UDARF hears Gao
Violinist Xiang Gao shares music, cultural ideas with retired faculty
10:14 a.m., Oct. 14, 2011--Violinist Xiang Gao shared his music and his views on cultural interchange during a meeting of the University of Delaware Association of Retired Faculty, held Tuesday, Oct. 4, in Clayton Hall.
Through his performances, his teaching as a professor in UD's Department of Music and his popular trips to China, Gao offers members of the University community the opportunity to experience traditional and contemporary American and Chinese cultures.
Campus Stories
From graduates, faculty
Doctoral hooding
“I’m very honored to work with talented faculty members and guests from all over the world,” Gao said. “Another role that I play here on campus is that I direct and introduce concerts for the UD Master Players Concert Series.”
Born in Beijing, China, Gao came to the United States when he was 18, and began teaching at UD in 2001.
“China gave birth to me as my mother country, and America, which gave me incredible opportunities to create a family here in Delaware, is my father country," Gao said. “In light of my cultural parents, I try to introduce people to the culture and the music of these two great nations.”
Gao presented a recorded performance of Blue Little Flower by China Magpie. The internationally acclaimed ensemble, of which Gao is a founding member, performed the piece during a concert earlier this year at Mitchell Hall.
Established by Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project, China Magpie performs crossover music with its own arrangements and compositions on instruments with roots in both countries.
Explaining what UDARF members had heard, Gao said, “The lute that was played is called the pipa, a Chinese lute related to the Western guitar, which was brought to China during the Qing Dynasty, which lasted from 1644 to 1912. Through modern research, it is amazing to see these connections, where we find that many Chinese instruments were imported.”
Retired faculty and guests also were treated to a video performance by 6ixwire Project of Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by French composer Camille Saint-Saëns.
Formed by Gao and Cathy Yang, 6ixwire Project showcases the virtuosity of two world-class musicians performing on the traditional four-stringed violin and the erhu, the two-stringed Chinese violin.
“When you place these instruments side by side, you can almost tell that they are related,” Gao said.
Musical selections performed by Gao at the UDARF luncheon included the Evening Boat Song, a Chinese folk song, and Salut D’ Amour by British composer Edward Elgar.
Gao encouraged UDARF members to join him and his wife, Renee Dong, instructor of Chinese in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, on a trip to China, the Middle Kingdom, slated for June 2012.
Besides engaging his audience in a musical and cultural discussion, Gao invited UDARF members to share their experience and expertise with other members of the UD community.
“This is a wonderful way to come back to campus to see your colleagues and see what the students are doing, and to hear a wonderful concert,” Gao said. “I’m very pleased that you continue to play a part on this beautiful campus.”
Also at the gathering, Frank Scarpitti, president of UDARF, welcomed Nancy Brickhouse, deputy provost, who is now liaison for UDARF in the Office of The Provost. Scarpitti also thanked Margaret Andersen, associate provost for academic affairs, for her recent service in that capacity.
“We are very grateful to the Office of the Provost for their continuing support, and we know that will continue,” Scarpitti said.
Scarpitti also noted that the current positions of UDARF president, vice president, secretary and treasurer will need to be filled when the two-year terms of the current officers expire at the end of the 2011-2012 academic year.
The nominating committee includes Ludwig Mosberg, Ivo Dominguez, Philip Flynn and Helen Morgan.
George Watson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, will host a reception to unveil a new strategic plan for the college.
The next "My Intellectual Journey" lecture will feature Carol Hoffecker, professor emeritus of history, who will share her life and work at 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Courtyard Newark-University of Delaware. A wine and cheese reception will follow.
Sanford Robbins, professor and chair of the Department of Theatre, will be the guest lecturer at the next UDARF meeting, to be held at 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 6, at Clayton Hall.
Article by Jerry Rhodes
Photo by Kathy F. Atkinson.