This Beginner II course is a continuation of the Beginner class at China Institute or for anyone who has completed a minimum of 10 hours of basic Guqin lessons. In this 5-session summer program, students will delve deeper into Guqin tablature (notation), refine basic fingerings, and continue to explore the nuances of the instrument’s three tone colors: open strings, pressed tones, and harmonics. Alongside honing foundational skills, students will also be introduced to new pieces. Additionally, this class will offer insights into the rich history, aesthetics, and cultural significance of the Guqin. Students who have previously studied the Guqin at other venues are welcome to join this class.
- Summer 2025 Registration is Now Open!
Music Classes
Classes Start The Week Of July 14, 2025!
Register by June 15, 2025
to
receive $30 discount off tuition!
This Summer, China Institute in America offers music classes in the areas of traditional Guqin 古琴 and Pipa 琵琶.
All classes at China Institute in America are conducted and taught by accredited instructors internationally-renowned in their respective field of training. Browse below for detailed class descriptions and instructor bios.
Contact us today for any questions regarding classes!
Summer 2025 Course Listing
Classes Start the Week of July 14, 2025
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Beginner
Guqin Beginner II
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Intermediate
Guqin Intermediate II
This Intermediate II class is a continuation of the Intermediate class at China Institute or for anyone with an overall intermediate proficiency in playing the instrument. In this 5-session summer program, students will advance their skills by learning to interpret more intricate tablatures (notation), refining hand postures for optimal performance, and mastering complex fingerings such as separate, advance and return, back and return, lift up, knock, push out, among others. Alongside mastering new techniques, students will be introduced to a variety of new pieces. Additionally, the class will provide a deeper understanding of the rich history, aesthetics, and cultural significance of the Guqin. Students who have previously studied the Guqin at other venues are welcome to join this class.
Registration
Advanced
Pipa Advanced IV
This course is designed for students seeking to achieve an advanced level of proficiency in pipa performance. Students will study the martial-style masterpiece Ambushing from Ten Sides (《十面埋伏》), a cornerstone of the pipa repertoire. In addition to exploring modern compositions using both numbered and staff notation, the course also introduces traditional Gongche notation (工尺谱). Upon completion, students will have the opportunity to showcase their skills as soloists in formal performance settings. Students with prior pipa experience may join the class after an evaluation by the instructor.
Registration
Beginner
Guqin Beginner II
This Beginner II course is a continuation of the Beginner class at China Institute or for anyone who has completed a minimum of 10 hours of basic Guqin lessons. In this 5-session summer program, students will delve deeper into Guqin tablature (notation), refine basic fingerings, and continue to explore the nuances of the instrument’s three tone colors: open strings, pressed tones, and harmonics. Alongside honing foundational skills, students will also be introduced to new pieces. Additionally, this class will offer insights into the rich history, aesthetics, and cultural significance of the Guqin. Students who have previously studied the Guqin at other venues are welcome to join this class.
Registration
Intermediate
Guqin Intermediate II
This Intermediate II class is a continuation of the Intermediate class at China Institute or for anyone with an overall intermediate proficiency in playing the instrument. In this 5-session summer program, students will advance their skills by learning to interpret more intricate tablatures (notation), refining hand postures for optimal performance, and mastering complex fingerings such as separate, advance and return, back and return, lift up, knock, push out, among others. Alongside mastering new techniques, students will be introduced to a variety of new pieces. Additionally, the class will provide a deeper understanding of the rich history, aesthetics, and cultural significance of the Guqin. Students who have previously studied the Guqin at other venues are welcome to join this class.
Registration
Advanced
Pipa Advanced IV
This course is designed for students seeking to achieve an advanced level of proficiency in pipa performance. Students will study the martial-style masterpiece Ambushing from Ten Sides (《十面埋伏》), a cornerstone of the pipa repertoire. In addition to exploring modern compositions using both numbered and staff notation, the course also introduces traditional Gongche notation (工尺谱). Upon completion, students will have the opportunity to showcase their skills as soloists in formal performance settings. Students with prior pipa experience may join the class after an evaluation by the instructor.
Registration
See Our Testimonials
Guqin 古琴 (In-Person)
The Guqin, regarded by Chinese as the most elegant of all their musical instruments, produces delicate music from seven strings. With a 3,000-year history, the Guqin has deep roots in Chinese culture, long being associated with Confucius, self-cultivation, scholarship, philosophy, and poetry. Favored by the elite as an elegant pastime, the Guqin was also played as a means to attain calm, nurture virtue, and promote longevity. The subtle tones of the Guqin are realized by sophisticated and elegant methods of fingering. While playing, the interaction of the two hands creates a harmonious choreography, a visual pleasure like a ballet of the fingers.
