Lan Tung workshop

To register email: info@upstreammusic.org

Erhu Workshop

Lan Tung will offer an in depth workshop for musicians and students sponsored by the Dalhousie University Music Dept.

Originated in Central Asia and introduced to China more than one thousand years ago, the erhu (二胡) belongs to the large family of stick fiddles that are found in many countries. The erhu is played while held on the lap. Its two strings are tuned to a fifth, with the bow placed between them. The erhu has no fingerboard. The player places the fingers on the strings without pressing them against the wood neck, giving the flexibility to apply different degrees of pressure on the strings to alter the tone. The erhu is usually made of sandalwood, ebony, or rosewood, with a snakeskin resonator. The folk versions vary in the shapes and materials of the sound boxes. A popular instrument in solo and ensemble music, erhu’s expressive sound resembles the human voice and is deeply rooted in the vocal traditions.