Pipa Beginner I
Embark on a musical journey with our beginner-friendly pipa course! Dive into the enchanting world of this ancient Chinese instrument as we guide you through fundamental techniques, Chinese notations, and scales. Discover the rich cultural connections of music and master finger techniques to bring melodies to life. Gain historical insights into the pipa’s origins and major schools. Learn fingering techniques such as “tan, tiao, lun” (plucking, tremolo) for the right hand and “tui, la, yin, rou” (various vibratos, pitch changing, and string-bending) for the left hand. By the course’s end, confidently perform traditional gems like “Ancient Tunes of Yingzhou” (瀛洲古调) and “White Snow in Spring” (阳春白雪), alongside captivating melodies inspired by Chinese aesthetic from movies, TV episodes, and video game hits. Singing along is encouraged for those interested. Don’t have a pipa? No worries! Pipa rentals are available for a small fee. Grab your pipa and get ready to create musical magic!
Fees
8 sessions (16 hours)
$640 member / $680 non-member
(plus a $30 non-refundable registration fee)
Maximum Number of Students: 6
Instructor
Zhou Yi
Praised for her “breathtaking” meticulous technique and expressiveness by the Washington Post, pipa/qin soloist and educator, Zhou Yi graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China. She is the artistic director of the Ba Ban Chinese Music Society of NY. Zhou Yi’s select performances include: Tan Dunʼs Concerto for Pipa and String Orchestra at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig Germany; Young Peopleʼs Concert with the New York Philharmonic; Bun-Ching Lamʼs Song of the Pipa and Sudden Thunder with the Sinfonieorchester Münster; Zuqiang Wuʼs Sisters of the Grassland with the Ohio Youngstown Symphony Orchestra; guest qin artist with the San Francisco Opera in Bright Shengʼs Dream of the Red Chamber; guest pipa and qin artist with the Santa Fe Opera in Huang Ruoʼs Dr. Sun Yatsen. Zhou Yi’s teaching credits include: Joined Carnegie Hallʼs Music Explorer educational program; a teaching artist with Flushing Council on Culture & Arts in 2019; conducted music workshops in public schools for the China National Traditional Orchestraʼs U.S. tour in 2015; gave lectures at Queens and Brooklyn public libraries; performed musical demonstration for students in grades 1-5 with the Global Language Project; a guest Chinese music instructor in NYU’s East Asian Studies in 1998. Ms. Zhou’s students gained the top scores in a number of musical arts programs and have been awarded in televised talent shows.