Recent News

New in its form and style, unique in its instrumentation and presentation, the all-female Silk String Quartet is the first and the only Chinese String Quartet in the UK and Europe . The four group members have all been trained since childhood on their instruments. The group combines traditional and modern, Chinese and Western music in a fresh and creative way. The repertoire includes a wide range of newly commissioned compositions and traditional pieces performed in the Quartet's own style.

Date/s: 7:00 pm, 12 th January 2008
Venue:
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre
SOAS,University of London,
Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square,
London WC1H 0XG

Ticket Information: Admission free

In Partnership with World Beaters Arts and Culture , China Arts will design and deliver a ten week workshop programme on music, dance and story telling for this school. Early education on arts and music is important and China Arts provide suitable artists with a set of targeted programmes on a weekly basis to enable the children to taste, develop an interest in, and have hands-on experience of Chinese arts forms. The children will learn from simple hand clapping with rhythms, through percussion instruments to singing and dancing, not only from Chinese but also from other Asian cultures. This is a great opportunity for the children to play and to experience Chinese and Asian culture from an early age in multi-cultural Britain .

Date : 15 th January – 25 th March 2008

Venue:

Ann Bernhadt Nursery

29 Chandler Way

Peckham London SE15

Date: 30th January 2008
Venue:
Shrewsbury Music Hall
The Square, Shrewsbury SY1 1LH

Date: 1 st February 2008
Venue:
The Red Hedgehog
255-257 Archway Road
Highgate
London N6 5BS

Shadow puppet shows first appeared in Beijing around the 15 th century during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is a popular traditional theatre genre that combines singing, acting and dramatic movement performed by characters exquisitely carved out of leather. All the characters are operated by highly skilled artists behind a screen with live musical accompaniment, which gives a vivid and colourful silhouette effect. The troupe performs a specially designed programme for both children and adults. It is great fun to watch, and a privilege to be able to appreciate an authentic Chinese art.

The Bailing Shadow Puppet Troupe is invited and sponsored by China Arts (UK). This is a rare opportunity to see the Beijing Shadow Puppet Show Troupe, as the troupe will tour the UK for the first time during Chinese New Year from 1st to 22nd February 2008.

Show Schedule

Date: 7th February 2008
Venue:
Richard Attenborough Centre
University of Leicester
Lancaster Road
Leicester LE1 9HN

Date: 8th February 2008
Venue:
Southbank Royal Festival Hall Foyer
Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road
London SE1 8XX

Date: 6:30 – 7:30 pm , 8th February 2008
Venue:
National Portrait Gallery,
St Martin's Place
London WC2H 0HE

Date: 9th February 2008
Venue:
The Great Court, British Museum
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG

Date: 10 th February 2008
Venue:
Trinity Theatre
Church Road , Tunbridge Wells ,
Kent , TN1 1JP

Date: 7.30pm , 19 th February 2008
Venue:
BUXTON FESTIVAL
3 The Square
Buxton
Derbyshire SK17 6AZ

China Arts provide all entertainment for Foreign & Commonwealth Office to celebrate Chinese New Year 2008. The programme includes traditional Chinese music, Lion Dance, Chinese folk dance with ribbon and fan, Shaolin Gongfu, Beijing Shadow Puppetry show, extraordinary classical Chinese dance: Rainbow Feather dance, and roaming calligraphy.

Date: 6:00pm-8:00pm, 22 nd February, 2008
Venue:
Locarno Room
Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London SW 1A 2AH

This concert is a high-profile talent showcase on a substantial scale by 12 of the best UK-based professional Chinese musicians performing collectively, including the award-winning group The Silk String Quartet. The concert will demonstrate twenty different Chinese instruments, many of which are rarely heard or seen in the UK , such as the guqin zither, xun clay ocarina, and the xiao vertical bamboo flute. The concert also features the 5-stringed pipa lute, which was lost in the Tang dynasty (8th century), and Cheng Yu who won three major British awards for her project to recreate the instrument with music based on that period. The evening will highlight music from the time and culture of the First Emperor. New compositions on contemporary Chinese instruments will provide a present-day counterpoint to our presentation of early Chinese music.

