Beihai park on a Sunday on a blue-sky spring day is teeming with smiling people. Bringing my kids out to take in the sights was a must, but the surprise of this particular Sunday was the glinting wink off the bells of brass instruments: the waterside saxophone club.

After having taken a boat out on the water and enjoying the swirling feeling of floating free in the middle of this dense city, we took a walk along the water. Little did we know we would be tramping into the territory of the Beijing Saxophone Club—or at least, an equivalent—in which several people of all ages were polishing and warming up their saxophones.

Technically, a saxophone is not a brass instrument; it’s a woodwind instrument. I know that. They’re played with a reed mouthpiece, like a clarinet or an oboe. Nevertheless, these instruments are often mistaken as brass instruments as a result of being made of the stuff. They shine! They gleam! And reflecting the sunshine on this Sunday morning was particularly glamorous.

These instruments—which have always struck me as dancing golden seahorses on stages under lights—seemed perfectly placed alongside of the sparkling water. They lay in the cases or dangled off of the neck straps of the participants, and no one seemed to mind playing overtop of each other as they warmed up.

A small gathering of musicians stopped to speak for awhile, each cradling a brassy seahorse, er, saxophone, and the youngest member, a boy of about ten years old (whose mother was standing behind him very studiously keeping time) was the only member of the group seemingly invested in playing anything musical. He peeped out a Chinese folk tune with a pleasing melody without much effort whatsoever, garnering him a small crowd of admirers and applause.

My kids couldn’t get enough. I had to drag them away from the experience, assuring them there would be the award of lunch imminently, which proved the only possible means of drawing them away from these shiny attention grabbers in the hands of so many diverse people.

The way Chinese people use public park space has always inspired me, but I am continually surprised by variations on this theme. A single saxophone player in a park? I’ve seen many. But a group all gathered for socializing and practicing, even if it’s cacophonous, musically? Yes, that’s the way it’s done here. Way to go, China!

Photos: Frank Lindecke (Flickr) and courtesy of Ember Swift

Kids these days are faced with an ever-growing array of co-curricular activity choices, from every kind of team sport, to judo, to supplementary academic assistance, to chess.  One of most popular options is to learn a musical instrument, but what exactly are the benefits of this for your child?

As it turns out, there are loads of reasons you should introduce your child to a musical instrument, whether in an ensemble or solo. Here are seven:

1.  Memory development
According to research, learning to play an instrument stimulates the brain and develops memory as well as cognitive skills. These memory skills are crucial in the classroom.

2.  Self-discipline
Playing an instrument requires self-discipline; practicing different skills, going over the music, and organizing lessons are all crucial parts. Skills in patience are also developed in learning an instrument – as the old saying goes, “practice makes perfect”.

3.  Social skills
Many children will be encouraged to join an ensemble to practice their instrument, like an orchestra or a brass band, providing them with an opportunity to make friends and socialize with other children. Playing music together with other children will also develop their non-verbal communication skills, by working on keeping in time with one another through body language.

4.  Mathematics skills
Research has shown that children who are engaged in learning an instrument also perform better in mathematics than their non-musical counterparts. We’re not saying your child will be the next Einstein, but they might just speak up a little more in their next class.

5.   Confidence
By developing a new skill that requires their own hard work and dedication, not to mention sometimes playing in front of other people, children also develop confidence through learning an instrument.

6.    Concentration skills
Playing an instrument requires people to concentrate on a number of things at once; tempo, pitch, key, correct fingering, and quality of sound, just to name a few. Playing with others will also require your child to concentrate on staying in time and in pitch with the rest of the group.

7.    Cultural education
Finally, learning an instrument will mean that your child will be exposed to a huge variety of music, coming from a wide range of countries and historical periods. Learning this music gives people valuable insight into the events, lifestyle, and values of the people from that particular time period. It’s like a history lesson and a music lesson all wrapped up into one!

