And then I are no measures. You think of a 1975 came. The war ended, and I met him in San Jose. He came from sentence. You play a group of notes went back to school to learn linguis- France and gave us a talk about until—OK, that’s a sentence. And tics. I learned more about Vietnam- peace. I invited him home, and we then you play the next one with ese sounds and sound systems. I talked. One of my tutors said that he a longer sentence. And then you was playing with a different crowd. was a “third force.” He was attacked remember two sentences, and then One time I played with Pete Seeger. by the left wing and he was attacked that’s the story. That’s the poetry of The younger generation came in, by the right wing. She said, “His the piece. That’s what I had prob- and we played in groups, and we proposal for peace will never work. lems with, writing down Vietnamese played at Asian American festivals, He’s more like a moral leader.” I just music on a European staff with mostly in New York. Some of the learned from her a little bit about measures. There’s no strong note in Vietnam vets gathered and would do how the Americans were thinking the middle of anything. Actually, poetry, and they wanted Vietnamese about a peace agreement. the Vietnamese were thinking of music. That’s why I learned how to But at that time I was also study- poetry. Poetry is one verse; then, accompany poetry with the Vietnam- ing music—American music, Euro- the next verse is a little bit longer, ese music, to create a background pean music, theory, setting up four but it’s still a verse. And then, the for American poetry.6 And Peeling voices, I learned all that. I learned next verse is shorter, and it goes like the Banana changed me a lot—the piano; I learned guitar. I was also that. Then you have a poem. After way I performed, how I presented trying to do European music on my you finish a poem, then the piece my music. I wrote music and songs, instrument, and I had a tough time is done. You’re not thinking about in Vietnamese tradition, trying to doing that because the pentatonic measures. I discovered that jazz was use Vietnamese themes or concepts scale and twelve notes are too much. thinking almost like that, too. So, I in songs. I had quite a few students. Whenever you play a chord, like a learned jazz, to play with jazz, and Now they’re all everywhere. major chord, you don’t have a prob- I’m still learning. But playing with Teaching at FACTS is very nice lem. A minor chord, you don’t have jazz is fun in the sense that you have because they are younger students a problem. But then you start to have freedom. In Vietnam, when I look and very smart. They are keen on the fifth chord, and you have to hit at the reformed theater, there are music, and probably it’s a good age the B, and the fourth chord, and you four or five instruments. One is the to do that, to give them some idea have to hit the F. And we don’t have Vietnamese guitar, which looks like about what Vietnamese music is an F, so to speak. If you have an F in a guitar, but the frets curve so you like. I teach two classes, grades 3–5 there, then Vietnamese music turns can pull the notes. And also the đàn and grades 6–8. In grades 3–5, eight into European music, and it doesn’t tranh, and the moon lute, and other or nine students, and in the other sound correct. Guitar is a little bit instruments—they play together. class we have four. They’re not all better than piano in that sense. They never play together in block Vietnamese, and that’s nice. ES: Your exploration was pretty chords; they play freely. And then ES: On your trips back to Viet- solitary? I discovered that Bach’s theory of nam, did you study regional music,

20 WIP 2010 Spring nhàn/continued from p. 20 and did you see changes? ations, and I created a different tune other part of the village, which class NTN: I see a lot of changes. In for different occasions. Recently, of people are downtrodden, which the old days when I grew up, some they asked me to play a piece at the class of people are rich. And the of the folk songs that were in the U.N. So I chose a Buddhist mantra rich—what the rich are doing to rice, traditional theater were really hard to of rebirth, and I tried to put that into and to pork, and to chicken food, master. The younger generation has Vietnamese music because the chant and all that sort of thing. Some of dropped some of that music because is almost always using Vietnamese the books tell you a little bit of those it was so hard. In the old days, they language, and from the language stories, and then you understand studied really hard. When I went they go into music. I put the music more about folk song. Because that’s home, I followed some of the music and the chant together. the story behind the simple sentence, from the northern part of Vietnam, ES: When you teach the children “Who brought this blackbird across like ca trù — it’s really good.7 I stud- here, do you talk to them about the river so that it flew away?” You ied that. We recorded it, and I was language? know, at the beginning it makes no trying to get one of the ca trù troupes NTN: Not yet. I have a different sense, but then it makes sense [when to the U.S. to perform. Chèo is also way of teaching, because the song is you know more about Vietnam]. a kind of folk theater with singing language already. If you start with There are generational differences, and dancing. The older generation is language, then some children who and there is a revolt against tradi- really good, and I learned how they are not Vietnamese may not be able tions that are oppressing women. In moved. Now we are trying to do a to pronounce it. They express it new songs they’re always singing book on classical theater. I go to old through their fingers, and they start about women who cross the river, books, and I look at the oldest book to learn about the properties of the who get married to a different guy; to see how theater was formed at instrument, and how the instrument this guy who is a musician is writ- that time, and I try to revive it and expresses itself, and the technique ing about his love story, and his see what happens. I’m older now; to change that, to personalize your girlfriend is going to get married to I can’t run around and try to learn expression. For the pentatonic scale, somebody else. It has nothing to do everything. there are ample places to personal- with anything. If you look at one Now I understand more about ize your music, and each master will piece, it is irrational. But then you Vietnamese music, and I understand have a different way. read the tradition, and you see that more about how the language and ES: Do you feel like you identify Vietnamese women were always re- the music go together. I use that as a with one region more than another? volting against that. When I went to way to create music. I write a poem, NTN: My father was from the Vietnam, I went to a boat. This was a nine-word poem, a nine-syllable north, and I heard him talking every a boat of farm products; they sell at verse, and then I try to put that into day, and my mother is from central the river market. I sat down and talk- music. The way to do it is to read Vietnam. Sometimes, when I was ed down to the wife and husband. it over and over and over, and then young, I would try to mime them, to The wife was very smart; she was you start to see the nuances of the make a joke, and when they yelled dealing with everything. She was language, and then the music comes at me, I tried to mime them to make keeping the money; she went out around with it. Then when you put them laugh. I understand a little and traded, and then came back, and it into music, it’s natural, it’s like it bit more now because I’m also an said, “Do this, do that.” The man was born with it. That’s how I think expert in the old script of Vietnam has to keep the boat; you can’t leave Vietnamese poetry is. There’s one [Nôm]. I standardized it so that it’s women with the boat. So the man form with two-syllable verses that been put into computers, and now has to stay in one place; the women has hundreds of songs in Vietnam. they’re trying to do a project with do politicking and trading and bring [He recites.] It means, “Who brought Temple [University] in order to food home. In the Vietnamese tradi- this blackbird across the river so that revive this script. All the old books tion, on the river, women are the it flew away?” Out of nowhere it are in great danger of destruction, ones who manage things. And in the doesn’t make any sense. But if you and so we’re trying to put it on the Vietnamese tradition, Vietnamese look at the geography of Vietnam, worldwide web to preserve it. In women always hold the finances of there are a lot of rivers, and the doing so, we discovered books about the family. younger generation usually think theater, books about music, books Then you look at Vietnamese  of a boat as a way to get away from about all sorts of life stories, and history, and you say, “Oh, you town, just like Americans think of about the culture of Vietnam, and know, the first kings of Vietnam a train. You know, in the old days a so I understood more about regional were women—two women.” Then train was the way to get away from differences, more than just  you discover that below them there town. In Vietnam if a girl gets into musical ones. was an army of women. When you an arranged marriage and wants There are stories behind it—the look at the drums and all this sort of to escape, the boat is a carrier of reasons why people go to a region, thing in the tradition, the Vietnam- freedom. So that is the meaning, and how they settle into a place, how ese were matriarchal at the begin- that’s why there are hundreds of  they settle their differences, how the ning. That’s why there was a clash different songs based on it. land was different in a village, which I used to perform in different situ- part of the village is richer than the [Continued on p. 29 >]

