String and Bamboo Becoming Groovy
Listening to Chinese Orchestra conductor He Bin
The beautiful combination of piano, drums, Guzheng and Chinese flute attracts over 1.3 million hits of the theme song of popular video game Genshin Impact Moon in One’s Cup on YouTube. He Bin, our South Coast Chinese Orchestra conductor, is also that Chinese flute performer in that hit score. If you talk with him on the subject of Chinese instruments working with western instruments, or East meets West, you’ll surely feel his passion for bridging the two musical cultures.
The world is connected by the internet and social media has become the perfect platform to market all cultures. “Music, just like food, is one beautiful, and effective, channel for people to cross the barriers of language to feel close to that culture,” said He. A performer, song writer, composer, He has been dedicated to the dissemination of Chinese music and instrument education overseas. His daughter once performed Simon & Garfunkel’s Scarborough Fair with Chinese flute, attracting thousands of views worldwide. His words, “if violin can interpret Butterfly Lovers, Chinese flute can perform My Heart Will Go On or Unchained Melody as well.
He always tells the students and parents at Chinese Orchestra that music is one’s best partner in life. Choosing Chinese traditional instruments is never choosing a grandma’s antique. Not only it can be a part of self-identity, but also can be, actually already is, a fun groovy thing in life.
To flourish Chinese music to work with western music through teaching, He Bin founded String and Bamboo orchestra in LA after he came to the U.S. He is now conductor of both groups. He also works with Disneyland in California and in Shanghai, China, to produce and record modern Chinese music.
To get to know He Bin and South Coast Chinese Orchestra, please visit the YouTube channel
悠揚絲竹漂過海 中西合奏成網紅
中華樂團何彬老師如是説
鋼琴、鼓、古箏、笛、鍵盤完美結合，電玩遊戲原神的主題音樂Moon in One’s Cup在網上已有超過百萬的點閱率。其中吹笛的國樂演奏編曲家何彬，正是南海岸中華樂團的指揮。從何老師身上可以感受到將國樂引入西方文化的熱情，中西樂器互通融合創造出和諧的現代作品，這完全可以和時髦有趣劃等號。
「怎麽用國樂演奏出在聽覺視覺上都有美感，讓在美國文化中成長的大人小孩都喜歡的音樂呢？」何彬老師常常在想這個問題，然後去回應這個問題，網路時代提供了平台，必須得好好利用。「音樂是一個民族被世界認識的渠道，就像通過食物，你會發現你是否認可一個文化那樣。」
如果小提琴可以拉出Butterfly Lovers (梁祝)，那麽笛子自然能吹出美國著名二重唱Simon & Garfunkel 的Scarborough Fair，或者電影Titanic主題曲My Heart Will Go On；二胡可以拉出Unchained Melody，或者電影魔戒的主題曲。其中的質感訣竅在於編曲的細節，原曲的Taste在哪裡，中國樂器要能表現得出來。這是何老師從北京來美二十年一直在做的事情，「通過音樂在海外傳承中華文化，是我的使命。」
何彬老師出生於安徽，六歲開始學習笛子、二胡、揚琴，1995年畢業於中國音樂學院，加入北京廣播愛樂樂團任獨奏演員，並為中央電視臺、北京電視台和中國唱片總公司等機構製作音樂。後來創建北京大學國樂團，並擔任指揮。2001年移民美國後，與美國的音樂出版公司，以及洛杉磯迪士尼和上海迪士尼樂園合作，創造與錄製中國音樂。同時携手妻子古箏演奏家余江荔在洛杉磯創辦絲竹國樂社，致力於中西音樂的交流。數年前加入南海岸中華文化中心的大家庭，擔任中華樂團指揮。
何老師稱許中華樂團為中美文化交流和傳承提供良好養分，無論是對青少年還是成人學生，他都傳遞這樣的訊息：音樂是人生最好的夥伴，學習音樂是一個個人品質的養成過程。在中西樂器中如何選擇？「學習中華樂器有助於建立自己的認同，也是文化上的探索。」
歡迎您到南海岸中華樂團的YouTube頻道，欣賞他們的演出