Thoughts for Qin Learning

My teaching philosophy on qin learning was presented in the New York Qin Society 2022 3rd Yaji « Guqin Learning Experience and Stories.»

New York Qin Society.

Last Sunday, april 04, I was pleased to talk about my teaching philosophy on qin learning. It was a significant opportunity to recognize myself as a teaching qin player regarding my personal history changes during the pandemic. Peiyou Chang, current president of the New York Qin Society, gave me room to present it to other experienced teaching qin players.

Despite the teacher's identity having a long history and trajectory on me through music composition, from my undergrad years from 1999 to 2005 to my position teaching composer at the University of Brasília and São Paulo—including my ten years of endeavor establishing a first Chinese-Brazilian ensemble dedicated to traditional music highlights from mainland China—it is pretty recent that I shifted my artistic profile to be more active living by qin music teaching and research. At the beginning of the pandemic, I started teaching Brazilians to play qin.

To get insights from my esteemed colleagues—worthy of mentioning Marilyn Wong Gleysteen, Stephen Dydo, for grasping hidden points in my qin talks—I prepared a three-part outline of my thinking on teaching. The schematic entries that follow this introduction came from my previous experiences teaching music composition-related disciplines at the universities mentioned above and Tom Jobim São Paulo State School of Music.

Straight to the point

I chose to walk by a different path than copying and to follow Chinese cultural premises and its social conventions on qin learning. Brazilians need a reception mode to qin culture to glimpse its essentials and perhaps achieve a special place to fit into Chinese intangible ancestor heritage.

I conceived a two-fold reception mode to qin culture: first, by valuing our own cultural and artistic inherited identities and sensibilities; second, recognizing the qin music's essential features that might enhance the Brazilian's reception of the Chinese musical experience.

Some may be pretty critical of this thinking model, arguing that it is against the qin culture essentials to change its original roots and purposes and system of thoughts. And it wouldn't be incorrect to say that any practice of ancient music transplanted to another culture (another soil) can result in disruption and dispel. Nevertheless, we cannot forget the basic assumption that on any planting (or transplanting), we must consider the conditions of the new land from which it is intended to be harvested in the future. Otherwise, disruption will be inevitable.

In addition, some will argue that the cultural and symbolic transfer of a musical practice inextricably ancient and essential to Chinese music maintenance to another culture as distinct as the Brazilian one might make it a weak and groundless effort. This was true long ago, to each cultural tradition carrying on far from its living core, such as the big wave of Chinese immigrants at the 19-century finals to the West (in the 70' in Brazil), that somehow turn off itself into a closed community.

However, those past circumstances don't apply any longer, as nowadays, Chinese communities in foreign lands do not cease their bonds and relations with their native places. In fact, they have been increasing it by constantly exchanging social behaviours to the point of researchers calling them transnational communities, which means continuously feeding on their geographical, cultural locations.

The main issue for Brazilian interests in qin music is to realize that combining visions regarding Chinese music can flourish worldwide, even with different cultural colours. To do it, one needs to consider a careful reception and cultural resignification from the beginning by translating its meanings and verifying its applicabilities and acceptance among beginners. Further reasons for it can be found in the second part of this short paper: "Aspects of the Brazilian Reception of Qin Culture."

Thoughts for Qin learning, NYQS' presentation.

1.

SEVEN OBSERVATIONS FOR TEACHING

RESPECT and welcome the individuality of each potential student. Being a student is a learning experience. It is a condition of being that is not taken for granted; it is necessary to accomplish it.

RESPEITAR e acolher a individualidade de cada aluno em potencial. Ser aluno é um aprendizado. É uma condição de ser que não é dada como certa; é necessário conquistá-la.

OBSERVE the emotional features of students' connection to qin—body and mind—as the study conditions present themselves gradually.

OBSERVE as características emocionais da conexão dos alunos com qin—corpo e mente—à medida que as condições de estudo se apresentam gradualmente.

BE SENSITIVE to the student's needs toward qin. Never force learning—each student learns at different times; each one shows a unique learning curve on which the teacher must study and learn to better orient.

SEJA SENSÍVEL às necessidades do aluno em relação a Qin. Nunca force o aprendizado – cada aluno aprende em momentos diferentes; cada um apresenta uma curva de aprendizado única sobre a qual o professor deve estudar e aprender para se orientar melhor.

FOSTER calm and concentration when teaching: gestures should be slow, firm, without any hesitation.

FOMENTAR a calma e a concentração ao ensinar: os gestos devem ser lentos, firmes, sem qualquer hesitação.

GUIDE students to envision the practice of qin beyond the performance and acquisition of specific techniques and skills.

ORIENTAR os alunos a vislumbrar a prática do qin além do desempenho e aquisição de técnicas e habilidades específicas.

SPEAK about ancient qin culture constantly: (handbooks, masters and qin players).

FALE constantemente sobre a antiga cultura qin: (manuais, mestres e guqinistas).

AVOID criticism and negative comments regarding the path and practice of others

EVITE críticas e comentários negativos sobre o caminho e a prática dos outros

2.