2010 Spring WIP 21 kurt jung/continued from p. 11

The Cantonese-speaking ones and fun to play with those instruments. Charter School]. Because in the Mandarin people—they’re so But they go together, the yangqin traditional education, you only learn off that they can’t understand each and the erhu. There’s hundreds about Western composers: Bach, other. They usually call that “the and hundreds of pieces that were Beethoven, Mozart. I think I know duck talking to the chicken.” written for those two instruments, enough about them, took enough ES: Did your grandfather play and those two instruments go well courses in them. I took a course in music when people came over? together for chamber music. world music, but I wish there was KJ: He actually sang—he would So it really worked out well when a little more in schools—I mean, sing the falsetto voices of the I met Qin Qian. Her family is from how many African composers, how Cantonese opera. He used to know the Guangxi province. My family’s many South American composers a lot. He would come in, they would from Guangdong. They’re right next do you know? There’s just so much play mah jong, they would eat lunch, to each other, so she can actually more out there. Why wouldn’t you and they would sit around in a speak the dialects that we speak as be learning this? We’re a country circle and play these musics. Some well as Mandarin. She’s very well of multiculturals. Why wouldn’t you of the people knew how to read known throughout the whole world, be learning about Jewish klezmer the music; others did not. Some and in China. Her husband is from music or some other type of music? of it was done by rote memory. Philadelphia. He brought her back. I’m glad the school districts are There was one guy that just bought It was just a stroke of luck that moving away from the Shakespeare a guitar and restrung it like the we met each other at a concert. type of thing. I mean, it’s great to Chinese instruments, and was able I do know a little bit how to know about Shakespeare, but there’s to play it like that. You kind of just play the moon guitar [yueqin], and just so much more out there . . . improvise on what you don’t have. the zhongruan—it’s mostly a bass ES: We should learn about ES: Did your parents instrument. You hit the notes one Western music as just one play music or sing? at a time, and it just keeps the time. of the world’s traditions. KJ: No, my father doesn’t play Of course, I don’t play it as much KJ: It’s not just Western music; Chinese music. They learned to play because we don’t have the players it’s a certain type of Western music. Western music. My father plays the to play Chinese music. So most of We’re missing all the Bulgarian music, guitar. Each one of us, when we were the time I just concentrate on the music from Hungary, Romania, growing up, they had us play different yangqin. But I do know how to play the gypsy music, or Turkish music. instruments. My sister played the the violin, and that was actually There’s just so much more out clarinet, I played the violin, and my first instrument. And later I there than what kids are learning my brother played the sax. took up the Irish harp, the Celtic in school, and the traditional do- We learned in school. I had private harp. I always liked the harp. One re-mi, the Western scale. I’d rather lessons. But I learned all my Chinese day I met a man in Audubon, New have my children learn about Latin music from the Overseas Chinese Jersey, who teaches the Irish harp. I rhythms and something different. Association. The older people that contacted him, and I started learning. You know? It’s like eating meat and were there, they were trying to pass We became very good friends. potatoes all the time, when there that on to the younger people. The ES: Did you go to school and are so many different flavors and people that I learned from are no high school in Philadelphia? foods out there that you could longer living. I was in college when KJ: I grew up in Cinnaminson, be trying—learning about other I met all these people, and they’re New Jersey. My parents moved people, where they’re from, their no longer here. It was really hard out of Chinatown—only because traditions, their culture, their art. not to have anyone to play these of the housing. I don’t know if you What about the music of the instruments with, but they passed know the history of Chinatown, but people? That’s what fascinates me. it down through the folk method. we’re always fighting for housing, A lot of folk music—it’s usually They used to have a band, too; we and there’s just no room. We go played by people who are ordinary used to have an orchestra here. back to Chinatown every weekend citizens. They aren’t musicians But all these people are gone. to visit family. My wife’s family lived who are playing for a living, but I started out on the erhu. down in Chinatown, also. I play the they’re working in the fields or Everyone starts out with that guitar at the local Catholic church something. This is their form of because it’s the easier one; you can [Holy Redeemer at 10th and Vine entertainment; this is the way get it. I really liked trying something streets] over here every week, and they express themselves. That, different, though. That’s why I moved I direct the music there. Mostly it’s to me, is so much more than the on to the yangqin, because it’s more folk musicians. That’s why I was so average composer telling the world, like a piano, it had more notes to excited about the FACTS school play with, and it was a lot more [Folk Arts – Cultural Treasures [Continued on next page >]

