Guzheng bridges tradition and innovation

As the hall fell quiet, the last few notes from testing strings slowly faded. Forty guzhengs stood in staggered rows across the stage, forming a gentle arc under the lights. The polished wooden instruments caught the glow. The performers settled into position, some glancing toward the conductor, others keeping their eyes on the strings, waiting for the cue to begin.

The 40 guzheng players then performed in unison, their sound flowing as one and filling the hall with a powerful, continuous wave of music.

The concert "Guzheng Tianxia" was held at Olin Hall on Saturday night, capping the eighth annual conference of the US-China Music Institute at Bard College on Chinese music in the West.

This is one of the largest guzheng conferences in the United States, hosted by the US-China Music Institute at Bard College Conservatory of Music. The three-day program, which also kicked off celebrations for Asian Heritage Month, featured the sound of traditional Chinese music. The conference brought together renowned guzheng masters from China, musicians from across North America and young student performers for artistic exchange, collaboration and performance.

The guzheng, one of China's most recognizable traditional instruments, typically built with 21 nylonwrapped steel strings and movable bridges, has gradually expanded far beyond its origins, appearing increasingly on international stages.

The name "Tianxia", meaning "under heaven" in Chinese, reflects the idea of connection across regions and generations, as well as the growing global presence of the guzheng, said Cai Jindong, director of the US-China Music Institute and a professor of music and arts at Bard College.

The growing presence of the guzheng reflects both cultural continuity and contemporary relevance. With a long history in China, the instrument has become increasingly popular in China and the West, as musicians explore new techniques and forms of innovation while maintaining its traditional character, Cai said.

"The beauty of the traditional guzheng does not lie in the fixed notes themselves, but in the space between them, like water flowing around stones, with its own curves, pace and movement," said Han Mei, a professor of music and the founding director of the Center for Chinese Music and Culture at Middle Tennessee State University.

"This reveals the essence of the instrument: the traditional left-hand techniques of the guzheng transform sound from a series of separate points into a continuous process. That is what fundamentally defines the guzheng," she said.

Influenced by traditional Chinese music, she added, Western contemporary composers have also incorporated this fluid approach to sound into new music, electronic music and electroacoustic works.

"I've always been drawn to the sound of the resonating strings," said musician and guitarist Kevin Barker, who is learning the guzheng. "It's very different from the guitar, where you fret the strings, so the notes don't overlap in the same way as they do on the guzheng. It's always been an interesting sound to me."

His daughter is learning erhu, a traditional Chinese bowed instrument.

Wang Yixin, one of the first graduates of the Bard College Conservatory of Music's undergraduate dual-degree program in guzheng and its US-China Music Institute, said that traditional Chinese music needs innovation and younger generations to help carry it forward.

"Many music groups in New York place a strong emphasis on traditional training, including classical repertoire. We need to innovate while staying rooted in tradition," she said.

"Seeing the instrument performed in so many different styles in the US, Western audiences are also able to feel the emotions and love conveyed through guzheng music. The emotion behind the guzheng is universal, and sincere emotion matters far more than technical skill," said Yuan Sha, a guzheng professor at the Central Conservatory of Music in China.