After experiencing the Divine Performing Arts Chinese New Year Spectacular last night at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Jeff Hagerman was so impressed by the music of the Erhu that he wanted to buy one and learn how to play it.
The erhu is a two-stringed Chinese instrument that has a broad range of notes.
Hagerman attended the show with his girlfriend, Milena Krassi, and her parents Kristina Kristova and Koozma Tarasoft.
Krassi is a flute musician and Hagerman plays the guitar. They all talked about how much they enjoyed the Spectacular.
The performances were "very, very wonderful," they said, including the traditional Chinese music, the mix of Chinese and Western music, the orchestra, and the dances.
They noted the themes of faith that the Spectacular portrayed, as well as "strong and very touching" messages. Some dances raised awareness of what is happening today in China, they said, and some were visually beautiful.
Hagerman said that he loved the sound of the erhu and wanted to buy one and learn to play it. It so happened that erhu musician Qi Xiaochun just happened to be walking by at that time. When Hagerman commended her on her music and asked her where he could get an erhu of good quality, Qi advised him to find someone who plays and knows the instrument well.
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