Recently the Guqin has attained renewed popularity because of its charismatic playing at the opening of the Beijing Olympics and recognition by the United Nations as part of humanity’s intangible cultural heritage. It is featured in the theme music of several popular TV series. In addition to the fingering technique and reading notation, the aesthetic and cultural aspects of the Guqin will be taught.
成人古琴班介绍： 古琴有三千年历史， 是中国音乐史上最古老优雅的乐器。古代文人必修的四艺 “琴棋书画” 就以古琴为首，与哲学、修身、诗歌交相辉映，因此备受重视。古人认为古琴是音乐，同时也是道。所以它除了作为音乐来看待之外，还紧扣着传统的哲学和美学思想。作为中国文人士大夫的精致文化，古琴有一套完整的美学体系和弹奏的审美习惯。历代琴书均对古琴音乐的风格、指触、操缦的环境、琴声的美等作出详尽的描述，形成了古琴独特的审美理想和情调。
自从 2008 年在北京奥运会亮相后，古琴热的旋风随即在各地刮起。几套在中国热播的电视剧《三生三世十里桃 花》、《那年花开月正圆》、《大鱼海棠》 、最近的《陈情令》及张艺谋的电影《影》均以古琴作主题音乐，使其越来越为大众认识和弹奏。 这堂古琴体验课面向不需任何音乐经验的初学者，学习识谱、弹奏基本指法及小曲。完成课程后学生可以弹奏传统曲目《耕薪钓渭》、《秋风词》及流行曲《沧海一 声笑》。 体验课也会讲授古琴的礼仪（焚香、正容、冥想、调息）、历史、美学及其文化内涵。
Click here for student testimonial and here to watch instructor Mingmei Yip explain her philosophy in teaching guqin.
About the Instructor
Mingmei Yip
Mingmei Yip, PhD in musicology from the University of Paris (Sorbonne) on a full scholarship from the French Government. A master performer on the Qin, she has given lectures and performances at venues such as Metropolitan Museum of Art, Carnegie Hall, New York Philharmonic, Columbia University, Oxford University, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Beijing University, the University of Paris, Amsterdam University, Oberlin Conservatory, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the China Institute in New York. Mingmei has served as consultant for Beijing’s Chinese Qin Association 北京中国古琴会, director for Chinese Kun Opera and Guqin Research Association 中国古琴昆剧研究会理事, artistic consultant for New York Cultural Art Association, as well as on the academic board of the Chengdu International Qin Conference.
Also a writer, Mingmei has published fourteen books, with two on the qin. Her latest being her 7th novel The Witch’s Market (Kensington Books) which received a glowing review from the New York Times. She wrote columns for seven major newspapers and has appeared on over 50 TV and radio programs in Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, and the United States.
Mingmei is also accomplished as a painter and calligrapher. A one-person show of her paintings of Guan Yin (the Chinese Goddess of Compassion) and calligraphy was held at the New York Open Center Gallery in SoHo in 2002. Mingmei was lecturer and senior lecturer (associate professor) of music at Chinese University of Hong Kong and Baptist University respectively, and in 2005, an International Institute of Asian Studies fellow in Holland researching on the qin. She has taught qin playing and calligraphy at two major Hong Kong Universities.
Click here to listen to Guqin audio.
The Raven’s Night Cry (乌夜啼), a celebrated Guqin piece from Tang Dynasty (618 – 907) by Mingmei Yip
Pipa 琵琶 (Virtual)
The pipa, or Chinese lute, is an ancient instrument that is both elegant and playful, charming, and adaptable to both traditional and modern sounds. The origins of the pipa date back to the Han dynasty, about 2,000 years ago, when a similar type of stringed instrument was brought into China from Persia via the Silk Road. It has enjoyed wide popularity throughout its long history, especially during the Tang dynasty, and now again in our own time.
The pipa has four strings on a pear-shaped body and fretted neck. It is played by plucking and strumming much like a guitar, but is held upright with the base on the lap and the neck at the player’s shoulder.
Learning the pipa introduces the student to a wealth of tunes and an exciting solo repertoire. Pipa can also be played in Chinese instrument orchestras and ensembles, and has found its way into world music ensembles in recent years.
No musical experience necessary. Instruments are provided for in-class instruction and are available to rent at a small fee.
Click here to watch a clip of pipa performance by Instructor Zhou Yi
About the 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.
Contact Us Today For
Any Questions Regarding Classes!
Please contact Lingjie Guo at
(212) 744-8181, ext. 129