Category: cultural

September sees the Institute`s touring exhibition on Shanghai and the 2010 Expo sited at the Scottish Parliament. The exhibition will be sited in the MSP`s lobby, the gathering point for MSP entering and leaving the debating chamber.

Since its first appearance in February 2010 at Atlantic Quay, the Exhibition has been seen by an estimated 50,000 people in locations including Atlantic Quay, Victoria Quay, the University of Edinburgh`s main library, Ocean Terminal and finally the Scottish Parliament.

Relating the story of Shanghai`s growth from a small fishing village to a world city hosting the world`s largest ever Expo, the exhibition and accompanying leaflet has been lauded by those who have been able to see it.

For a virtual visit to the touring exhibition and for more information on Shanghai Expo 2010 please visit our microsite.

Exhibition Location:
MSPs Lobby, Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh

Dates
20-24 September 2010

Discover the music that can be made on the beautiful Yang Ch’in (Chinese Hammered Dulcimer) with our summer school workshop programme offering four hours of tuition and up to four hours for self practice.

Yang Ch’in playing is melodic, rhythmical and melodious. It is a key instrument within a Chinese orchestra. The instrument is portable and can be played initially without the need to read music.

Led by Kimho Ip, Yang Ch`in performer and musical curator at the Institute, workshop sessions take place on Saturday 24th and Saturday 31st July from 10am-noon.

At the first workshop you will learn the structure of the instrument, the technique of using the ‘hammers’ and begin to create pentatonic chord patterns to delight the ears.

Between the two workshops, you can book up to four hours for self-practice time at the Institute. This will allow you to practice the technique of using the hammers and will help extend your knowledge and confidence before returning to work again with Kimho for the second workshop. Practice times can be booked Monday – Friday between 09.30 and 16.30.

In the second workshop participants will learn to play up to three traditional Chinese tunes as a group. This session will also introduce basic knowledge required to maintain of the instrument including tuning, changing keys etc.

And, should you have fallen under the spell of the Yang Ch`in, advice on purchasing a suitable instrument is also available. Prices start from around £400 including delivery.

The cost of the course is £125 for four hours of tuition and up to four hours of self practice. Classes are restricted to a maximum of six students. The ratio of instruments to students is 1:2.

To register,please download, complete and return the PDF registration form form along with payment made out to the University of Edinburgh. If you have any questions please contact us on 0131 662 2180.

PDF Registration Form

Tickets are now on sale for this unique concert taking place at `teatime` in the magnificent McEwan Hall on Sunday 14 March.

Following last year`s sell out concert from iMAP Ensemble at Abden House, the Institute is sponsoring this unique concert which will see musicians from China, Thailand, Holland and the UK perform specially composed music exploring the universal themes of travelling and oasis.

Under the artistic direction of Kimho Ip, with special guest, John Kitchen, McEwan Hall organist, audience members will hear yangchin, saxophone, cello and a variety of ethnic instruments. With specially created accompanying video footage, a short community artist spot,this early evening concert will open your ears and eyes with unique combinations of beautiful music.

VENUE: McEwan Hall
DATE : Sunday 14 March
TIME : 5pm-6.15pm
PRICE: £10 (£6) and family (£26)

Hub box office online
or call 0131 473 2000

Tickets on sale at door 30 minutes before the performance.

CONFIRMED PERFORMERS
Filip Davidse, soprano saxophone
Sam Glazer, cello
June Chan, cello
Louise Martin, cello
Kimho Ip, yangchin
John Kitchen, organ

Videos by Anothai Nitibhon, video artist
Production Manager, Martin Palmer

A special exhibition, curated by the Confucius Institute on the history of Shanghai and the 2010 Expo opens this week.

Shanghai Expo 2010, with the theme `Better City, Better Life`, will explore the full potential of urban life in the 21st century, a significant period in urban evolution with 55% of the world`s population currently living in cities.

With over 70 million people expected to visit the Expo over its 184 day life, the Confucius Institute has created a special exhibition and website on Shanghai and the Expo to provide advance information.

