WAMUSEUMBOOLABARDIP PERTHCULTURALCENTRE,PERTH
* The organiser reserves the right, with reasonable cause, to make changes to the event
Director’s Message
Welcome to “The Music of Strings and Hammers”, a 139-guzheng grand ensemble that celebrates the richness and versatility of Chinese music: the Guzheng (strings) and the Yangqin (hammers).
We’re especially excited to have Kasey here with us today, who has travelled all the way from Brisbane our very first participant from an Eastern state. It’s a small but meaningful sign that the festival is starting to gain recognition beyond WA, and we’re so thankful for the growing support from across the country
A heartfelt thank you to our amazing guzheng teachers. Your dedication, care, and countless hours of preparation have helped guide our performers and make today possible To all musicians thank you for your hard work It’s an honour to share the stage with you. Thank you Mrs Grubb for joining us this year. A big thank you as well to all the parents for your support, and to our co-organizers, participating schools, sponsors, volunteers, media teams, staff, photographers, videographers, and sound technicians This event is a true team effort, and I’m deeply grateful to everyone working behind the scenes.
And of course, thank you to the WA Museum and their wonderful team for providing this beautiful venue and supporting our event. If you have a chance on another day, I highly recommend coming back to explore ‘The Terracotta Worriors’ exhibition it’s well worth a visit
Thank you again for being here. I hope you enjoy the performances ahead and join us in celebrating the art and tradition of guzheng music
提供了指引，也 让今天的活动得以顺利进⾏。对所有的演奏者们，也要说 声谢谢。能与⼤家同台演出是 种荣幸。也特别感谢 Mrs Grubb ⼥⼠今年的加⼊。同时，也要诚挚感谢各位家⻓的⽀持，以及我们的协办单位、参与学校、赞助商、志愿者、 媒体团队、⼯作⼈员、摄影师、摄像师和⾳响技术⼈员。这场活动是⼤家⻬⼼协⼒的成果，我对每 位在幕后⾟勤付 出的⼈表⽰最深的感谢。 当然，我们也⾮常感谢西澳博物馆及其出⾊的团队，不仅为我们提供了这样 个美丽的场地，也给予了本次活动⼤⼒ ⽀持。如果有机会，真诚推荐⼤家在其他时间回到这⾥参观《兵⻢俑》展览 绝对值得 游。
再次感谢⼤家的到来。希望你们喜欢接下来的演出
Acknowledgement 致谢
WA Museum Boola Bardip
Methodist Ladies’ College
HuaXing Art Group
WA Guzheng Academy
Zing Music Studio
The Office of Multicultural Interest
Christ Church Grammar School
Chung Wah Chinese School Leeming Hale Schools
Kennedy Baptist College
Oberthur Primary School
Presbyterian Ladies’ College
Australian Chinese Musician Association
Fu Guang Shan Chinese Orchestra of WA
Global Melody Band
Muso Music Academy
Spring
Melody Studio
WA Guzheng Ensemble
IQI WA Real Estate
KLC Music Busker
AusWorld Travel
Orchid wine and beverages
Black Diamond Drilling Services Australia
Eternity tile bath home
Imperial Finance
Australia Asia Business Weekly
Australian Chinese Times
Australia Today
Chung Wah Bilingual Magazine
Most WA
The Perth Post
Wei Perth
Presentation of certificates
Fighting the Typhoon
The Wandering Songstress
Composed by Shuhua Lou, Guzheng Ensemble Fisherman’s Song at Eventide
Clarinet Polka
Melody of the Purple Bamboo Jiangnan
Night Escape of Lin Chong
The World’s Gift to Me
Dancing Golden Snake
Flourishing Age
* The organizer reserves the right to make changes to the event if necessary
Guzheng Instructors 古筝⽼师
Xueyan Chan
陈雪艳
Aime Huang ⻩孜蕊
Gabby Li 李怡霏
Liu 刘刚
Shutong Liu
刘姝彤
Jessica Pun 潘晓棠
Teresa Tan
王慧兰
Wendi Wen
温迪茵
Gang
Xueyan Chen is an award-winning professional Guzheng musician with a Master’s degree in Guzheng Performance from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music. She is currently the founding Guzheng Director of the Western Australia Guzheng Academy, and a Guzheng tutor at Christ Church Grammar School (CCGS), Presbyterian Ladies' College (PLC), Oberthur Primary School, and Hale School
Xueyan began learning Guzheng at the age of Four under the tutelage of renowned Guzheng performers, Professor Li Qingfeng and Professor Jiang Danxi. She was formerly the Principal Guzheng Player of the Chongqing National Orchestra and a Guzheng Lecturer at the Anhui University of Arts. She has also been honored as an ambassador for Chinese-English Cultural Exchange Xueyan is the Gold Prize winner of the Professional Group in the 3rd International Guzheng Contest and has held five solo concerts.