The concert is in two halves: the first features music and instruments from ancient times; the second contemporary and new music. It includes two premières “The King of Qin Destroys the Formation” – (5 stringed pipa with Chinese orchestra) and “Spring Festival Prelude”.

Date: 7.30pm, 22 nd February 2008
Venue:
BP Lecture Theatre, Clore Education Centre
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG

Date: 6pm (Sunday) 24 th February 2008
Venue: Clare Hall, University of Cambridge

Date: 8pm 29 th February 2008
Venue:
Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Hope Street
Liverpool L1 9BP

Date: 31st February 2008
Venue:
Lakeside Arts Centre
University Park
Nottingham NG7 2RD

Date: 6th March 2008
Venue:
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG

Date: 3rd April 2008
Venue:
The British Museum
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG

Date: “In residence”, 4th – 6 th April 2008
Venue:
The Sage Gateshead
The Sage Gateshead, St Mary's Square
Gateshead Quays
Gateshead , NE8 2JR

Daoism represents the essence of traditional Chinese culture and the root of fengshui , qigong , Chinese medicine, and Chinese philosophies. This is the first International Daoist Cultural Festival to be held in the UK . The Festival aims to introduce Daoism to a wider audience and will feature the world's leading academic authorities and scholars, music performed by a Daoist monk ensemble from the Shanghai City God Monastery and an exhibition on Daoist history, arts, crafts and books.

The theme of the conference is Daoist Nurturing of Life and Fengshui with 6 keynote speakers include Dr Zhang Jishu (Vice President of China Daoist Association, descendent of Daoist ancestor Zhang Tianshi), Professor Chen Yaoting (former Head of the Shanghai Research Academy of Social Science and Religion) and scholars from France and Japan. The Shanghai City God Monastery (built in 1403-1424) is a major religious site in the city and its Daoist music ensemble (18 musicians) will perform ceremonial and secular music unique in style.

Overall, this is a rare opportunity for people in the UK and the world to experience many aspects of Daoist culture in the best of environments. Places for the three-day conference are limited, so early booking is recommended.

Date: 17–18May 2008, Conference (day time)

Evening Concerts on 17 th and 18 th May,

19–22 May, Music tour the UK (venue TBC)

Venue:
Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre,

School of Oriental and African Studies,

University of London

Thornhaugh Street , Russell Square ,
London WC1H 0XG

In 2008, Westminster City Council and China Arts will work as partners to expand the Chinese Masterchef Competition and Food Festival into an exceptional event. The competition will incorporate 3 elements: The ‘Chinese Masterchef', ‘Dim Sum Chef' and Student Masterchef which aims to raise awareness of food hygiene standards as well as promoting the culinary and creativity of the chefs competing. There will be a programme of demonstrations and an award ceremony at the end of the day. This is open to businesses, residents and visitors to Westminster . The Chinese Food festival will feature culinary demonstrations with amazing food, Chinese wine and tea tasting and promotions. The culmination of the festival will be a splendid performance of classical music and folklore dance.

Chinese Masterchef Competition

Date: 20 th May 2008

Opening Time: 9.30 am – 6.00pm

Venue: Westminster Kingsway College , Vincent Square , London SW1

Ticket Information: Free tickets available from Community Protection, 5th Floor East, City Hall, 64 Victoria St , London , SW1E 6QP .

Chinese Food Festival

Date: 24 th May 2008

Opening Time: 10:00am – 6:00pm

Venue: London Leicester Square (TBC)

Ticket Information: Free

Shanghai City Weekend is part of the “City Weekends” programme to be held in the Victoria and Albert Museum . It will feature as a celebration of Shanghai during the China Design Now exhibition. The line-up for this weekend will be based around issues concerning fashion design and catwalk fashion shows which are influenced by the contemporary Shanghai lifestyle. China Arts will present on stage spectacular and stylish costumes full of colour. The latest cutting-edge styles will be presented with the accompaniment of stunning live music. This China Arts event represents an extravaganza of Chinese music and costumes to delight UK citizens in 2008.

