Mindy Meng Wang is a versatile Chinese-Australian composer and performer, masterfully trained on the traditional Chinese instrument, the guzheng. Born and classically trained in China, Mindy studied Western Musicology in the UK before migrating to Australia. Excelling in experimental music and improvisation, Mindy is pioneering a new sonic direction for the guzheng. Her work explores the fertile space between traditional and contemporary practices, and is part of a significant movement of Chinese musicians redefining and reinvigorating their musical tradition.
Mindy’s Sounds Unheard Studio Talk series, “The Guzheng: Tradition & Imagination”, is an invitation to learn more about her instrument and culture. Over the course of four episodes, Mindy shares an overview of Chinese music history and traditions, the background and fascinating sounds of the guzheng, and how she showcases her instrument in modern genres and unexpected collaborations.
In the first episode “An Introduction to Chinese Music”, Mindy describes how music has evolved in China from ancient times to the modern day. We meet the four families of instruments – wind, pucked, percussive and bowed – and look at some key examples of popular musical genres, including dance music, religious music and Chinese opera.
Join us next week for episode two of Mindy’s series, ‘The Guzheng’. For more information on Mindy, please visit https://mindymengwang.com.
Tags: Chinese music Guzheng Mindy Meng Wang