22 WIP 2010 Spring kurt jung/continued from p. 22

“This is how it should be done.” You’d call him up, and say, “Can I really understand the libretto, you I’d like to see if I could pass that take lessons?” And he’d say, “No, understand what’s going on, you on. There are some Chinese music no, come on over, I’ll show you.” understand what they’re trying to programs within the city now, And he’d show you, and you’d sit do—then you start to hear certain but it’d be nice to teach kids who there. He would start out with the sounds, and you look for certain really want to learn. And there are most simple of traditional melodies, things that most people don’t things in the folk traditions they and you would just listen, and you’d look at. That really did fascinate don’t do in the classical traditions. do what he did. You’d go back and me. I love the Chinese opera. There is such rigidness, especially forth. Eventually he started giving me It’s only the older generation that in Chinese music. There’s the sheet music and I’d learn from that. really enjoys it. The work that it village music, and then there’s the It was a traditional style of teaching. takes to put together an opera, just music that came out of the imperial ES: Have you gone back to China? to get the costumes, to get the faces court, which was so rigid, and you KJ: Yes, I have. I have a set of first painted, and get everything done, have to play it a certain way. cousins over there. My father’s oldest it takes a long time. It’s not easy to I’ve got a lot of friends in the brother had a family in Hong Kong, do. My father-in-law loves it; he’ll sit different venues; I go for different which is now China. They decided to there for hours and watch Chinese types of music. I play with a string stay after the takeover in ’97. That’s opera. But the younger generation— quartet. An old violin teacher of mine where I get my supplies from—it’s they would never listen to that. called me up and said, “Do you want really hard to get a lot of the things That’d be very uncool to listen to. to play?” We performed at a couple here. But I did get my instruments I There was a history [of Chinese weddings, and that was really nice. have a collection of them at home. folk music], at least in Chinatown. Then I have another set of friends ES: When you were over There are still some groups out who just play Irish folk music. We there, did you get a chance to there that play on their own. There would go to the Irish Center [in see some performances? are people who play in their houses. Mount Airy], and just play Irish folk KJ: Everywhere we went, There’s a man who owns a pharmacy music, or play at the ceilis [informal they’d have these little bands. up on Arch Street. I knew the lady gatherings of Irish musicians, dancers, For some reason, whenever they that used to live above him. She singers, and storytellers]. I have saw Americans, they would start would hear the Chinese instruments other friends who play Appalachian playing “Auld Lang Syne.” I don’t going at nighttime, so she knows that music and bluegrass, and they meet know why they’d do that. I just he plays. But they don’t perform; in a little gazebo in Medford. Anyone laughed! There’s so much good they play for themselves at home. can go to these things. You bring Chinese music out there, and ES: Among the Chinese folk your instrument, and you start they’re playing “Auld Lang Syne.” I musics that you play, do you have playing. They go around the circle, must have gone to three different favorite songs or favorite styles? people pick out songs, and they just cities where that happened to me. KJ: Look in my book [Traditional play. Other than that, we play in our I went over to them and said, Chinese Music for the Western homes. Sometimes we play colonial “Can’t you play something a little Musician]. There’s one piece that music—every once in a while, I’ll play different? Play some Chinese music!” we play all the time. It’s called harp at the old City Tavern. Then, Then they played some stuff. But I did “The Butterfly Lovers.” That is the whole Chinese world, where go see an opera, Peking opera. That more of a modern piece. That was I play with Qin Qian. I’m usually fascinated me. The opera musicians composed for Western orchestra. very busy, along with my church are not like your classical music The big thing in China now— music. It’s become all-consuming, musicians. They’re as folk as you get. there’s a change, the merging of but it keeps my fingers going. Now They know the opera; there’s no the two instruments [erhu and that I have kids, it’s a little harder. written music. They all learn by ear. violin]. Yo-Yo Ma with the Silk Road ES: When you were learning the They know the whole opera, and Ensemble—I don’t know if you ever traditional Chinese instruments, who they play it on these different-size heard any of the stuff that he does, were your most important teachers? string instruments. They’re similar but he’s merged them. That’s going KJ: The president of the Overseas to the erhu, but they’re smaller. The on with Chinese music: the merging Chinese Association at that time instruments would mimic the falsetto of the two sets of instruments to was Johnny Kuo. I don’t what his voice. It wasn’t till I understood what create different sounds. They are Chinese name was—everyone knew was going on that it became very also teaching Western and Eastern him as Johnny. He was the type of interesting. It’s like Italian opera. music in schools in Taiwan and person who wouldn’t charge you any Most people listen to it, and think, China. You’ll have a band with a money. It wasn’t like taking lessons. “Oh, this is boring!” But when you cello, a pipa [lute], a guzheng [board [Continued on p. 26>]

2010 Spring WIP 23 parallel destinies/continued from p. 5

John Dowell: And then Joyce how do you have that emotion? interested in doing—and I think we introduced me to Jed Levin, the How do you paint the wonder? all agreed on this—a period piece, National Park Service archaeologist. You know, I mean, we are here! but yet the idea of trying to create I started trying to photograph it, and a narrative without a thorough text! I couldn’t shoot it the way I wanted Germaine Ingram: One of the Music is about notes. Dance is about in the daytime. So I started shooting things Jed Levin said was, here you movement. But to really make them at two o’clock in the morning. But had this black hole and emerging from convey this complex story and these they would cover the site up at the this black hole is a sort of awe, a kind complex emotions without just saying end of the day. And Jed and Patty, of wonder, that encouraged people to "This happened, and that happened, his wife, would go down at eleven see things—to see history in different and he did this, and he did that" is o’clock at night and uncover the ways, to ask different questions, so challenging and really exciting. site so I could shoot. And then, to challenge the conventions that Jed and I having our discussions as we’ve all believed in or, that were John Dowell: Yeah, we all talked usual, and he said, “You know, we completely irrelevant on our radar. about this in the very beginning. We just gotta show the hypocrisy of the And that juxtaposition of this notion have an idea but we’re not illustrators. whole thing.” He kept saying, “You of black hole and awe and wonder is And how can we use this to really gotta show the relationship.” So just a powerful image for all of us. build something that goes beyond then, I got on top of the Wachovia the story, and to be inspiring. . . Building, and shot it from a block Bobby Zankel: This site is so away. And I put the Constitution filled with images and people’s lives Germaine Ingram: At first, we Center, the Visitors Center, but also and history. And the whole story knew more about what we didn’t the Justice Building in back, also. And of America is sort of in that hole, want this to be than actually what that took quite a bit to engineer. you know—the good, the bad, and we wanted it to be. It really gave us And I actually found a window in the ugly, and the potential for good this opportunity to try out ideas, to the Bourse building where I could and bad. So it really struck me very explore, to sort of bump up against see the Liberty Bell, and you could deeply. I guess for me the issue is each other’s perspectives and ideas see it and Independence Hall in one what those slaves are thinking about. on how to express what we’re photograph. Those were the two. But I was most interested in the mind of feeling about this important place I had a lot of emotional encounters how people could endure slavery, and and important event. But one thing dealing with that, shooting that thing what it’s about. But the scholars [Jed we all agree on is that it needs to be at night. And that’s the impetus of Levin, Katrina Hazzard Donald, Guy very place-based. Not site-specific, putting the project together. And then Ramsey, Danny Dawson] all talked but place-based. We want it to tap I started talking to Bobby about it. about understanding how that African into the specificity of the site, and not American culture emerged in the just have it be about nine slaves at Bobby Zankel: I was considering United States, and it’s such an amazing any place. That’s one of the reasons trying to create and try to fund triumphant story, that it really, really that John’s images are just such a a number of interdisciplinary gripped me. And really understanding unique asset to this— the original projects and the idea of focusing the complexity—especially in the images, the way he’s manipulated on the President’s House seemed year of Obama— seeing this grand them, and the way that he’s sort of like the best one to me. Then thing of America’s history, it’s really so using those images to evoke other I called John and Germaine. fascinating. And we all benefited from images and spirits and provocations. the research of Edward Lawler who John Dowell: He said, “Oh yeah, has found these biographies of nine John Dowell: Spirits, that’s it! we could do the thing!” And then slaves in that house. We know their Bobby got ahold of Germaine, and names. We know things about them. Germaine Ingram: We know a we all started talking. And we all At first I was thinking of the slaves. little bit about these slaves, and it started doing research. And so it’s One would be Dignity—you know, as creates a situation where there’s been expanding ever since. And I’m sort of archetypes. But even better both a license to imagine what they very excited about it because it’s than archetypes is to be human beings did and what they felt, but also a taken me out of where I normally that have descendents. Those nine responsibility not to be ahistorical would be. I’m really feeding off of slaves are really the fathers of the or stupid about what we try to Bobby and Germaine, back and country. So, trying to deal with this— convey about them and their lives. forth, and back and forth. But how I’m not a period musician, you know. does one paint courage? You know, I’m a modern musician, so I wasn’t