Date: 24 th and 25 th May, 2008

Venue:

Victoria and Albert Museum

South Kensington

London SW7 2RL

Date: 2-4.30pm , Sunday, 25 th May 2008
Venue: Horniman Museum
100 London Road , Forest Hill
London SE23 IPQ

The Yin-Yang Chinese-Western Ensemble

( UK Chinese Ensemble and the Chamber Music Company)

Contemporary music by non-Chinese composers

Date/s: 6 th June 2008
Venue:
Wilton 's Music Hall
Grace's Alley, Wellclose Square
London E1 8JB

Date/s: 7 th June 2008
Venue: St Mary's Church , Ashford , Kent TN30 6TJ

Beijing City Weekend is part of the “City Weekends” programme to be held in the Victoria and Albert Museum. It will feature as a celebration of Beijing during the China Design Now exhibition. Events and activities for Beijing City Weekend will be developed around architectural design. China Arts will provide 100 framed photographs of Beijing city which will explore topics including architecture, urban life and culture.

Date/s: 28 th and 29 th June, 2008
Venue:
Victoria and Albert Museum
South Kensington
London SW7 2RL

Date: 1-2pm , 3 rd July 2008
Venue: Lancaster City Hall

Date: 10pm , 24 th July 2008
Venue:
BUXTON FESTIVAL
3 The Square
Buxton
Derbyshire SK17 6AZ

Chinese Music Summer School has been running successfully since 2003, orgnised by Asia music circuit with the musicians from the UK Chinese Music Ensemble. This year Chinese Music Summer School, will give five full days of expert tuition on Chinese instrumental music. This included masterclasses on the guqin (Chinese 7-string zither) with guqin master Prof Zeng Chuiwei (Sichuan conservatory of Music, China), pipa (Chinese lute) with pipa virtuoso Dr Cheng Yu, and erhu (Chinese fiddle) with erhu soloist Hu Bin.

Date: 10am – 5pm , 30 July – 3 August 2008
Venue: London (TBC)

Invited and sponsored by China Arts (UK), this is a rare opportunity to see the Beijing Shadow Puppetry Show Troupe as they will tour the UK for the first time during Chinese New Year form 1 st to 21 st February 2008. This is one of the finest Shadow groups in China . They have already performed in France , Germany , Italy , Austria , the United States , and Japan to a rapturous reception, and achieved extraordinary popularity there.

Shadow puppet shows first appeared in Beijing around the 15 th century during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is a popular traditional theatre genre that combines singing, acting and dramatic movement performed by characters exquisitely carved out of leather. All the characters are operated by highly skilled artists behind a screen with live musical accompaniment, which gives a colorful and vivid silhouette effect. The troupe brings a specially designed programme for both children and adults. It is great fun to watch and a privilege to be able to appreciate an authentic Chinese art.

The show is being booked very fast. If you are interested in booking this wonderful show, please contact Ms Li on 07886264903 or email her at info@china-arts.co.uk .

We are pleased to announce that our Quartet has been awarded a grant by PRS as one of the best performance groups for new music in 2007. This is the first time a PRS award has been won by a UK-based Chinese music group. It is the second award that PRS has given to the Quartet after it supported the group's successful Showcase at WOMEX 2006 in Spain . The grant will be used for the commissioning and rehearsals for the Quartet's new works.

Following our recent successful performances at the WOMAD 2007 festival and in the Netherlands , Germany and Ireland , the UK Chinese Music Ensemble and The Silk String Quartet are delighted to announce our autumn events. These include 3/4 weeks with the Opera-Circus Spectacular Journey to the West at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, and a series performance in conjunction with the “once-in-a-lifetime” exhibition The First Emperor – China's Terracotta Army in London's British Museum and a concert by our Silk String Quartet in Tenerife - Islas Canarias – Spain for both Local and WOMAD Canarias Festival in Nov. 2007.

