Echoes of Silk: A Guqin and Pipa Recital

Join us at Bonhams New Bond Street for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear a live recital featuring Robert Hans van Gulik’s 17th-century guqin and pipa, performed by three renowned musicians.

The specially selected programme includes several traditional Chinese melodies.

Performers

Dr Cheng Yu

Dr Cheng Yu is a renowned pipa and guqin virtuoso, ethnomusicologist and teacher at SOAS University of London. She studied pipa from the age of seven and guqin since her teenage years, going on to become a soloist in China’s National Orchestra. She has performed widely in the UK and Europe, including at the Southbank, Barbican, Rich Mix, WOMEX and seven times at the WOMAD festivals, as well as with BBC and London symphony orchestras and with Lang Lang, Tan Dun and Gabriel Prokofiev. Recently, she played with her silk string quartet at the opening of the British Museum’s major exhibition, China’s Hidden Century.

Dennis Kwong Thye Lee

Dennis Kwong Thye Lee started his musical career as the principal xiao (flute) and guzheng (zither) soloist at the Zhuan Yi Chinese Orchestra. He has been playing various traditional Chinese musical instruments since his early teens, and has taught and performed professionally for over 40 years, including at the British Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Covent Garden Royal Opera House, The Bramall (Birmingham), Rich Mix, The Place (Euston), the Trafalgar Square Chinese New Year Celebrations and the Cultural Olympiad “New Music 20x12” at the Southbank Centre. He is a member of the London Youlan Qin Society and performs regularly with the UK Chinese Ensemble.

Zhang Jiaqi

Zhang Jiaqi is an award-winning guqin virtuoso and multi-instrumentalist on the ruan lute and guzheng zither. Recently graduated from China’s Central Conservatory of Music, she is currently studying for an MA in Arts and Cultural Management at King's College London. She has played in many major concerts with the UK Chinese Music Ensemble.

Tickets

Free entry. Booking is required.

Programme

Robert Van Gulik’s guqin
Prelude for a Delightful Evening (guqin & xiao)
Flowing Water (guqin)
Autumn Thoughts at Lake Dongting (guqin & xiao)

Robert Van Gulik’s pipa
The Moon Is High (pipa & guqin)
White Snow in Sunny Spring (pipa)
Song of the Frontier (modern pipa & xiao)

Cecilia Lindqvist’s guqin
Incantation of Pu’an (guqin & xun)
Joy of Gods and Man (guqin)
Wild Geese Descending on Sandy Beach (guqin & xiao)

Modern guqin, zhongruan & xiao
Moon over the Mountain Pass
Spring Breeze (guqin)
Song of the Crouching Dragon

Information

Venue

Bonhams New Bond Street
101 New Bond Street
London
W1S 1SR
Find us →

Contact

Dr Edward Luper
Specialist
+44 20 7468 5887
edward.luper@bonhams.com