24 WIP 2010 Spring John Dowell: What I did is that I use this as an opportunity to explore Bobby Zankel: You know, there’s took the original photographs and I different kinds of foot coverings. so many levels. This story is just went to cyanotypes, ‘cause that blue Maurice Chestnut, who’s another profoundly interesting and evocative. thing is a strange feeling for me. So dancer who’s working with me on One big way to look at is just the idea I did those first. And then I started this— I’m exploring with him a dance of destiny. How does somebody come finding out a little about ring shouts, that represents that moment with and have their body and their lives And then I start having all these Hercules, and we’ve talked about taken from one continent to another imaginations about different things. having him dance on coarse salt, continent and adjust? What forces I imagined that when George went which relates back to the convention interplay? What is the idea of destiny? away, Hercules performs. I know he of tap dancers dancing on sand, but Are we blind victims of fate or do we would cook a magnificent meal. Like it has a different kind of resonance have control? Are we empowered that portrait of him— he would just in this context. So, those are some over our own lives? What’s the story do his thing. So to me, that was sort of of the ideas I’m playing with. . . there? And I think the actions of very inspiring image-wise. So I did the those slaves, particularly Oney Judge cyanotypes. And then I start thinking Bobby Zankel: I really felt the need and Hercules, who we know escaped, about doing some paintings and then to try to create a narrative, and to are expressed in this song, and the drawings about imaginary things. I kept make this like a long form, rather than punchline is, “My destiny belongs thinking there’s a wonder thing. Like, a series of vignettes, which is a whole to me.” they were paying respects. I mean, of other challenge as a composer for the course, when you’re having parties kind of thing that we’re trying to do. Liberty or love, among the [enslaved Africans there], Again, we’re so early in the process, Broken heart but freedom. and there’s also communication— this is just—in my mind we may not Touch my Delia’s tender cheek people getting ready to run away or hold to any of this. But I have this sort Hold my rascal Richmond nea… not, and transmitting information back of an arc of pieces that begins things. Or write myself a destiny and forth. It made me conjure up all That takes me God knows where. these kinds of things. And that’s how Strut my dandy ways, I started painting. And then I did a Or live each day in shadows. bunch of drawings. Every time we have Excerpts Where’s the justice in a world a rehearsal I make more notes. . . That makes a prideful negro choose… Naming names ‘Tween hearth and wretched cave, Germaine Ingram: My approach to Between fugitive and slave? this was to try to explore that internal My name is Oney Judge, space of the slaves. It feels like Bobby’s I ran for freedom. Germaine Ingram: That’s the sort of been dealing with banner issues: beginning of the song that will be destiny, dignity and persistence. And My name is Christopher the basis for this dance on salt that I’ve been trying to tease out those Sheels, I can read and write. will take place in a sort of very small sort of fine grain moments— what space. I’m thinking a costume that it felt like for Oney Judge to comb My names is Richmond, is a cross between chef’s coat and Martha Washington’s hair every night. I got caught planning. straight-jacket, so that the movement What’s that combination of loyalty is very contained, until he [Hercules] and resentment that drove that My name is Hercules, ultimately makes the decision to leave. relationship? What did it feel like in chef dandy freeman. that moment when Hercules was I combs her hair making the decision as to whether he My name is Austin, a mixed race waiter. Most every night. was going to forsake his family at Mt. Teasin’ de nits and tangles, Vernon, to run and take the chance My name is Paris, I cleaned his stable. Freein’ dem steely barbs. that he’d never see them again. What I combs her hair might’ve happened on the day when My name is Moll, I saw him dying. Most every night the slaves began to whisper to one Scared dat she fuss and holla,’ another about the fact that Oney My name is Giles, I drove his wagon. Yell that I tugs too hard. Judge had run? So, those are some of I combs her hair, the circumstances, the moments, that My name Joe Richardson, I’m trying to imagine and interpret I got my kids free. [Continued on p. 26 >] through percussive dance. I want to