The first venue for the Exhibition is at the Scottish Government HQ at Victoria Quay, Edinburgh. During February, senior school pupils from Scottish schools, will visit the exhibition to gain insight into the history of the city of Shanghai and the plans for the 2010 Expo.

While this venue has restrictions on access further venues will be announced on our website as dates are confirmed. Meantime visit our micro site to find out more about Shanghai and the 2010 Expo.

A special programme of events arranged and supported by the Confucius Institute for Scotland to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the PRC has seen `house full` signs for our special lecture series, appreciative audiences for dance and music events, an international business conference, a student/business networking event and still to come, debates on China in schools across Scotland.

Dr Kimho Ip, musical curator at the Confuicus Institute for Scotland, will examine one of his latest compositions `Requiem for Travellers` in this lunchtime seminar.

`Requiem for Travellers` will be examined as a symbol and model for the process of translocation of cultural identity.

The talk takes place on Friday 23rd October from 1.10pm-2.00pm in the Conference Room at 27 George Square. No booking is required.

Kimho Ip works as a composer, director, cellist and Yangqin performer. He has worked extensively with the Confucius Institute for Scotland since its opening. In addition to organising various musical recitals and concerts, he also is involved in the promotion of Chinese music and instrumentation to schools and the wider community in conjunction with the Institute.

In 1997 he received a fellowship from DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) which enabled him to study composition in Germany. With the Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fellowship and the Composers & Authors Society of Hong Kong Fellowship he furthered his study and research in Edinburgh and London.

Ensembles which have performed his works include the Edinburgh String Quartet, Emperor String Quartet, Shanghai New Ensemble, the Paragon Internationals, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, Hong Kong Bach Choir and Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

He composed the music for `Spirit: A Chinese Lantern Festival` the opening event for China Now in Scotland and he performs regularly both solo and with other musicians in China, London, Edinburgh and elsewhere.

To visit Kimho`s own iMAP (Intercultural Music & Arts Project) website please click here. To sample some of Kimho`s compositions and collaborations click here.

Join us at Abden House to discover the current state of modern dance in China today. Together Janis Claxton, of Janis Claxton Dance and Ding Qi Rui will reflect on the current state of modern dance in China today.

Modern Chinese dance, combining the physical skills of traditional Chinese training with modern artistic expression is a pioneering and most exciting new field of exploration. Ding Qi Rui, from Beijing Dance Academy, together with the choreographer Janis Claxton, of Janis Claxton Dance, present insights on the most current developments.

Under a sponsorship from the Confucius Institute, Ding Qi Rui has been brought to Edinburgh for three weeks to participate in an international dance workshop sponsored by British Council, New Zealand and Dance Base.

This free insight evening will run from 6.00-7.00pm followed by a drinks reception. The evening is free but as seats are limited, please email info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk or call on 0131 662 2180 to request seats.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

Ding Qi Rui is one of the rising stars in the new wave of Chinese contemporary dancers working in both Chinese and international contexts. Based in Beijing he is currently an MA student at Beijing Dance Academy.

Choreographer, Dancer and Teacher Janis Claxton, is based in Edinburgh, Scotland. She is Artistic Director of Janis Claxton Dance. Please click here to visit Janis Claxton Dance website

VIDEO LINKS

The clips here show short samples of workshop activity led by Janis Claxton during her visit to Beijing this summer where she met Ding Qi Rui.

Video 1 July 09 LDTX and Janis Claxton
Video 2 July 09 LDTX and Janis Claxton

Event Date: 03/10/2009

Join in the 60th Anniversary celebrations by attending ECSSA`s special programme `Silver Moon over China` on Sat 03 October. This event will be held at Heriot-Watt University from 7-10pm with the support of the Confucius Institute.

A special performance in the evening entertainment programme will be given by Ding Qi Rui, a rising young contemporary dancer from LDTX Beijing, China who has been brought to Scotland by the Confucius Institute to attend an international dance workshop programme.

The event will also mark the Mid-Autumn festival with both traditional and contemporary performances taking place.

