School of Chinese Studies
Lunch and Learn Mandarin Language Workshops
The Mandarin “Lunch and Learn 午间中文” is a free, online, monthly ‘Read-Aloud’ series for Chinese language learners of all levels.
Join us to learn and practice Mandarin, while engaging with Chinese literature, poetry, history and more with fellow enthusiasts. Participants will enjoy live, interactive learning sessions with our language and cultural experts from home. Each session will start with a read-aloud in Mandarin of a carefully selected poem which represents both a touchstone to Chinese culture as well as text for practicing Mandarin language and pronunciation.
Fall/Winter 2020 Schedule (all sessions begin at 12:00 PM ET)
Special Session: A Read-Aloud Holiday Virtual Gathering
This unique, evening session will take place on Dec. 22 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm EST and you are invited to read-aloud one of your favorite poems in Mandarin Chinese. And, in spirit of the holiday, you are welcome to bring a drink to toast the season!
If you plan to read a poem on Dec. 22, please sign up through the button below by EOD Dec. 18.
Current Session Educators
Shenzhan Liao (host): Head of School of Chinese Studies at China Institute.
Zhou Yi: Praised for her “breathtaking” meticulous technique and expressiveness by the Washington Post, pipa/qin soloist and educator, Zhou Yi graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in China. She is the artistic director of the Ba Ban Chinese Music Society of NY.
Zhou Yi’s select performances include: Tan Dunʼs Concerto for Pipa and String Orchestra at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig Germany; Young Peopleʼs Concert with the New York Philharmonic; Bun-Ching Lamʼs Song of the Pipa and Sudden Thunder with the Sinfonieorchester Münster; Zuqiang Wuʼs Sisters of the Grassland with the Ohio Youngstown Symphony Orchestra; guest qin artist with the San Francisco Opera in Bright Shengʼs Dream of the Red Chamber; guest pipa and qin artist with the Santa Fe Opera in Huang Ruoʼs Dr. Sun Yatsen.
Zhou Yi’s teaching credits include: Joined Carnegie Hallʼs Music Explorer educational program; a teaching artist with Flushing Council on Culture & Arts in 2019; conducted music workshops in public schools for the China National Traditional Orchestraʼs U.S. tour in 2015; gave lectures at Queens and Brooklyn public libraries; performed musical demonstration for students in grades 1-5 with the Global Language Project; a guest Chinese music instructor in NYU’s East Asian Studies in 1998. Ms. Zhou’s students gained the top scores in a number of musical arts programs and have been awarded in televised talent shows.
Maya Zhang (guest speaker): A language expert and educator teaching extensively at the United Nations, China Institute, and schools in the U.S. and internationally, Ms. Zhang will share her passion of Chinese culture and knowledge on the pictographic Chinese characters with our participants.
Wanling Zhang (guest speaker): Ms. Zhang is Director of Education at China Institute, in charge of the Adult Language and Studio Programs. A passionate tea lover with years of experience in tea tasting and tea meditation (Zen), Ms. Zhang will share tips of Chinese tea culture and traditional tea rituals.
Recordings of all programs are available on China Institute’s special YouTube playlist.