2010 Spring WIP 25 parallel destinies / continued from p. 25

I combs her hair But missy’s scent the foundation? And is it the end, Most every night. No missy’s scent or is it just a jumping off point for Don’t go away. understanding what actually happened In the full moon I dreams at the house? And so, to have it filled That I’s a hoodoo. Reflections in kind of puts the place in perspective. And I takes dem fallen Having John just use the place as a strands and winds a trick Joyce Wilkerson: I think one of the starting point, and filling in some of That makes her set me free. struggles working with the President’s what happened is very powerful. But still I combs her hair House and wanting to focus on the Most every night. lives of the enslaved Africans, was trying Germaine Ingram: That’s one of Gently I ease the tangles. to figure out what they thought— why our motivations here— that giving Gently I combs her hair. they did what they did. And so, for me, people this additional window, the this is very powerful, because you know window of art, as a way into this topic, I wears her scent you don’t know. And to have people will inspire them to learn more, to From chin to foot. actually go into their lives and think and think more, to consider what their Serving all day the white folk try to figure it out is a real gift. We’ve individual responsibility is with regard Seeps in my every root. worked with the historians and just to this significant body of history I wears her scent have the tiniest bit of real, hardcore, that was covered for so long. From head to toe. documented evidence. So it’s a gift Blind man to tell between us to have you really explore it for us. Bobby Zankel: We’re all abstract For him be hard to know. artists. And on the one hand we have I wears her scent. Dottie Wilkie: I mean, the last the responsibility to tell a story with I wears her scent song you sung, I know you put me integrity, but yet, it’s not going to be From head to toe. there. It put me there. You know, I a period piece or a historical drama. felt that. And the last piece that he We hope that the emotions and the When I be’s wid my man did, the last song, “Destiny,” I feel feelings and the content will create He treats me cold. that also. And the music— “I’m and generate a feeling. It might make He turn his head away free, but am I free? Where am I?” you just want to go and read a book And say I smells like about it, just because you might’ve massa’s hound dog. Joyce Wilkerson: And then, loved the piece. You didn’t know what On a stormy day, with John’s artwork—there’s the it had to do with the President’s House, I scrub my limbs ‘til knuckles fray role of place, and how important is [Continued on p. 29 >]

kurt jung/ continued from p. 23

zither], and a trumpet, or whatever. thought was bourgeois, the fancier That particular instrument came When the Chieftains went to instruments were considered the out of the folk arena. If you go to China, they took Irish instruments instruments of the rich, and they China, you’ll see people—the only and played along with the Chinese destroyed them. Had it not been for way I can describe is by comparing instruments. They realized that they Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan, it to a guitar—you’ll see people were the same—the two sets of where a lot of musicians escaped in the villages there, sitting in the instruments had very similar timbres, to—they preserved that culture… park, with one erhu playing and and they played the same keys, D ES: Especially the court people singing along with it. I also and A. The erhu, the two strings music, would you say? saw that in Beijing. That certainly are the D and A strings; it’s the KJ: Yes, the court music. So the didn’t come from formal education two middle strings of the violin. more expensive instruments, the one on that particular instrument. ES: The contemporary music that Anna Chan plays, the guzheng— But it eventually entered into the conservatories in China are that’s a court instrument. That was imperial court, and that’s when relatively new, aren’t they? I mean, originally developed by monks and you got the blend of the folk and 50 or 75 years ago, you didn’t go to brought into the imperial court very the slow imperial court music. The conservatory to learn erhu, did you? early. There’s a little bit about that instrument I play didn’t enter in until KJ: It depends. There was formal history [in my book]. The erhu was the 1600s. That’s pretty late for education in music in China at one not in the imperial court during the time. Under the communist rule, earlier times. As a matter of fact, [Continued on p. 30 >] when they destroyed everything they they thought it was a toy [laughs].

26 WIP 2010 Spring wu peter tang/continued from p. 13

Singing and Dancing Ensemble under the strings; the bowed strings, like the erhu; the tonese music which uses the higher-pitched Central Government in Beijing. woodwinds and the percussion. When you erhu (the gaohu). Silk and bamboo music is a ES: You worked for them as a musician? say “the bowed strings,” it’s not only erhu famous musical style from China. “Jiangnan” For how long? we’re talking about. There’s gaohu, which means the area around Shanghai. “Si” is silk. WPT: Yes, as a professional musician is higher pitched. And also there’s zhonghu, “Zhu” is bamboo. If you say “Jiangnan sizhu,” for four years. During that time, I toured which is lower pitched. In the string family, I think most Chinese people, they know the country giving performances. Sometimes they have all different kinds. But most are what you are talking about. Cantonese music the group also toured overseas. After that related to the erhu. The erhu is the major is Guangdong yinyue. “Guangdong” means I went to Eastern Europe for a couple of one. I think one difference is that in the Canton. “Yinyue” is music. years. Chinese orchestra, they have the plucked ES: You came to New York first, in ’99, ES: Where did you live? strings, but the only similar thing in Western and you came there from Romania. Tell me WPT: In Romania, for almost six years. music is the harp. They do not have the same how things were for you in New York. I played music, and I had good relations with kind of plucked strings. It’s like you press the WPT: It’s the same problems as any George Enescu Music Institute. I played with string, and then you vibrate it. The Chinese people coming to this country. All the the Radio Symphony of Central Romania. I orchestra also uses a string bass— the same culture shock and difficulties, and how to played the concert to celebrate Hong Kong as the Western bass make a living being a musician. I tried to going back to China in 1997. The percussion section includes tradi- think about how I could make a living in this ES: During your education, did you have tional Chinese drums and cymbals as well country. When I would go in the subway, the to learn other instruments and Western as other different kinds of percussion. And, train station, I saw a lot of musicians. Some instruments also? then, of course, the woodwinds are the of them are really professional musicians, I WPT: Yes, I learned piano, and also I bamboo flute and the sheng [a multi-pitched can tell. They make a living. They take every- play the string bass. set of bamboo pipes with reeds]— the tradi- thing people give them, and they play won- ES: And you had to learn Western tional Chinese woodwind instruments. They derful music. Even American musicians—it’s theory, Western harmony? are made out of natural materials. The scale hard for them to make a living. I’m very lucky WPT: Yes, in most conservatories we is pretty much similar, but the instruments to have moved to Philadelphia area. People learn the same system. In the Chinese con- are totally different. It’s all Chinese tradi- have started to recognize me, and they love servatories, we use the Russian system. It’s tional instruments. The Chinese instruments my music, and my group is getting bigger. just a little bit different. were passed on for generations and genera- I have a lot of performances each year. In ES: How do you think things were dif- tions. There are some Chinese people who 2004, I received the Pew Fellowship in Arts. ferent for you as a musician than they were have wanted to alter them, but once they ES: When you were in New York, did for your father? Do you have different taste did that, it never sounded the same. You just you do other work besides music? in music than your father’s generation? Are can’t change it. WPT: Yes, I was learning to make there different things that you like? ES: What kind of changes do you mean? Japanese food, sushi. I had to pay to learn; WPT: Each generation’s music is dif- WPT: For example, the long bridge you even had to pay for lunch. They call it ferent because the society is always chang- instrument, the guzheng [board zither], has a sushi school, but actually you just work for ing. The erhu music has been changed and pentatonic tuning. That’s a beautiful instru- the restaurant. And they teach you. But improved in a very dynamic way in its playing ment. But it’s very hard to change keys. For that’s OK! My first job was as a Japanese technique, music arrangement and perfor- example, a piece of music I may decide to sushi chef. They make food more like art. My mance. Before, they would have to sit down play in G, and in the middle we change to hands are pretty skillful but the only thing I to play the erhu. But now people could be D, and in the end we go to E major. But the was worried about was that this kind of job standing up, and they move and play at the guzheng only plays one key. A lot of people involved using the knife very often— and if I same time. It’s the same with the other tra- have tried to do something with this, like cut my fingers then I could not play the erhu ditional instruments. Young girls are playing with the harp. anymore! and dancing at the same time. Before, on the ES: Create something so you can change ES: When did you start teaching in the stage you just interpreted the music. Now keys quickly? Philadelphia schools? they also try to have more communicating WPT: Yes. But for Chinese musical WPT: The Chinese music program with the audience. They try to influence the instruments it’s very difficult to change any- in Philadelphia School District started in young audience. thing. The tone color is changed. People say: early 2005. The purpose of the program ES: Tell me a little bit about the Chinese what the ancestors pass along to you, you is to let the young kids know about not orchestra. just can not change it. only Western culture. We also wanted WPT: It’s a really big group. The bigger ES: What’s some of your favorite music, them to be exposed to different cultures ones can be the same size as the Philadel- your favorite compositions, or your favorite and values as well. Through learning about phia Orchestra. Chinese instruments are styles of Chinese music? music, they can fulfill this goal. We started divided into four categories, and the whole WPT: There are many different styles with two schools at first; then later McCall orchestra system—the Chinese traditional of Chinese music, My favorites are “silk and School has joined the program too. It was music system—is very mature: the plucked bamboo music” (Jiangnan sizhu) and Can- [Continued on p. 28 >]

