A public lecture with a focus on the erhu-a bowed, two-stringed Chinese vertically held fiddle-was held in Beijing on Dec. 13 to promote traditional Chinese instrumental music among the younger generation. The lecture was organized by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation (CSCLF).

Song Fei, vice president of the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts and Chinese Musicians Association, shared with young audiences her personal experiences growing up as an erhu enthusiast and her professional understanding about traditional Chinese instrumental music.

"Ever since I was a little girl, I was always fascinated by the melodies I heard when my father taught his student to play the erhu. Because of my fascination, I was actually able to play several erhu tunes before I started to learn how to play the instrument in a systematic way," said Song.

Drawing on her childhood interest in the erhu, Song believes that students should not learn musical instruments simply as a shortcut to getting extra points to enter top universities. "The utilitarian reasons for learning to play music should be least important," Song stressed.

Song also highlighted the role the erhu plays in improving international audiences' understanding of Chinese culture, history, as well as aesthetic values. 

In addition, Song and her students performed several classic erhu pieces, and explained the relationship between different melodies and regional dialects. Song further encouraged the younger generation to learn and promote traditional Chinese instrumental music.

"While I hope that you can learn to play traditional Chinese musical instruments, I also encourage you to fully use and integrate your imagination and life experiences into your performance and find your own artistic style," Song told her students.

Before the lecture began, Hang Yuanxiang, vice chairman of the CSCLF, met with Song and exchanged ideas on how to improve the younger generation's aesthetic sense.

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