在新中國的第60個中秋夜， 讓我門在愛丁堡共同慶祝祖國的60歲生日。表演將向我們打開歷史的畫卷，在這月圓之夜讓我門在異地他鄉，同世界各地的朋友一同載歌載舞！超女歌曲演唱 、街舞、古典音樂等節目使晚會雅俗共賞。之後還將會有After-party，讓我們盡情狂歡，結識更多的朋友。

Tickets are priced at £5/£4 for students and can be reserved by email to eacssa@googlemail.com

Venue: James Watt Centre 1, Heriot-Watt University. Riccarton Campus, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS.

Transport: Lothian Bus Nos 25 and 34 go directly to Riccarton Campus.

Event Date: 26/09/2009

The Grampian town of Huntly will be host to a commerative weekend marking one of its famous sons, James Legge, a noted Scottish sinologist.

`The Legacy of J Legge: China and the West`

is the title of the commerative weekend which includes a diverse range of activities to involve people of the town and visitors.

Events listed below take place on Saturday 26 September with the exhibition element of the programme held in James Legge House open on 26/27 September from 10am-4pm.

2PM PALACE OF PUZZLES
Starting off at 2pm from James Legge House, 9 The Square, Huntly with `The Palace of Puzzles` a special public parade will launch the day`s events.

4PM CHINESE TEA CEREMONY & DISCUSSION
The afternoon moves onto a more thoughtful mood when Professor Natascha Gentz, Director of the Confucius Institute for Scotland chairs a discussion on the impact of James Legge. Entitled The Legacy of Legge: Understanding, Misunderstanding, Belief and Amnesia participants include

Norman Girardo of Lehigh University, Bethlehem USA, author of The Victorian Translation of China: James Legge`s Oriental Pilgrimage will consider The Legacy of James Legge

Gu Zhen Qing, Curator, Li Space, Beijing and Editor, Visual Production Magazine will consider Art in China: now and then

Glen Dudbrige, Emeritus Prof of Chinese, University of Oxford will consider A potted history of Religion in China

Ewan MacDonald, Emeritus Rector of the Gordon Schools, Huntly will reflect on James Legge in Huntly

7.30PM CEILIDH & CHINESE FOOD
Rounding off the day there will be a Ceilidh with Chinese food held at the Gordon Arms Hotel. Tickets are priced at £10 with proceeds going to the Gordon Dancer Beijing appeal.

FURTHER INFO
info@deveron-arts.com; 01466 794494; www.deveron-arts.com; www.jameslegge.org

JAMES LEGGE BRIEF BIOGRAPHY
James Legge was born in Huntly 1815 and was a Missionary + Translator in China from 1837-1873 before being appointed Prof of Sinology, Oxford 1875-1897.

James Legge left his Huntly birthplace in Aberdeenshire as a missionary to the Far East. Believing that he had to understand those he sought to convert, he learned Chinese and began a lifelong study of their language and culture. Later occupying the first chair of Sinology at Oxford, he published numerous monumental volumes of the Chinese Classics – including the Confucius Analects and the Book of Changes or Yijing. This opened channels of exchange that led to a deeper understanding of China and seeded early modern globalisation.

ORGANISERS
The Utopia Group (Deng Dafei and He Hai) from Beijing are in residence with Deveron Arts between July and Sept 2009. During this time they have developed a body of work celebrating Huntly’s famous son – the great Sinolgist and translator James Legge. The work includes a treasure hunt game in the town and an exhibition of paintings and drawings in James Legge’s House of childhood. The climax of the project will lead the towns’ folk on a parade from the house to the river celebrating a fusion of Eastern and Western, Chinese and Scottish culture and the legacy of James Legge.

The launch concert for a year long music event `Musical Silk Road` will take place at the Confucius Institute for Scotland head office in Abden House on the evening of Tuesday 11 August.

This musical journey is inspired by the theme of travelling and translocation of cultures. Featuring the music of Kimho Ip on Yangqin, Filipe Davidse on saxophone, and minority ethnic visiting musicians from China, the programme for this opening concert will include the premiere of `Requiem for Travellers` composed by Kimho Ip.

Doors open at 6.45pm and the evening starts at 7.00pm. Concert goers will enjoy a short break with Chinese style canapés and a glass of wine or a soft drink. During the break, guests will also have a chance to enjoy the splendid setting of Abden House and, weather permitting, its gardens.

