Guzheng combines tradition, innovation

As the hall fell quiet, the last few notes from testing strings slowly faded. Forty guzheng 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 special concert by the Gu Zheng Tianxia Ensemble, held at Olin Hall at the Bard College Conservatory of Music on Saturday night, at the end of the US-China Music Institute's eighth annual conference 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 Chinese traditional 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 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, according to Cai Jindong, director of the US-China Music Institute and a professor of music and arts at Bard College.

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

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 director of the Center for Chinese Music 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 with the guzheng. It's always been an interesting sound to me."

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

"So seeing the instrument presented in this kind of academic setting is really interesting. It is also interesting to see the rigor with which people are thinking about it," he said.

Wang Yixin, the first graduate of the guzheng major in Bard College's undergraduate dual-degree program, 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.

Wang added that in the process of sharing the music more broadly, it is important to give audiences access to authentic traditions and help them develop a deeper understanding of the culture.

"The guzheng carries Chinese culture within it," said Yuan Sha, a guzheng professor at China Central Conservatory of Music.

"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," she said.

She added that Chinese guzheng performers and educators have conducted in-depth studies of the instrument, but these explorations should not be limited to China.

"We should have greater exchange and engagement with international musicians," she said.