The London Youlan Qin Society (simplified Chinese: 伦敦幽兰琴社; traditional Chinese: 倫敦幽蘭琴社; sometimes abbreviated to LYQS) is a London based qin society serving guqin players in the UK. Of the three major qin societies of the West (the other two being the North American Guqin Association and the New York Qin Society), this society is the most informal and the most active in terms of regular events and yajis.
The Society began to adopt a constitution in 2011 and has begun to evolve into a more formal learned society.
Contents |
The society was founded in 2003 by Dr. Cheng Yu and several guqin enthusiasts. According to the society's website, the society aims to "promote interest in and understanding of Chinese musical culture and philosophy, especially of the qin [...] in the UK." The society had existed before then in an inchoate form with a group of qin players having irregular yajis. Then in 2003, the group of players decided to create a more formal society, thereby creating Britain's first and only qin society.
The society is an off-shoot of the UK Chinese Ensemble, also headed by Dr. Cheng, which includes the Silk String Quartet and other projects.
During 2010, it was decided that the Society will become more formal and adopt a new constitution in order to expand the Society's promotion as well as gain easier access to funding. A new committee was elected to support the Society's increased workload.
The main activities the society holds are regular bi-monthly yajis as well as the occasional concert and the yearly guqin music summer school in association with (before 2011) the Asian Music Circuit at the Royal Academy of Music, London.
Though it is primarily based in London, the society may hold meetings at other places in the UK for special occasions. One such meeting was held at Oxford University in 2004. On average, around 10 - 20 members attend for each meeting.
The summer school in London is the Society main event of the year, started in 2003. Each year, a qin master/player is invited to London to teach students for a week. So far, Prof. Li Xiangting, Gong Yi, Prof. Zeng Chengwei and Dai Xiaolian have taught at the summer school, with Prof. Zeng becoming the most often. During the summer school, there is the main Society yaji/anniversary/Congregation event of the year, attended by the professor, members of the Society and guests. The summer school is the only of its kind outside China to offer yearly tutition from qin masters from China.
Since 2011, the Society has a more direct involvement with organising summer schools and workshops independent of the AMC.
The Society has an AGM in January every year and its meeting are mostly held at SOAS since 2011.
Before 2011, the society comprises two permanently elected officers, several artistic consultants and numerous ordinary members. Since 2011, a committee was set up consisting of three officers and three ordinary committee members with several advisors in addition to the ordinary membership.
Membership is open to all who have an interest in music, particularly the music of the guqin, or are qin players/musicians. Members receive regular mailings via e-mail about the society's activities and important upcoming events. There is no formal requirement for members to attend any of the meetings or yajis but they must, beginning January 2011, pay a subscription fee.
Committee members are elected every three years.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||