Tickets will cost £10 per person. To secure a ticket please contact the Confucius Institute or email imapish@yahoo.com

The Confucius Institute is pleased to sponsor this opening concert which has been coordinated by iMAP.

iMAP (www.imapimap.com) is a Scottish based chamber music company. It primarily aims to transcend the limitations of chamber/concert music through multi-artform and multimedia collaborations, community involvement and cultural diversity. It also aims to promote chamber music to new audiences, especially to young people and immigrants, by adopting welcoming, informal and innovative approaches in both the contents and the form of music.

Kimho Ip, the Artistic Director of iMAP Ensemble, works as a composer, cellist and Yangqin performer. His compositions have been performed at the ISCM World New Music Days (2002), music@Edinburgh festival (2003) and the Edinburgh International Festival (2005). Renowned Ensembles, such as the Edinburgh String Quartet, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, have also performed his works.

An opening night audience of over 500 were in place to see this spectacular interpretation of a Midsummer Night`s Dream. Gaining four stars from the Scotsman, Edinburgh Guide, All the Festivals.com and plaudits on many sides the production fuses music, dancing and martial-arts, fused with computer gaming and Olympic technology resulting in a visually spectacular performance.

To read the four star reviews

Scotman – Four Star Review 

AlltheFestivals.com Four Star Review 

The tale of the four bewitched lovers, the enchanted forest, mischievous Puck and hapless Bottom is much loved around the world.

Our characters blend traditional Chinese dramatic traditions with the world of digital technology enabling a range of bizarre and fantastic dream effects to be realised.

While the words of Shakespeare will be heard Mandarin, mime and music will also be used to convey the emotions and dramatic action of the play. The addition of a digital dimension to the play’s inherent contrasts between illusion and reality, waking and dreaming further highlights the question as to who really controls our fate.

14-23 August 2009 at 7pm (8.20pm)

Tickets £12 (£10)
Preview Evening 14 August £6
Family tickets £35
Matinees on Aug 16, 22, 23 at 2.30pm (3.50pm)

To book call

0131 651 1292

Multi-award winning `Perhaps Love`(Ai Ru Guo)which has been called the Chinese `Moulin Rouge` features an international cast and crew. Shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer Peter Pau and choreographed by Bollywood`s Farah Khan its international stars include Hong Kong pop star Jacky Cheung, South Korean actor Ji Jin-hee, Taiwanese-Japanese actor Takeshi Kaneshiro and Chinese actress Zhou Xun.

It was first released in 2005 and will premiere in Scotland on Friday 22 May at the Edinburgh Filmhouse as part of the Dance:Film Festival between Filmhouse and Dancebase.

The Confucius Institute for Scotland is pleased to support this Scottish Premiere of the first musical film to be produced in mainland China in more than 40 years.

Mandarin, Cantonese and English with English subtitles

Join us for four Saturday afternoons in April and May to discover the ancient art of `seal carving`

Seal-carving is one of the `four arts` which with painting, calligraphy and poetry are the mark of the accomplished scholar.

Over the four Saturday afternoons you will not only learn of the history of calligraphy, painting and seal carving but you will also make your own seal.

2008 has been a year when the world focused on China. Recognising the importance of China to Scotland, the 124th edition of the Edinburgh Review focuses on China.

As ever this well established Scottish journal features essays, short fiction, poetry and reviews all on China. In addition, there are a selection of photographs from the recent Chinese photography exhibition brought to Edinburgh`s City Art Centre by the Confucius Institute.

You can order this edition on line via the Edinburgh Review website

Event Date: 07/09/2008

To coincide with the exhibition ‘China: A Photographic Portrait’ at the City Art Centre, the Filmhouse, working with the Confucius Institute for Scotland, presents three programmes of short and experimental films from the moving image project My China Now, which aims to redefine modern-day China in moving images through the prism of a dynamic group of filmmakers and artists.