2010 Spring WIP 27 wu peter tang/continued from p. 27

very difficult to set up at the begin- teacher is like another father. They the younger generations in America. ning. We opened the doors to all teach you not only the skills of music, In order for me to do that, it’s good kinds of students interested to learn. but they also teach you values, how to to learn more about the education Most kids, they never saw this kind of be a human being, how to have good system here, and about music. instruments before, never even heard discipline, and all those things. With ES: The Chinese, or Chinese of it. The first day when I tried to in- the public school students another American, students here—do you troduce those instruments, they said, thing is very difficult. They make their feel like they have a special relation- “What’s this? Those are instruments? own decisions about learning Chinese ship to the music? Are they interested For music?” But after some period music. If they don’t want to learn, no- in learning about their heritage? time of learning, the students are able body can push them. So I try to have WPT: Yes. And a lot of times to have the chance to participate in good relations and encourage the their parents like them to play many community performances, such students. It’s also the lack of practice because that will bring back their as the Asian American Heritage Fes- that makes it difficult, because they memories. They don’t want their kids tival and Chinese New Year Celebra- can’t bring the big instruments home. to adopt 100% Western culture. They tions each year. One of my students In learning music, the beginning is want to distinguish their traditions as Daniel Jiang, was awarded the first interesting. In the middle, it’s boring well, so they really like that. place in his instrument category in and hard. ES: Tell me the three schools the 2009 After School Talent Show ES: And then later it gets where you’re working. at the Kimmel Center, in a program interesting again. WPT: Kirkbride, McCall, and Key organized by Southeast Philadelphia WPT: Yeah, yeah. But kids are School. Philadelphia is a special area, Collaborative. I feel very happy when kids. especially for culture, and also for my students are able to achieve. I am ES: Tell me about your group. multicultural arts and I felt very lucky very grateful to the School District’s WPT: It’s the Peter Tang Chinese and grateful that many people have Music Department to be able to have Music Ensemble. I feel very lucky that been giving support to me and to such a meaningful program for the I have met other professional musi- Chinese music. But I have a dream for students. And the school principals cian friends and that we have a chance the future. Now China has become an and staff have also been giving me to play together. These musicians important country, with relationships great support. have given me a lot of support. Some with the United States, and I think S: E Other than their not being are my coworkers from Beijing, the a lot of people want to know about familiar with the instruments, do you top musicians from there. We made a Chinese culture. Maybe we can make feel there’s any difference between CD together after I got the Pew Fel- a Chinese music school. There are a teaching American kids and teaching lowship. lot of kung fu and language schools. Chinese kids in China? ES: Have you done any new types I think if we added Chinese music WPT: It’s a lot different because of collaborations with other ensem- school it would be such a beautiful the educational style is different. bles or other musicians? thing to do. I would say it’s a good Chinese people, when they make a WPT: I have played some thing to pass it on… decision to let their kids learn some- Chinese violin with Western violin. thing, they really want them to be We played a Western piece, like the Resources for further number one, to be professional. But Czardas.3 Sometimes for the school exploration in America, people care more about programs we have to do a combined Lau, Frederick. 2008. Music in China: the experience rather than becoming piece. We use Chinese instruments to Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New professional. For example, I saw that play Western music. Sometimes Chi- York: Oxford University Press. my students carry a lot of things on nese musicians play with a Western Stock, Jonathan. 1996. Musical Creativity in the same day: Chinese violin, West- group. I have tried this a lot. I played Twentieth-Century China: Abing, His Music, and Its ern violin, flute, and drumsticks. Oh “Moon Reflection” with Central High Changing Meanings. Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press. my God, how many things do they School’s orchestra from Philadelphia. Wu Peter Tang’s website: learn? You have to practice. You have It’s a Western orchestra and they www.easternmelody.com to go back home and practice. In used my erhu as the solo. I also did a America, they don’t do it that way. I pre-concert series for Tan Dun’s visit guess the mentality is different. Chi- to the Philadelphia Orchestra. He has Notes nese parents really want to emphasize a very famous concerto, The Map. 1 Lau, Music in China. Pp. 22-27. the principle, the discipline of the When the Philadelphia Orchestra 2 See Lau, p. 26-27, 48-49, who points kids. They think that when you learn played The Map, we did a pre-concert out that scholars differ regarding Abing’s story. music, when you learn something, it’s series at the Kimmel Center. Now I Also see Stock. also that you’re learning how to be am much more into teaching. I want 3 A composition for violin by Vittorio Monti, a person. It’s not only playing. Your to pass on my skills and specialties to based on the Hungarian national dance.