As a Guzheng performer, she was invited to perform as a soloist at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in China in 2018. In 2024, she was invited to perform as a Guzheng soloist with the Perth Symphony Orchestra in Avatar: The Last Airbender. She has also been invited to perform in cultural exchange programs in countries such as the UK, Singapore, and Japan.
As a dedicated Guzheng educator, Xueyan’s students have won numerous awards in competitions both in Australia and internationally. She has been recognized with the Best Teacher Award in international Guzheng competitions for two consecutive years.
Aime Huang is the founder of Zing Music Studio, CEO of Zing Arts and the group leader of WA Guzheng ensemble. She is also a representative for the Central Conservatory of Music Examination (Chinese Musical Instruments) in Perth, and a Guzheng tutor at MLC. Aime began to learn the Guzheng (Chinese Zither) at the age of six, she represented her school, university in several overseas performances while she was studying, including United states, Japan and several cities in China.
She completed her bachelor of music education in China and then arrived in Perth in 2010. She is proficient in playing and teaching Guzheng and Konghou. As she lives in Perth, she has also played solo or with groups at many important events in Perth She has been teaching Guzheng over 20 years. And she is the only one Konghou teacher in Perth. She is a very passionate and patient teacher.
Shutong Liu, plant biologist, moved to Western Australia in 2019 to focus on researching native plant species. Alongside her scientific work, she is also a certified advanced Guzheng teacher, accredited by the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, China. In 2020, she joined the Chung Wah Chinese Orchestra, where she plays the Guzheng, an instrument she has studied and performed for over a decade.
Shutong’s extensive training in China has allowed her to master a wide range of regional and stylistic approaches to Guzheng performance Since 2020, she has been teaching Guzheng to students in WA, developing a personalized teaching method that adapts to each student's unique learning style. Her versatility as a musician has seen her perform widely, both as a solo artist and in collaboration with the orchestra.
Shutong is particularly passionate about expanding the role of the Guzheng beyond its traditional context. She believes the instrument can excel in a variety of genres, including pop and Western classical music. Through her innovative performances, she seamlessly blends Chinese and Western musical elements, showcasing the beauty of cultural fusion and pushing the boundaries of what the Guzheng can achieve
Marvin Ma is an engineer by day, a basketball coach by night, and a musician at heart. His musical journey began from a young age, reluctantly Years later with the Chung Wah orchestra, he is rediscovering the joy of those melodies that shaped his childhood
For Marvin, music is where time stops and creativity flows freely. But the real magic happens when melody turns into shared memories and moments that create a sense of community. To him, music is not just an art - it is a bridge that brings people together.
The Yang Qin - a traditional Chinese hammered dulcimer with 144 strings, crafting vibrant, shimmering tones. Today, as part of the Chung Wah Orchestra, Marvin brings to life a piece inspired by The Water Margin - a story of exile, rebellion, and vengeance, following a wronged warrior fleeing through winter wilderness.