A collection of fascinating tales of China today, covering every facet of life in shades of humour, pathos, fun, frivolity, frustration and fears, using diverse subjects of change, advance, development, poverty, displacement, fashion, nightlife, food, health, music, business, love, and money: burning topics, issues, and emotions that underpin their experience of the times. Filmmakers from all over China and of all ages and backgrounds. This is their China, now.

Part of the China Now In Scotland festival, this work was commissioned by China Now in collaboration with Intelligent Alternative, Beijing. Distribution in Scotland is handled by the Confucius Institute for Scotland.

Ticket Info: £4.80 (£3.20)
For More Info: www.filmhouse.com
Call 0131 228 2688.

Free guided tours are on offer to those attending this summer’s must see exhibition at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre.

For Sunday visitors, or for small groups of visitors on a pre-arranged basis, special guided tours are on offer which will reveal the story behind just a few of the 590 photographs on display in ‘China: A Photographic Portrait’. Tours will be led by Confucius Institute staff and Chinese Studies students who will also comment on historical and social aspects of China.

The Sunday drop in tour starts at 1.30pm and is offered on a first come first served basis to valid ticket holders. Please book in on arrival or listen for the tannoy announcement.

Special tours can be scheduled to suit a group’s timetable, subject to space and availability. A tour group is usually between 5 and ten people each holding valid tickets. To arrange a group tour please email the info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk or call us on 0131 662 2180.

Each tour will last around one hour.

This summer visit Edinburgh’s City Art Centre to see the enthralling ‘China: A Photographic Portrait’

This exhibition from the Guangdong Museum of Art is a remarkable photographic exhibition, both in its scale and the insight it provides into the changing lives of the people of China. Over 250 Chinese photographers provide an incredible picture of the country’s people in all walks of life in almost 600 photographs.

The exhibition records the significance of radical cultural change from the vantage point of photographers living in China, capturing images which reflect many previously unseen aspects of life in China.

“.. modern China is a place of immense wealth and absolute poverty, a fact which has been captured beautifully by this massive, enthralling exhibition of hundreds of photographs”
Duncan Macmillan, Scotsman, 04 July 08

An extensive side programme of lunchtime talks, an adult and family craft programme and an already sold out schools programme will run in conjunction with the exhibition. Admission to complementary activities is included in the ticket price. Booking is recommended

Special one hour tours telling the story behind just a few of the photographs in the exhibition are also on offer. A drop in tour will take place every Sunday at 1.30pm on a first come first served basis.

These tours can also be offered at pre-arranged times for groups. To arrange a group tour email info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk or call 0131 662 2180.

A further complement to the exhibition is a contemporary moving image project from My China Now, featuring eleven short films providing further tantalising insights into cultural and social life in a country which is home to a fifth of the world’s population.

The exhibition comprises almost 600 frank images – selected from more than 100,000 works by over 1,000 Chinese photographers – and has been loaned by Guangdong Museum of Art, where it was originally shown in 2003. Having toured in Germany for the last two years, the run at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre represents the only opportunity to catch this incredible portrait of China before it returns to Guangdong.

Natascha Gentz, director of the Confucius Institute for Scotland, said: “Bringing this outstanding exhibition to Scotland is a remarkable achievement for the Institute. The broad range of authentic images of China – revealed for the first and, possibly, only time in the UK – reflects our Institute’s aim of promoting a greater understanding of the diversity and complexity of this huge, rapidly evolving country.”

The exhibition runs till 14 September and is open seven days 10.00-17.00 with Sunday opening at noon.

Prices are £5.00/£3.50 concession; £2.50 child 5-15; £10 season ticket; £10 family ticket. Admission to complementary activities is included in the admission price.

`Wings of Life` a major fundraising event will be hosted by the University of Edinburgh in the McEwan Hall, next Tuesday 3 June.

Featuring a mixture of Chinese and Western dance and music, the idea for the concert came from Chinese students studying in the University. They have, in association with the Chinese Consulate in Edinburgh, The Academy of Chinese National Musical Instruments, and the Chinese Community in Scotland, put together this fund raising concert.

Concert goers will be treated to a mixture of Chinese and western performances. With both professional musicians and students studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow a wide range of music is anticipated. There will there will be Zheng and Er-hu pieces while local musicians will present western music.