ASPECTS OF THE BRAZILIAN RECEPTION OF QIN CULTURE.

Of the forty people registered in the association's WhatsApp group, twenty-one are women (52.5%), and nineteen are men (47.5%). Twelve of them are engaged in qin study.

Das quarenta pessoas cadastradas no grupo de WhatsApp da associação, vinte e uma são mulheres (52,5%) e dezenove são homens (47,5%). Doze deles estão envolvidos no estudo de qin.

They are largely influenced by social media culture—video streaming and Chinese Netflix series.

Eles são amplamente influenciados pela cultura das mídias sociais—streaming de vídeo e séries chinesas da Netflix.

People who engaged in the study, and have acquired a qin, generally have previous experiences in martial arts, such as Kung Fu and Tai Chi—many discovered it as kung fu learners.

As pessoas que se envolveram no estudo e adquiriram um qin, geralmente têm experiências anteriores em artes marciais, como Kung Fu e Tai Chi—muitos o descobriram como aprendizes de kung fu.

In a broad sense, Brazilians' interests in qin music tend to take it as some sort of Aesthetic Philosophy of life.

Em sentido amplo, o interesse dos brasileiros pela música qin tende a tomá-la como uma espécie de estética filosófica de vida.

The Brazilians crave an identity crossed by the qin culture: many students relate Qin practice to a fashionable way of being different from others. Playing Qin in such cases represents a way of realizing oneself as an individual adopting a cross-cultural background from a prospective attitude: "If I do my best to study qin and enter into this culture, will the natives accept me?"

Os brasileiros anseiam por uma identidade atravessada pela cultura do Qin: muitos alunos relacionam a prática Qin a uma forma elegante de ser diferente dos outros. Tocar Qin nesses casos representa uma maneira de se perceber como um indivíduo adotando uma formação transcultural a partir de uma atitude prospectiva: "Se eu fizer o meu melhor para estudar Qin e entrar nessa cultura, os nativos me aceitarão?"

Senior and middle-aged students tend to be more assertive regarding qin culture as a heritage linked to Confucius's days, the qin as a cultural icon.

Estudantes de terceira idade e meia-idade tendem a ser mais assertivos em relação à cultura qin como herança ligada aos dias de Confúcio, o Qin como ícone cultural.

Generally speaking, Brazilians know just a few aspects of qin culture through the Netflix series, most of the time in the romanticized versions, such as Ashes of Love or Untamed.

De um modo geral, os brasileiros conhecem apenas alguns aspectos da cultura qin através das séries da Netflix, na maioria das vezes nas versões romantizadas, como Ashes of Love ou Untamed.

The most common way of listening to qin music among Brazilians is strongly marked by high fidelity production videos available on platform streaming (YouTube and Bilibili) that create a false impression of qin sounds.

A forma mais comum de ouvir música qin entre os brasileiros é fortemente marcada por vídeos de produção de alta fidelidade disponíveis nas plataformas de streaming (YouTube e Bilibili) que criam uma falsa impressão dos sons do qin.

This digital culture of listening to qin music leads to a series of students' frustrations regarding its actual subtle sounds, as they do not match with the ones they are used to listening to on YouTube. As a matter of fact, it is up to the teacher to deconstruct this digital-era ubiquitous impression and put qin's study in perspective of the sonic reality at home.

Essa cultura digital de ouvir música qin leva a uma série de frustrações dos alunos quanto aos sons etéreos, pois não condizem com os que estão acostumados a ouvir no YouTube. Na verdade, cabe ao professor desconstruir essa impressão onipresente da era digital e colocar o estudo de qin em perspectiva da realidade sonora em casa.

3.

GUIDELINES FOR QIN STUDY

Find a time and place to study calmly.

Encontre um horário e local para estudar com calma.

First of all, seek calmness in your mind and cease all thoughts.

Em primeiro lugar, busque a calma em sua mente e cesse todos os pensamentos.

Begin to study in slow time in a concentrated manner without distraction.

Comece a estudar em tempo lento de forma concentrada sem distração.

Act as a listener and player at the same time. Qin sounds are like relays closing a circuit around your body and mind perception.

Aja como ouvinte e executante ao mesmo tempo. Os sons de qin são como relés fechando um circuito em torno de sua percepção de corpo e mente.

Always observe your movements as it would be the first time you play them—even if you think you have already learned them.

Sempre observe seus movimentos como se fosse a primeira vez que você os toca – mesmo que você ache que já os aprendeu.

The hands should be studied (and re-structured) constantly—teachers and students must be aware of this:

As mãos devem ser estudadas (e reestruturadas) constantemente – professores e alunos devem estar cientes disso:

The hand shape, its movements, and the way of balancing them are directly linked to observation provided by a quiet mind.

O formato da mão, seus movimentos e o modo de equilibrá-los estão diretamente ligados à observação proporcionada por uma mente tranquila.

There is no hand-hold model for qin study. Each hand following a natural development is unique. Everyone feels and touches strings differently, based on their own corporeal and mind responses to qin sounds.

Não existe um modelo de mão para o estudo de qin. Cada mão segue um desenvolvimento natural é único. Cada um sente e toca as cordas de maneira diferente, com base em suas próprias respostas corporais e mentais aos sons qin.

