By Julia Berkman
This month, the Global Spice World Music Series is continuing their tradition of hosting talented artists in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). Shirley Wang, the foremost Guzheng player in Seattle, will be treating Western to renditions on the unique instrument. Tickets are $10.
Wang’s instrument of choice, the Guzheng, is the father instrument of the Japanese koto, the Korean gayageum and the Vietnamese đàn tranh. The Guzheng is thought by many to be the quintessential centerpiece of Chinese music. The instrument is harp-like in nature and features a wavering and melodic sound very specific to its genre.
Wang honed her prodigious ability under professional Guzheng players, Professors Wang Zhou and Zhan Zhou. She was then admitted to the China Conservatory of Music, where she continued to refine her Guzheng skills.
Upon finishing her time at the China Conservatory (while also earning a degree in International Relations), Wang began to teach music at the British School of Beijing. There, she wrote textbooks in English on the study and technique of the Guzheng. Throughout her life, Wang has focused on bringing Chinese culture to life in other countries. She considers herself and her music to be ambassadors of the arts of China.
Wang has taught in schools and given guest lectures at venues around the world, including Princeton University. Her lecture at Princeton earned her the Outstanding Teacher Award in 2014. Wang has an impressive number of degrees and certifications, including a Master’s in Fine Arts from Seattle University and an Arts Management degree from the Chinese Academy of Music. She has taught annually at the Zhan Wang National Guzheng summer camp, where she was awarded 2008 National Outstanding Teacher of Guzheng.
The Global Spice Music Series has hosted many talented international artists since its inception. These artists include One World Dance and Drum from Guinea, West Africa; Saturday Night Live percussionist Valerie Naranjo has also graced the stage of the PAC. Naranjo and her partner, Barry Olsen, have played with latinx icons Celia Cruz, Marc Anthony and more.
This event, along with all previous Global Spice World Music Series concerts, was organized by Professor of Percussion Patrick Roulet, who started the series at Western. The concert series “explores the fusion of world music with contemporary, classical, jazz and popular music styles.”
Shirley Wang will be playing the Guzheng for your listening pleasure on January 31. You can buy tickets over the phone or in person at the PAC.