This ambitious fundraiser has been put together at very short notice and we hope that the audience turnout will see a substantial sum raised for Sichuan earthquake relief funds.

Tickets will be available at the door on the night of the event and a suggested donation of £10 for an adult and £8 for a child would be welcome. Tickets can also be reserved at the Confucius Institute in person or by calling 0131 662 2180. Tickets are also available through Asian Studies office at 8 Buccleuch Place, Edinburgh, EH8 9LW.

The programme will start at 7.30pm and will end at approximately 8.45pm at McEwan Hall, Teviot Place, EH8 9AG on Tuesday 3rd June 2008.

About the earthquake

The 7.9 magnitude tremor, which was focused in China`s Sichuan Province, is estimated to have killed at least 68,000 people – and that toll is expected to rise dramatically as rescue teams reach the most affected areas. In cities near the earthquake`s epicentre, over 26,000 people are buried under the rubble of collapsed buildings.

The Chinese government estimates that as many as 5 million homes may have been destroyed. After-shocks continue.

Major exhibition at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre.

The only UK opportunity to catch an unprecedented and unique photographic exhibition, documenting the changing face of China over 50 years, comes to the City Art Centre in Edinburgh this summer.

Comprising almost 600 frank images – selected from more than 100,000 works by over 1,000 Chinese photographers – this exhibition has been loaned by Guangdong Museum of Art, where it was originally shown in 2003. Having toured in Germany for the last two years, the run at Edinburgh’s City Art Centre represents the only opportunity to catch this incredible portrait of China before it returns to Guangdong.

The photographs, many of them in black and white and the majority taken in the last 20 years, record in detail the daily lives, both public and private, of ordinary Chinese individuals, of varying ages and from diverse backgrounds, at work, rest and play, in both major cities and the countryside.

As well as the glossy exterior of the economic boom in China’s cities, the exhibition records the significance of radical cultural change from the vantage point of photographers living in China, capturing images which reflect many previously unseen aspects of life in China.

Complementing the exhibition will be a China Art Now project, featuring a collection of 33 short films providing further tantalising insights into cultural and social life in a country which is home to a fifth of the world’s population. The exhibition will also be accompanied by a varied events programme of lectures, family and arts activities.

Natascha Gentz, director of the Confucius Institute for Scotland, said: “Bringing this outstanding exhibition to Scotland is a remarkable achievement for the Institute. The broad range of authentic images of China – revealed for the first and, possibly, only time in the UK – reflects our Institute’s aim of promoting a greater understanding of the diversity and complexity of this huge, rapidly evolving country.”

The exhibition opens on 5 July and runs through till 14 September. Prices are £5.00/£3.50 concession; £2.50 child 5-15; £10 season ticket; £10 family ticket.

The City Art Centre is open Monday – Saturday 10.00-17.00 and Sunday 12.00-17.00

First Minister opens 2008 programme.

Strengthening our links with China in education, commerce, culture and science will help create the Celtic Lion economy we aspire to, First Minister Alex Salmond said today.

The First Minister was speaking at the launch of China Now In Scotland (CNIS), the largest festival ever in Scotland to be devoted to China.

The First Minister was joined at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) by a number of dignitaries from both countries to open Spirit, the Chinese Spring Lantern Festival – the first of more than 100 events being co-ordinated by the Confucius Institute for Scotland as part of China Now in Scotland.

Mr Salmond said:

“Tonight`s event marks not just the end of the Chinese New Year but the start of a year long programme of events celebrating Scotland`s links with China”.

“My government places real value on our growing partnership with China. Building trade links internationally is vital to our future economic success, and China is clearly a key market for Scotland. We are fortunate to already have strong links with China. You only have to look at the number of Scottish businesses, universities, and school children working together and learning to see the mutual benefits of this partnership”.

“China Now In Scotland provides a real opportunity to celebrate our friendship and economic opportunities with China. The Botanics` Lantern Festival is a spectacular start to what I am in no doubt will be a year-long success of events, promoting this bond, across Scotland.”