On November 1, Mandarin 4 students had the unique opportunity to experience a live guzheng performance from Ms. Ma, a skilled instructor from Chengdu, China, of this traditional Chinese string instrument. Mandarin Teacher Wenchi Yang first met Ms. Ma during a professional development workshop for Chinese teachers last Spring, and she was thrilled to invite her to share her talent with our students, who learned about the guzheng in Mandarin 3. Ms. Ma performed two well-loved Chinese pieces, "Dōngtíng New Song" and "Jasmine," as well as an English classic, "When Will I See You Again."
Following the performance, students engaged with Ms. Ma, asking her insightful questions about her background, her journey with the guzheng, and her musical inspirations. For their weekend assignment, each student turned this interview into a brief biography of Ms. Ma, capturing both her musical talent and her personal story. It was a memorable event that combined culture, music, and Mandarin Chinese learning!
