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The Erhu is an ancient, bowed, two-stringed instrument. Because
there is no fingerboard, finger pressure is a critical part of Erhu
technique, and the instrument is capable of tremendous tonal flexibility and
expressiveness.
My Favorite Erhu Performers:
George
Gao, erhu master and composer
George Gao is an extraordinary Erhu virtuoso and an excellent composer who has
had a tremendous musical influence in both China and here in Canada. Any way
one looks at, George Gao's credentials for mastering the two-stringed
instrument, Erhu , and the world music are incomparable: He was born in 1967
in China and started learning the Erhu at the age of six. After two years,
his talent was revealed in his open performance as an Erhu soloist in a
concert of performing arts organized by Gansu Province. In 1979, when he was
12 years old, he entered the affiliated secondary school of Shanghai
Conservatory of Music, a prestigious school for talented children. He took
Erhu as his major. Meanwhile he also learned piano and composition. In 1985,
he was exempted from examinations due to his outstanding achievements and
began his bachelor degree courses in the Shanghai Conservatory of Music where
he studied both Chinese and western music as well as conducting. He graduated
with honor in 1988. During the period 1979 – 1989, George won prizes in
numerous competitions. Most notably were the three highest Prizes for Beijing
China National Invitational Erhu Competition (1985) – the first prize,
the best performance prize of compulsory works and the best performance prize
of the optional works. He initiated his own music band "the Red Leave"
and "Snow man", during his stay in Beijing (1988 – 1991). He
has given numerous concerts and toured in a number of countries, including
Canada, USA, China, Hong Kong, Japan etc.
During the last 10 years he received numerous prizes and grants, including
those from the Canada Council for the Arts and Ontario Arts Council.
In music composition, George has pioneered in introducing into the Erhu music
a vast range of new musical influences which has expanded its musical
horizons and helped extending its influence on the stage of world music.
Since the years when he studied at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and in
particular, since his settlement in Canada, George has been experimenting
with the fusion of traditional Chinese music and the western music styles,
including classical and contemporary music, Pop, New Age and, most recently,
jazz music. In the foreword of his newly-released album "George Gao:
Chinese Classical, Jazz, New Age Pop", George says: "Chinese folk
song is the root of Chinese music. Jazz is the product of the combination of
African and American music. Both Chinese music and jazz involve much
improvisation, but with different methodologies. Chinese music stresses on
the improvisation and variation of melody, while jazz stresses on the
improvisation of harmonic functions. These similarity and differences make
the combination of the two very meaningful and interesting." Indeed, the
fusion of the two different musical traditions is challenging. George Gao has
done an excellent job in this area. There can be no doubt that he is creating
a new genre by melding the beautiful melodies of Chinese folk music with the
colorful, richly harmonic and swinging rhythms of jazz, in which George has
struck a wonderful balance between the richness of tradition and inspired
spontaneity. After a number of TV shows, including CCTV's 1997 Chinese New
Year program, which was watched by millions of people around the world,
George's Chinese jazz pieces have aroused a tremendous response from
audiences.
In recent years, George has composed theme music and soundtracks for several
films, including the Canadian film "Yellow Wedding" directed by the
award winning directors Yan Cui & Qi Zhang . His Erhu performances have
been used in numerous films and TV dramas, currently, he is regularly
recording erhu for the popular sci-fi TV drama "Earth: Final
Conflict" (Composed by the award winning composers, Micky Erbe and
Maribeth Solomon of Toronto, Canada).
People from both Chinese and western traditions listening to George’s
performances experience something familiar and new, yet magnificent and
exciting. It is thus not surprising that George has been recognized as one of
the most innovative and exciting musical talents in the world today.
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