28 WIP 2010 Spring nhàn/ continued from p. 21

3 with Confucianism—it was a patri- “Minority Musics of Vietnam,” in Terry E. Cải lương is a form of dance-drama that, archal society trying to impose on a Miller and Sean Williams (eds.), The Garland beginning in urban Vietnam in the early 1900s, matriarchal society. People lost land, Encyclopedia of Music, vol. 4: Southeast Asia. updated classical theater in combination with lost their property, lost their heritage. New York: Garland. amateur art music. The “reformed theater” They revolted, and that’s why. The Le đàn tranh: musiques d’hier et incorporated stories from many sources. The women started to revolt. d’aujourd’hui. 1994. Paris: Ocora  primary instrumental accompaniment was an Today, when you look at farmland, Radio France. ensemble of Vietnamese strings, but Western the women are always going out to Music from Vietnam and Cambodia. 1999. instruments were also used. 4 the market and going out to trade. EUCD 1547. ARC Music Productions. Vietnam has 53 ethnic minorities, four major The man has to stay home to till language areas, and a wide variety of regional the land, to keep the thing in place. Notes musical traditions. 5 See their website http://www.myspace.com/ That’s his job. The diplomatic job is 1 A National Liberation Front (Viet Cong) for women. All of this is linked to peelingnyc offensive in 1968 that was widely seen as a 6 Nhàn is one of the musicians on the Billy that simple verse. It has a depth to it; turning point in the war, leading to U.S. it has a reason to it. That was a nice Bang recording Vietnam: Reflections. See withdrawal. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article. discovery, when I went to the boat 2 Ch Nôm is the ancient "ideographic ver- and I found out how things work. It’s php?id=18185. Nhàn was organizing and nacular script" of the Vietnamese language educating about Agent Orange in this era as practical, it’s natural, and there’s no (http://nomfoundation.org). For a thousand discussion about it. well. See http://www.vn-agentorange.org/ years—from 939 CE, when Vietnam won its index.html independence from China, into the 20th 7 Ca trù is a type of chamber music for poetry, century—much of Vietnamese literature, with claps, đàn đáy (a four-string lute), dàn Resources for further philosophy, history, law, medicine, religion, tranh. The lead singer, usually a woman, takes exploration and government policy was written in Nôm any poem from the audience and puts it into Douglas, Gavin. 2010. Music in script. This heritage is now nearly lost: a song. She paces the song with the claps and Mainland Southeast Asia. New York: fewer than 100 scholars worldwide can read leads the other instruments. Oxford University Press. Nôm. Nhàn has been a leading scholar in its Duy, Pham. 1975. Musics of Vietnam. preservation. See http://nomfoundation.org/ Carbondale: Southern Illinois University index.php and http://www.temple.edu/viet- Press.  namese_center/NomScript/index.htm for some Nguyen, Phong. 1998. “Vietnam” and of Nhàn's work in this area. parallel destinies / continued from p. 27 but now you know there’s a President’s Brenda Dixon Gottschild: It’s not Lawler, Edward. The President’s House House because your feelings were even about the President’s House, but in Philadelphia: http://www.ushistory. stimulated. I think many of us respond about us "in the President moment." to art emotionally. The kind of thing we And us in the present moment. And us do – modern jazz and percussive dance finding a way through the art that moves and John’s paintings— are not literal. So us. What does it mean to be a person of we may not be the best place to get the color living in a non-post-racist moment? full story, but we would like to be a place And what does it mean to be a white where you can get an emotional catharsis, person living in a non-post-racist moment? and then be stimulated to do the research about this. That’s the way I see it. None of the quotations or lyrics included here can be used or Ife Nii-Owoo: I want to remember, quoted without express permission in particular, that experience. I want to of the artist or speaker. learn the lessons of that experience and understand how I can move above and beyond that experience. And what I have For more information learned from that experience, and what about the President’s I have read and studied, is that we as House excavation, see: African American people have gotten out Avenging the Ancestor’s Coalition: http:// of there, and only through a great struggle, avengingtheancestors.com/ we have been able to reach out of that City of Philadelphia. The President’s House: experience to become accepted as human Freedom and Slavery in Making a New Nation: beings and as full citizens in this country. http://www.phila.gov/presidentshouse/

