School of Chinese Studies

Music at China Institute 华美音乐

Music at China Institute 华美音乐 offers talks, performances, and Chinese music demonstrations, as well as Chinese music classes for children and adults. The program was launched in partnership with the US-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music. Jindong Cai, a conductor with a distinguished career in the U.S. and China and the founding director of the U.S.-China Music Institute, is the Artistic Director.

Our programs

  • Chinese Music Chat: A lecture/performance series highlighting various regions, instruments, and musical forms and featuring discussions with leading experts as well as performances by world-class musicians. See upcoming public programs at China Institute.

  • Guqin 古琴 and Pipa 琵琶 classes: Small classes for children and adults taught by award-winning musicians and educators selected by the US-China Music Institute. Classes in other Chinese instruments such as Guzheng 古筝 and Erhu 二胡 are planned for the future.

  • Chinese instrument demonstrations: Hands-on educational events with the students and teachers of the US-China Music Institute.

  • Music in the Air, with Jindong Cai: Conductor and educator Jindong Cai talks with some of the most vibrant voices in contemporary Chinese and American music. The program featured a two-part talk about Beethoven in China, featuring author Sheila Melvin, Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun, and a preview of the upcoming documentary ‘Beethoven in Beijing.’

    • Music builds bridges across borders and between cultures and people. Whether it’s studying the ancient sounds of the guqin古琴, one of the oldest stringed instruments in China, or tracing the history of instruments that were brought to China along the Silk Road, or meeting the artists and composers from China today, the study of Chinese music both enlightens and brings us together.

    Through music, we find new opportunities to reflect on our shared humanity and honor the creativity that inspires us all. Music at China Institute 华美音乐 aims to be such a bridge, connecting Americans and Chinese at a time when we need it the most.

    CLASS LIST:

    In Fall 2020, Pipa 琵琶 classes will be offered online for adults.

    Small group classes are taught by professionally trained instructors who are also award-winning musicians and educators, each carefully selected by the Bard College Conservatory of Music.

    About the Bard College Conservatory of Music:

    Founded in 2005 and located in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York, the Bard College Conservatory of Music is guided by the principle that young musicians should be broadly educated in the liberal arts and sciences to achieve their greatest potential.

    The US-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music was formed in 2017 with the goal of creating a major platform in the United States for the study, performance, and appreciation of contemporary Chinese music. In partnership with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, it has embarked on a five-year Chinese Music Development Initiative, which will aid in the promotion of Chinese music through an undergraduate degree program at the Bard Conservatory, the annual China Now Music Festival each October at Bard and in New York City, an annual scholarly conference in the spring, and youth programs in Chinese music education.

    Thank you to Shanghai No. 1 National Musical Instruments Factory, Ltd. for providing instruments and support for the US-China Music Institute and Music at China Institute 华美音乐.

    Read our press release announcing the launch of Music at China Institute!

    Watch MUSIC at China Institute performances by US-China Music Institute students and an interview with Institute director Jingdong Cai [December 2019].