WOMAD has again invited the Silk Strings to perform, this time at their Canarias Festival in Spain . This follows the Quartet's appearance at the WOMAD  Festival in Charlton Park , Wiltshire, and their BBC Radio 3 and World Service Broadcast in summer 2007. The group will give a concert and workshops during the festival.

WOMAD Canary Islands Festival this November - another weekend of fabulous music, arts and dance from around the globe - all in the exhilarating beachside city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. For details see the Festival event page at the WOMAD website: http://womad.org

At the invitation of the Asociación Canaria de Culturas y Músicas del Mundo, the Quartet will debut with new repertoires in Tenerife , Canary Is, Spain . There will be two evening concerts and a workshop at the local Conservatory of Music.

Thursday–Saturday, 8 November 2007 ,
Concert: 8:00–10:00 pm
Venue:
Plaza del Patriotismo, 1
38002 Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Tenerife
Islas Canarias
Spain

Friday, November 2007,
workshop 5-6pm
Venue: Desplazamiento al Conservatorio Superior de Música de
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

Concert: 8:00–10:00 pm
Venue: Auditorio del Conservatorio Profesional de La Palmas de Gran Canaria
 
www.cajacanarias.org
www.accmm.org

China Arts and the UK Chinese Ensemble present:

1.  Chinese Music Making: Singing, Percussion & Instruments
2.  Lion Dance & Dragon Dance
3.  Paper Folding and Paper Cutting
4.  Chinese Folk Dance: Ribbon, Fan & Handkerchief Dance

Venue: CHRIST CHURCH Avenue , London NW6 7PB
Enquiries: 020 8459 5452

Having recently recorded the hunting music for the film " Ghosts ", directed by Nick Brookfield, about 23 Chinese drowned while cockling in dangerous Morecambe Bay, Cheng Yu and the UK Chinese Ensemble musicians will work with composer  Barnaby Taylor to create music for a 6 episode TV documentary for BBC Bristol. The programme will be shown in 2008.

See the Projects page for further information.

Dance and Music

Date and time: Thursday 6 December 2007 6.30–9:00 pm

Venue:
Great Court   (free event)
The British Museum     
Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DG
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7323 8000
information@thebritishmuseum.ac.uk
www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk

New in its form and style, unique in its instrumentation and presentation, the all-female Silk String Quartet is the first and the only Chinese String Quartet in the UK and Europe. The four group members have all been trained since childhood on their instruments. The group combines traditional and modern, Chinese and Western music in a fresh and creative way. The repertoire includes a wide range of new and traditional compositions performed in the quartet's own style.

Date and time: 12 February 2008 7:00 pm

Venue:

Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre,
SOAS, University of London ,
Thornhaugh Street , Russell Square ,
London WC1H 0XG
 
Enquiries:

Tel. 020 7898 4500
email musicevents@soas.ac.uk
www.soas.ac.uk/concerts

Admission free!

Following the successful performances / and tours in the past a few months, our new project - – the Silk String Quartet – has been invited by ARC Music International Ltd. to record a CD under the ARC m M usic label. The R r ecording h w as finished completed in May. The CD will contain s 7 interesting and diverse tracks , almost all - of which are contemporary , music and some pieces are having been freshly composed / or arranged. The CD will be out in August or September this year. You can get the CD It will be available from major UK and / Europe an record s shops under ‘ World Music' , as well as from the if you are interested.

W ARC Music International w ebsite: www.arcmusic.co.uk

Cheng Yu's second solo CD album with ARC Music is just came out in May 2007. The CD is en titled “ Chinese Masterpieces on the pipa and guqin ” . O I n i t are recorded 8 of the mo be st well known classic pieces on for the pipa lute and guqin zither – the two most celebrated classical instruments in China. If you are interested in You can find the CD , you can visit in the World Music section of any major record shop in the UK / or Europe major records shops under ‘world Music' .