Photos: Courtesy of Beijing Shining Jazzy Chorus & Mitchell Pe Masilun,

As a professional musician, I never imagined I’d one day purchase an instrument online. It’s my trade, after all; I need an instrument sure to be the right fit for me, that sings to me when I touch it, that resonates with me personally. And while I still wouldn’t buy a top-of-the-line instrument on the Internet (read: expensive), when it comes to purchasing workable, daily-use instruments online, I’ve definitely changed my tune.

People ask guitarists, especially, why we have to have so many guitars. I just laugh. I’m rather tame with only six guitars to my name (some of my friends have dozens), but for those still surprised by that number, I always point out that a new instrument comes with new songs in it! As songwriters, how can we resist coaxing them out from new wood?

I have recently been teaching some guitar and ukulele lessons to kids and adults, which brought me to purchase the “guitalele,” (otherwise known as the kiku), a cross between a classical guitar and a baritone ukulele—small and tuned up a fourth, but still with six strings. I bought this instrument on Taobao for under RMB 300 and its voice is clear and bright. I love it. What a great option for travelling, too.

I followed up that purchase with a very basic ukulele, again under RMB 300, in order to play alongside my students, and then helped my guitar student purchase a classical guitar from a Yamaha vendor on Taobao for RMB 899. My student is thrilled with her instrument and the guitar is solid and well made. Each of these purchases came with free case, tuner and extra strings; nice bonuses!

There’s really nothing like cruising down to Gulou Dong Dajie and going in and out of the instrument shops, but now that I have a toddler and a pre-schooler, opportunities to cruise just about anywhere, uninterrupted by runny noses or the need to go "pee pee," have been reduced to once or twice a year. So, thank you Taobao, for helping me continue the tradition of discovering new songs tucked inside the wood of new instruments! This musician mom shall play on.

Photos: Ember Swift
 

In conjunction with the music theme of our February 2014 magazine, we’ll be profiling other Chinese instruments that your kids may enjoy learning here on the beijingkids blog. To see how a group of US exchange students took to erhu, guzheng, Peking opera, and Chinese bamboo flute, turn to page 62 of our latest issue.

The mystical sounds of string-plucked instruments arguably provide the most archetypal soundtrack to Chinese life. These are the instruments responsible for the numinous soundtracks found in almost every film that features misty mountains and long-bearded wise men.

We featured the guzheng in our most recent edition, but here are some others from the same family that are available for your kids to learn here in Beijing.

Ruan 阮

Commonly found in Chinese orchestras and Peking opera, the ruan is a small, four-stringed lute dating back over 2000 years. While not dissimilar to a western banjo in shape, it is usually made of wood and traditionally has silk strings, although most are now made of steel.

The instrument is either played with either a plectrum, as often used for a guitar, or using acrylic nails attached to the players’ fingers. The former allows for volume and the latter is most commonly used for intricate pieces or solos.

Young players of guitar, banjo, and other fretted string instruments may take well to the ruan.

Liuqin 柳琴

The liuquin is a pear-shaped mandolin that, like the ruan, has four strings, now also made of steel. It is a miniature version of the larger pipa (琵琶), and thus produces a higher tone than its more commonly-played cousin. The instrument’s small size requires that players have deft and intricate finger movements. Perfect for kids whose hand size limits their ability to stretch across the neck of a guitar.

The frets sit much higher than on Western string instruments, to the extent that the players’ fingers won’t touch the instrument’s body. This allows greater control over the sound produced, and results in less noise and fewer annoyed neighbors.

Sanxian 三弦

The sanxian (literally “three strings”) looks a lot like the erhu, the two-stringed fiddle you will have seen played at tourist destinations around the capital. In fact, the playing technique could not be less alike.

Rather than using a horse-hair bow, the sanxian is played like a guitar and, thanks to the resonator at the bottom, can produce a rather loud sound. There are no frets on a sanxian, so the player adjusts the tone by sliding their finger up and down, as one would a violin.

The instrument has declined in popularity, partly due to its price. It is significantly more expensive to produce than other simpler string instruments. But as they’re available for rent in Beijing, why not give it a go?

For more information on these instruments, or to find lessons for your kids in Beijing, visit the Chinese instrument music school CNEthnic.

Photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Adapted from Earth Tambourine 

UNIT-E: What aspects of Latin music do you find most fascinating or appealing?
Mr. Luis Aguilar: The lively rhythm and the catchy lyrics that come with Latin music often generate a sense of joy and excitement when people listen to it. It’s fascinating that how this form of music puts a lot of emphasis on expressing emotion [more sporadically]rather than [in a stricter more conventional form].

UNIT-E: What methods do you use to teach Latin music to children and the public?
Mr. Luis Aguilar: My methods for children and adults are very similar, and the only difference is that many adults think that they don’t’ have musical or paying ability. But [the reality is that]most [adults]do, we must need to find the right instrument.

By comparison, children don’t know limitations. Everything is new and they want to try it, and so I focus on teaching them how to get a feel for the music first, and once they’ve “internalized” the music, I then proceed to determine which instrument is the most suitable for them to play, once they have an instrument that they like, I concentrate on improvising exercises that require them to have to come up with different ideas and rhythms every time the play. The more they know their instrument and how to play it, the more they understand and create the music. Latin music is about that: feeling.

UNIT-E: What type of atmosphere of Latin music or culture do you think exists in Beijing?
Mr. Luis Aguilar: Beijing has a lot of places that promote the Latin culture like restaurants, dancing clubs, and festivals. Chinese people are keen on learning about Latin culture because it is very similar to theirs. The two share many similarities, such as the emphasis placed on spending time with friends and family around the table, dedicating time for the members of the family on the weekends, etc. The food, music and language [of the Latin culture], including spicy Mexican food, Latin dance, like Salsa or Rumba, the Spanish language, and its songs and soap operas, are other aspects that attract a lot of people in Beijing towards learning about it and getting a first-hand experience.

UNIT-E: In the time that you have stayed in Beijing, do you feel as if this atmosphere has changed in any way?
Mr. Luis Aguilar: Yes, I do. The change has mainly been in the number of people who have expressed interest in learning the Spanish language, a number that has grown enormously. These people range from students at the main universities in Beijing to people who study the language out of curiosity and just as a side hobby.

Since Spanish is the second most spoken language around the world, the Mexican, Spanish, and Cuban embassies [in Beijing]frequently organize events, such as dinners and film festivals that aim to promote Latin culture in Beijing. The other thing I’ve notice is that back in 2006 there were only 2 Mexican restaurants in Beijing, now there are more than 11!

UNIT-E: What do you think are the best ways to enhance awareness of and appreciation of Latin music and culture?
Mr. Luis Aguilar: Fortunately, interest in and appreciation for Latin music and culture has spread not only in China but around the world due to its inherent “warmness” and promotion of a “happy spirit.” All this is thanks to modern Latin music, which has been around since the 1940’s and includes rhythms such as the Mambo, Rumba, Bossa Nova, Flamenco, Tango, Salsa, and Reggaeton. Many popular Latin artists, like Santana, Enrique Iglesias, Ricky Martin, and Shakira have also raised awareness of its [unique characteristics]. So the best way to promote Latin culture is through the language and the music! In Beijing there are also many clubs that have Salsa lessons and many gyms that offer Latin dance class.

As for myself, I not only participate in Latin music festivals in Beijing but also focus on promoting it through my music lessons at BIBA, where I have been given the opportunity to include this teaching as part of the daily music lessons. BIBA, as with all schools, wishes to provide the best education for its students, and since appreciation of music is a crucial step in enhancing the learning awareness of kids, teaching them about Latin music can truly help to improve children’s cultural awareness and also bring out their artistic and creative sides.  

Amanda Song is a student at the International School of Beijing (ISB).

Nicole Ng is UNIT-e’s Head of Service. She can be contacted at nicoleng@unit-emagazine.org

About UNIT-E
UNIT-E was founded in the spring of 2010 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, student-run magazine for international students in Beijing. Staffed by current students from a range of international schools, the magazine provides an amalgam of cultural tidbits, fragments of Beijing student life, and a broad spectrum of unique perspectives from a diverse group of young adults.