There is no common goal among qin players regarding hand movements developments (cause body perceptions are different). The hand of others, even of masters, is not a universal reference for playing qin.

Não há um objetivo comum entre os guqinistas em relação ao desenvolvimento dos movimentos das mãos (porque as percepções do corpo são diferentes). A mão de outros, mesmo de mestres, não é uma referência universal para tocar qin.

Students can study Masters, copying gestures and ways of striking the strings, but must keep the focus on their own hand's construction.

Os alunos podem estudar Mestres, copiar os gestos e formas de golpear as cordas, mas devem manter o foco na construção de sua própria mão.

At the end of your study, tell yourself what you have learned.

No final de seu estudo, diga a si mesmo o que você aprendeu.

Evaluate your study objectively. Consider that the result you apprehend in the study strengthens your bonds with practice.

Avalie seu estudo objetivamente. Considere que o resultado que você apreende no estudo fortalece seus vínculos com a prática.

For anxious personalities / Para as personalidades ansiosas:

Never expect too much than one more day of practicing playing (and enjoying) pieces.

Nunca espere muito do que mais um dia e prática (aproveitando) as peças.

Seek connection with qin music by observing other qin players, listening to good performances, reading books about qin history, and playing gently, considering it a living force from ancient times.

Busque conexão com a música qin observando outros tocadores de qin, ouvindo boas performances, lendo livros sobre a história de qin e tocando suavemente, considerando-a uma força viva desde os tempos antigos.

As soon as possible, teach others what you have learned about qin playing.

Assim que possível, ensine aos outros o que você aprendeu sobre o jogo de qin.

4.

RULES FOR TEACHERS

1st rule.

Teachers must guide the beginner to create a solid study routine. The study routine must align with the student's available time for practice. On average, three months are enough to establish a way. Regarding this, there are two common possibilities: daily and weekly. Their differences rely on the path taken to mastering the qin. The latter will spend a decade achieving results. The first one will do it quickly, allowing changing study perspectives and solving technical issues more effectively. As a consequence, he will achieve his goals with more clarity.

After three-month, if the student can't establish a proper routine (whether daily or weekly), the teacher must assume that the student cannot connect with qin. Therefore, the student can't engage with qin study at that moment. In these cases, all classes will be fruitless, leaving the teacher with nothing more than to shorten his relationship with the student and interrupt the classes.

There are many reasons why the qin routine could be broken, such as health, family issues, or just a residence moving. Concerning these different situations, the classes could be temporarily suspended until the student can re-establish himself and the usual routine.

Therefore, the first rule is about three months to establish a routine. The teacher must observe it as a threshold to accept a student or not or decline to teach at the time, waiting for a more suitable opportunity.

2nd rule.

The bonds between students and teachers, oriented to musical study, usually show fluctuations, in general, concerning the goals and interests of the students. Thus, the teacher must periodically carry out the maintenance of the purposes. It should return to the first questions that motivated students to encounter qin art: why study qin? for what purpose? What thoughts does the qin evoke in us?

Students who have already established a suitable routine may sometimes weaken their connection. Usually, the signs come from a break from musical exercise, poor interest in qin music, and lack of concentration in classes. Several causes can be at the root of the weakening: stress, psychic disorders, a routine of obligations superimposed on qin, and excessive working.

In this case, the teacher must observe the reasons for the weakening and guide the student to strengthen the primary bonds that motivated them to be a student and to acquire a qin. Suppose three months have passed, and the student does not resume the practice he had achieved before. In that case, the teacher must suspend the classes indefinitely until the student returns to the standard and constant practice.

Therefore, the second rule is about perseverance regarding life's changes.

3rd rule.

The teacher cannot, under any circumstances, drag the classes for the sake of the bonds with the students. "Dragging classes" means putting the mutual affection between teachers and students above the music, resulting in indulgence regarding the qin social (and historical) meanings. By dragging out classes with excessive tolerance, the teacher risks witnessing the loss of the meaning that structures his/her relationship with qin teaching, also tearing apart its sense of transmission (inherited from masters).

The transmission of the qin reflects a mutual agreement between teacher and student to promote qin knowledge and music, its social values and meanings. When classes cease to expose and elaborate on them, the relationship between student and teacher turns to the status of entertainment, a pastime. Thus, talking about qin transmission in the beginner's first classes is especially important.

On the other hand, qin classes could be a form of self-contentment by enjoying new identifications with music, guided by historical perspectives around qin music. In this sense, the classes can create a whole atmosphere to allow students to reinvent themselves and strengthen their identities in everyday life. But it works only if teachers and students are aware of the commitment they need to make about the path to be taken toward qin culture.

It should result in a progressive path, reflected in the achievement of the performance and understanding of the pieces in the repertoire. In this scenario, suppose the musical study, in practical terms, stops happening. In that case, the student no longer engages in the qin music. As observed in the second rule, the teacher must suspend classes indefinitely until the student returns by himself to the expected standard and constant practice.

Therefore, the third rule concerns mutual agreement regarding qin transmission.