It is also available from the ARC Music W w ebsite: www.arcmusic.co.uk

Our Silk & Bamboo Ensemble (a group from the UK Chinese music Ensemble) has been invited to play a concert o f n String and Wind music from China .

7.30pm , 7 th June, 2007

Venue: 27 St. Mary's Street, Stamfor d m , Lincolnshire PE9 2DL

Box Office: 01780 763203

With After only a year 's history since the Quartet's establishment, The Silk String girls are already in demand beyond the UK . They are invited to perform at the RUIGELAND Festival and the Bred Festival in in the Netherlands and and the Masala Festival in Germany .

3pm and 7.30 pm , 9 th June 2007 ,

7.30 pm June 2007

Venue: RUIGELAND Festival in het NAM park bij Grijpskerk , Netherlands

Box Office: + 31 ( 0) 594 - 213 654

Website: www.ruigeland.nl

4pm , 10 th June 2007 ,

Venue: Bred Festival , Netherlands .

Box Office: + 31 (0) 20 6279 518

Website: www.earthbeat.nl

8pm , 12 th July 2007 ,

Venue: MASALA Welt-Beat Festival 2007, Han n over, Germany

Box Office: + 49 (0) 511235555 24

Website: www.masala-fe s tival.de

The Quartet will perform at the 2007 WOMAD Festiva l at Charlton Park , n N ea r Malmesbury, Wiltshire over the weekend 27-29 July. The group h as been invited as the guests of BBC Radio 3 guest to perform a set of contemporary music and which it will be recorded live and broadcasted by the BBC Radio 3 and World Service Broadcas t Networks . It will also and will be made available on the BBC's website .

3 - - 4pm, Sunday, 29 th July
BBC Radio 3 Stage , WOMAD Festival, Charlton Park, Nr Malmesbury, W h i l tshire

Tel: 0845 146 1760

http://womad.org

From late July to September 07, several musicians of the UKCE from the UK Chinese Ensemble will be worki n m g on an Art & and Music project. They will be collaborat e ing with musicians from other cultures to create music in conjunction with a contemporary art exhibition by an established painter Ruri , Leiderman in the IKON Gallery , Birmingham . The first public show is will be on the July 28 th , July leading to several performances in August and September. For details see the website below.

28 th July – 15/16 September, 2007 .

Contact Details
Tel : 0121 248 0708
E - mail : marketing@ikon-gallery.co.uk

Venue: Ikon Gallery , 1 Oozells Square , Brindleyplace, Birmingham , B1 2HS

Website www.ikon-gallery.co.uk

4 Four musicians from the UK Chinese Music Ensemble have been selected and were invited to work in g with th is e large-sca r l e Theatre/opera since beginning of this year. The show will be ready to perform/tour from June 2007. “ Journey to The West ” by Wu Cheng'en is one of the best-known 16 th century Chinese classic novel s by Wu Cheng'en . This multi - media production is direct ed or by Mr Chen Shizheng , and the music is by Damon Albarn (Blur front singer) and digital arts are by Jamie Hewlett . Albarn and Hewlett are the artists behind the award-winning animated band , Gorillaz.

Manchester International Festival
25 th June – 1st July 1st : previews / performances
2 nd – 8 th July: performances

Venue: Palace Theatre, Oxford Street , Manchester , M1 6FT
Tel: +44 (0)870 401 3000 or 0161 245 6666

Web site : www.manchesterinternationalfestival.com

Paris performances at Theatre du Chatelet,

24 t h – 30 th September: previews / performances

1 – 7 October: performances
8 th – 13 th October: performances.
Venue: Theatre d e u Chatelet, 2, rue Edou a rd Colonne – 75001 Paris .

Web site : www.chatelet-theatre.com

Following the success of the 2006 Chinese Music Summer School,  Asian Music Circuit is delighted to present the 2007 Chinese Music Summer School, giving five full days of expert tuition on Chinese instrumental music. There will be master classes on the guqin (Chinese 7-string zither) with guqin master Zeng Chengwei and erhu (Chinese fiddle) with erhu soloist Hu Bin (UKCE musician). This is a rare opportunity to learn and explore Chinese music in the UK . Classes are open to all takers, beginners and advanced.

