US students display their chops

Jake Capistrant absolutely crushed it. The 19-year-old American with blond hair rocked the crowd at a recent concert in Beijing, stunning everyone by singing the powerful and uplifting classic song Haohan Ge (Hero Song), followed by an effortless rendition on the suona, a traditional Chinese wind instrument.

"The Hero Song was fun to learn. Last semester, we only played it on our instruments, but then I learned the words the best I could. I love the melody. It's so expressive and triumphant," says Capistrant.

He was part of a concert by the Middle Tennessee State University Chinese Music Ensemble and a group of teenage players of traditional Chinese instruments from the Beijing-based Soong Ching Ling Peace Angel Art Troupe on July 17.

The MTSU Chinese Music Ensemble, directed by Han Mei, an ethnomusicologist and established guzheng (Chinese zither) performer, is a credit course at the university's school of music that is open to the entire student body.

The ensemble aims to broaden cultural horizons, offering students hands-on practice that enriches their musical vocabulary, enhances their international understanding, and extends and strengthens their music theory and history studies.

"I played a couple of Chinese instruments before I joined the ensemble, but I didn't know anything about the beauty of Chinese music," says Capistrant.

A vocal performance major, he has gradually found that studying Chinese music has opened his mind to thinking about music differently, including singing.

"I've learned that the culture is just as important as the music when learning a new musical tradition. It's important to have an open mind," he adds.

During the concert that night, Capistrant's bandmate Emory Gaskill also had a shining moment. It happened as he seamlessly switched from playing the cello to performing on the jaw harp. The audience was amazed by the smooth transition from the rich tones of the cello to the vibrant, metallic twang of the harp. Gaskill earned a bachelor's degree in music performance with a specialty in the cello at MTSU two years ago. While at university, he joined the ensemble to learn the sanxian, a three-stringed plucked instrument.

"My first impression of traditional Chinese music is that it's deeply emotional and connected to the musicians," says Gaskill. "There's a meaning behind every movement and sound and it all connects to the surrounding space."

Earlier this month, the ensemble traveled to Fujian province where they participated in a weeklong China-US youth exchange camp. The program took them to Xiamen, Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, where they were able to immerse themselves in the local culture, experience traditional art forms such as nanyin music (an old folk music style that is popular in Fujian) and Liyuan Opera, and interact with students from Huaqiao University. They also displayed their talent during concerts.

Reflecting on a memorable moment from the trip, Gaskill recalls the fun of discovering the pipa (a four-stringed Chinese lute) and banjo, both plucked string instruments. The pipa may have originated in West and Central Asia but is best known as a popular instrument in China, while the banjo, which was based on West African instruments like the ngoni and the xalam, was originally an instrument devised and played by African slaves in the US before later gaining wider appeal.

"One day in Xiamen, I was sitting among the students playing the banjo. I wear picks on my fingers, similar to the nails that pipa players use. The pipa is played with an outward motion, whereas the banjo is played inward," he says.

"That became the topic of discussion. When the students finally had the chance to play my banjo, they commented on how strange it was that the technique was the opposite of what they were used to."

He also tried playing the pipa for the first time.

Although Gaskill had already graduated, he was still offered the chance by Han to be part of the Chinese tour.

Han is the founding director of the MTSU Center for Chinese Music and Culture. Supported by China's Center for Language Education and Cooperation, the MTSU and China's Hangzhou Normal University partnered to establish the center in 2016.

Located in Murfreesboro, part of metropolitan Nashville which is also known as Music City USA, the center aims to engage regional and national communities with China's diverse musical and cultural traditions.

It regularly holds events such as concerts, music festivals, lectures and exhibitions to promote Chinese music and culture. Han received her doctoral and master's degrees in Ethnomusicology from the University of British Columbia. Her academic research includes the music of China, East Asia, and cross-cultural music communication. She has been teaching Chinese music in North America for 28 years.

"This was the first time for me to take my US students to China," she says, expressing her hope that during the trip, the students would be able to explore Chinese music and culture while demonstrating their achievements.

She also says she hoped that Chinese teachers and students would see the passion of American university students for music and their uninhibited expression onstage.

"Our band members each play several instruments and all enjoy themselves during performances. This is also worth considering for Chinese music educators: Should we shape children from a young age into performers through music education or should we focus on cultivating their love of music?" she asks.

Han has been studying the similarities between the music cultures of China and the US for quite some time.

"We recommend students choose Chinese instruments based on their proficiency with their original instruments, which are mostly Western. For example, if a student is skilled in woodwind instruments, they may enjoy playing the sheng (an ancient Chinese wind instrument) or the suona."

Furthermore, she believes that it is crucial for students to experience the essence of Chinese music, such as yun (moving tones) in traditional Chinese music.

William Sprayberry, a 20-year-old junior studying video and film production at MTSU and a member of the ensemble, has come to notice what is unique about Chinese music. He recently started learning the guzheng. "It's an instrument that I'm slowly getting more respect for, which I know is a weird way to say it. But the more I play and the more I get to interact with it, the more I really understand it," he says, adding that exploring aspects like posture, technique and resting positions has revealed a wealth of details that collectively transform the experience into something almost meditative.

"Yes, it's a performance. You know you are playing for people and that's a big part of it. But there's definitely an element where you're playing for yourself and to better yourself."

His trip to China has ignited a desire to learn the language and he uses words like "gorgeous" to describe Chinese.

"I hope when I come back (to China), I will be able to read and communicate more on my own and really experience the culture firsthand."

This journey has prompted him to reconsider his future career.

Initially, he had doubts regarding the practicality of pursuing a professional music career, particularly in terms of being able to make a living.

"But I come here and I get to meet so many people, interact with so many phenomenal musicians and experience so much beauty.

"Seeing all of that and knowing that, if nothing else, I have a wide range of instruments I can play, I can fit well into ensembles of different levels and styles. So, there's something to be said for the world of music in the future," he says.