Denison: Five Notes on Traditional Chinese Music

The Global Studies Seminar welcomes Shao-yun Yang, assistant professor of history at Denison, presenting "Five Notes on Traditional Chinese Music." Drawing on his study of Chinese history and over ten years of involvement with traditional Chinese orchestras in Singapore, this talk will introduce the main characteristics and history of traditional Chinese music. Dr. Yang will discuss why Chinese music is heavily pentatonic; why it favors melody over tonal complexity, rhythm, and harmonization; the various kinds of "traditional" Chinese instruments, many of which were not originally Chinese; why China had its first "Western music" craze during the eighth century; when and why the traditional Chinese orchestra was invented; and why Chinese professional musicians had very low social status before the 1950s. Denison University's Global Studies Seminars are interdisciplinary intellectual forums to discuss and debate academic and policy issues of global importance.