Venue: Royal Academy of Music , Marylebone Road , London . 

Further details and booking: http://www.amc.org.uk/summer_schools/2007/courses.htm

7.30pm , 2 nd August, 2007

Venue: David Josefowits Josefowitz Recital Ha l l, Royal Academy of Music, Marylebone Road , London
Box Office: 0871 663 2500 ( 9am –8pm daily)

Website: www.amc.org.uk

Following the success of last year's Carnival, the Chinese Carnival Club (organised by China Arts) is again invited again by the organiser to showcase on a different theme. Our musicians are working with the group to provide music for the parade on the day. This year the group will put on a more spectacular demonstration on a particular ly arts theme with specially designed make up, costumes and props presented by a team of over 50 people to join ing the Europe's largest street festival.

For details see www.china-arts.co.uk (Carnival page)

China Arts presents:

3 days Workshops on Calligraphy, Lion Dance and Storing Telling.

Venue: Southbank Kensington, 36-38 Kensington Park Road , London W11 3BU

China Arts and the UK Chinese Ensemble presents:

1.       Chinese Music Making: Singing, Percussion & Instruments

2.       Lion Dance & Dragon Dance

3.       Drawing, Calligraphy & Wash Painting

4.       Chinese Folk Dance: Ribbon, Fan & Handkerchief Dance

5.       Martial Arts

Venue: CHRIST CHURCH PRIMARY SCHOOL
1 Robinson Street
London SW3 4AR
+44 020 7352 5708

The musicians of the UK Chinese Music Ensemble has successfully recorded music for this Film Balls of Fury.  This is the third Hollywood film music project after Shanghai Noon and Shanghai Knights that the Music Ensemble has worked with composer Randy Edelman. The musicians worked from written scores as well as improvisations. The instruments were used include the pipa lute, guqin zither, guzheng zither, erhu and gaohu fiddles, dizi and xiao flutes, sheng mouth-organ and guanzi pipe.

See also the Projects Page for information on new projects.

China Arts presents:

- Story telling

- Opera Mask making

- Ribbon and Fan dance

- Lion Dance

Venue: National Portrait Gallery, St Martin's Place, London WC2H 0HE

Tel: 020 7306 0055 (Free for all)

Date/time: 7.30pm, Friday 16 th and Saturday 17 th Feb.2007
Box Office: 020 7730 4500, ￡15 - ￡30 (Child/Student/group discount).

China Arts presents a selection of well-known scenes from Beijing Opera, with the Ensemble performing traditional and modern Chinese music. There will also be workshops during the day.

Beijing Opera is a complex art form combining singing, movement, mime, martial arts, acrobats, melodic and percussion orchestra and extraordinary costumes and make-up. The programme includes:

• The Goddess Scattering Flowers from Heaven
• The Startling Dream from ‘The Peony Pavilion'
• Picking up the Jade Bracelet
• Flute and Drum at Sunset (traditional civil style music)
• Flowing Water (Classical music)

The Ensemble features Beijing Opera artists Liang Qin and Kevin Zhang and Chinese virtuoso musicians Cheng Yu on the Chinese pipa (4-stringed lute), Qiu Zenghui on the jinghu and erhu (2-stringed violins), Li Ming on the dizi (bamboo flute) and Zhou Jinyan on the yangqin (Chinese dulcimer).

Date: 9th March, 2007
Time: 7:30pm
Venue: Richard Attenborough Centre
University of Leicester
Lancaster Road
Leicester LE1 9HN

Enquiries:  Tel: (RAC) 0116 252 2455
Web site: www.le.ac.uk/music

10am – 12am - Dragon dance workshop

10.30am - 12 noon - Singing/percussion workshop for children

12.30 - 2 pm: Children's Demonstration performances

1-2pm: Pipa music recital by Cheng Yu

2-4pm – Calligraphy and brush drawing