2010 Spring WIP 29 kurt jung/ continued from p. 23

Chinese history. It actually came out versions of it. What used to be played one. It’s a different type of music; even of Persia and the Middle East. I don’t on the erhu, they’ll play it on the Chinese religious music is different. know if it was a folk instrument—I yangqin now, using that same theme Half of my family’s Protestant, guess it would have been because they and melody, and doing some different and the other half’s Catholic . . . the brought them through the Silk Road. things. Otherwise, you would have the other important part is traditional The instrument I have is a full same recording over and over again, Chinese folk religion. My in-laws concert-size yangqin. The ones like the same people playing the same follow the traditional Chinese folk they used to play are much smaller. classical music over and over again. religion. So we get exposure to all Those are the ones they used I noticed that in the recordings I got of them. A lot of these traditions to play above the store, these back in the early days when I was from the folk religion are now tiny high-pitched instruments. learning about all this stuff, you would incorporated into the Mass and into A whole set of music was developed just hear some of the pieces that were the Catholic tradition. As long as it for all the instruments. Now there’s very classical—that’s it, that’s how doesn’t go against the teachings, they more formal education. In Taiwan you play it. Now it’s all over the place. don’t care. We do all those things, they have formal training. I don’t ES: The erhu seems so like the ancestor venerations. know how long ago it started, maybe versatile. It seems like you ES: How do you incorporate the 20 years ago. Not too many people could play anything on it. Chinese traditional instruments? Do were playing those instruments, KJ: Every once in a while Qin Qian you play European-style hymns? though, even in China. In China, most goes out to the jazz clubs. She starts KJ: No, no, no, they’re all Chinese of the focus was on the Western playing jazz on erhu. Her husband hymns. They were written in China. instruments, but there’s been a revival. happens to be Jewish; she would go to I guess you could play European- Everyone wants to go back to that the synagogue and play Jewish music style hymns with Chinese words. root now. You see a lot more people there. On the erhu. She plays Irish folk We do sing those things. But now playing Chinese instruments now music, Irish jigs and reels, on the erhu they’re actually composed by Chinese and having formal training. But the too. But that’s what makes it a lot of composers. Some are from back communists had to put the universities fun to play along with her, because before the communist government back together and try to invite the she’s able to cross those boundaries, took over. They still sing those people from Taiwan and Hong Kong whereas other players are more hymns. The church was persecuted. to teach there. A famous artist here classically oriented. They play the It’s still persecuted over there at in Philadelphia—Shen Li—was asked music one way, and that’s the way it this point. They held on to a lot to go back to China to teach, but he’s is. She has the nerve to bring her erhu of those hymns that were written just so embittered because they killed and start playing along. We’ve done either by the missionaries or by the off all those painters that he wouldn’t some things together too. I would get Chinese—but it’s interesting that go back. He’s one of the last to teach my harp out, and she would just say, they still play those, and then they that particular style of painting. Some “Here, teach me how to play this.” have the more modern ones that are musicians went back and did teach ES: What is it like playing Chinese written now. They use the Chinese because they wanted to preserve music for different audiences? scale. So the music is different; the culture. If they didn’t, they knew KJ: In Chinatown they will know if you can hear the Chinese scale. that it wouldn’t survive in China. you’re playing a wrong note or not. They actually go to a seven-note You hear the orchestras now They will know, or they will know if scale now. The pentatonic scale was playing a lot of Cantonese folk songs. it’s a variation, so you can’t fake your the original scale that they used in They’re just grabbing a lot of different way through it. Whereas an audience the imperial court system. They music, anything, just to get something who doesn’t know the music, if you ended up going to a seven-note different out there. You can even see hit a wrong note, they don’t know scale, but there’s a flatted seventh, it in the recordings they’re putting the difference. But those people so it’s just a little different. And you out now. Maybe 20 years ago, no in Chinatown—we make sure we hear the fourths and thirds that you one thought about putting that music practice really well so it’s all there, don’t hear in Western music. You out; they were considered folk songs. especially in the more classical type would say, “Boy, that does sound Most people were putting together of pieces. A lot of times, over at our Chinese.” The melody is very Chinese. the particular classical pieces that church, we incorporate the Chinese And then they’re mixing some of are associated with each instrument. instruments into the services. Some the Western scale in there—what The erhu has a whole set of music people are shocked. It’s a Chinese would make sense in a Western that’s associated with it. The guzheng Catholic church—it’s all Chinese. scale. We sometimes use Chinese has a set of music associated with We have Masses in Mandarin, in it, and the yangqin, same thing. But Cantonese, and in English. I don’t play [Continued on next page >] now you hear them playing different for all the services, just for the English

30 WIP 2010 Spring instruments as well as the organ, or we use boring, but I find it to be fascinating. Resources for further exploration the Chinese flute or that type of thing. Chinatown’s very small in Philadelphia— Asian Americans United, Philadelphia Folklore Project, ES: How old is that church? we’ve been boxed in. Politically, we haven’t and Barry Dornfeld. 2002. Look Forward and Carry on the KJ: [Holy Redeemer] was started in been able to expand. We only have about Past: Stories from Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Philadelphia: 1941. The story goes that Cardinal Paul 200 votes in the city elections, so they Philadelphia Folklore Project/Asian Americans United. Yü Pin was kicked out by the Japanese. He don’t really care about us. But amazingly, Jung, Kurt. 2006. Traditional Chinese Music for the was the bishop of Nanking. He was very with only 200 votes and very little political Western Musician: A Selection of Traditional Chinese good friends with Cardinal Dougherty, clout, we’ve been able to ward off certain Tunes Transcribed in Western Musical notation. who was the bishop of Philadelphia at that things just by the mere pressure we’ve Cinnaminson, NJ: Self-published. Lau, Frederick. 2008. Music in China: time. Yü Pin had nowhere to go; there exerted and the mere publicity of certain Experiencing Music, Expressing Culture. New York: were all these Chinese people here; and injustices. That’s how it’s done. AAU [Asian Oxford University Press. they said, “Why aren’t you converting all Americans United] has done an excellent Lee, Jae-Hyup. 1998. Dynamics of Ethnic these people?” In honor of Cardinal Yü job where most Chinese people would Identity: Three Asian American Communities Pin, Cardinal Dougherty gave his 50th just shut their mouths. They’ve actually in Philadelphia. New York: Garland. Jubilee money to build our church. The transcended that culture and were able Stock, Jonathan. 1996. Musical Creativity in original church was modeled after a Chinese to speak up and say, “This is wrong!” Twentieth-Century China: Abing, His Music, mission church. The stained glass windows It all started with the city trying to put and Its Changing Meanings. Rochester, all have Chinese saints, and everything has [the Vine Street Expressway] through NY: University of Rochester Press. to do with China. The Christ figure that’s the church—our church. And we fought Zheng, Su. 2010. Claiming Diaspora: Music, in there is Chinese. Unfortunately, it’s not that off. They compromised by putting it Transnationalism and Cultural Politics in Asian/Chinese America. New York: Oxford University Press. the way it looked originally. I don’t like underneath. When they built the Gallery, the fact that they changed it so much—I they cut us off in the south, so we couldn’t sort of like that old feel, you know? expand that way. They also cut us off by Online: My parents still go back there. The the Metropolitan Hospital, east, so we The Wesleyan University Virtual Instrument Museum Chinese Christian Church, the local couldn’t build out that way. The other side is a source for all the instruments mentioned in this interview and more: http://learningobjects.wesleyan.edu/ Protestant church, is the one that the is the Convention Center, and we can’t other half of the community goes to, build out that way, so the only way to go The Grinnell College Music Instrument Collection is another resource, for example, see Erhu: http:// so we have a choice. We also have two is north, and they were going to put the finearts.grinnell.edu/FMPro?-db=world_music_room. stadium north, to box us in. But we fought temples in Chinatown. There’s a temple fp5&-lay=entry&-sortfield=name&-sortfield=inventory_ over on Race Street, and there’s one on that off. The original federal prison was id&use_on_web=yes&collection=world&category=c 10th Street, but you can’t tell because it supposed to go up in Chinatown too, so hordophone&-max=10&-skip=18&-find=&-Format=/ looks like a regular house. Monks live at the we fought that off also. Chinatown has a instruments/format_files/world/inst_record.html&- one on Race Street. That is an interesting turbulent history of dealing with the city. max=1&-skip=18# (Or: http://tinyurl.com/ydv88j3) set of music, too. It’s this meditative hum, It’s sad. But they’re also doing Philadelphia Chinatown’s history: http://www2.hsp. and they have these different cadences. it to other communities, too. org/exhibits/Balch%20exhibits/chinatown/chinatown. Probably some people feel that it’s html

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