Dueling Gu Zhengs
With Cici in the middle of final exams, the timing wasn't the best, but we wanted to do this before Ping goes back to China early tomorrow. We drove to a neighboring town about 20 miles away to meet with a Chinese lady who teaches kids how to play the gu zheng. She tuned Cici's gu zheng so that she can practice on it every day at the office this summer.
It was amazing to me as I watched Cici sit down and begin playing like it was only yesterday that she last played the gu zheng. After she warmed up a bit, she and the teacher played some music together, each on a different gu zheng. Then they played music that was at times the same, and at times they were each playing something different, though it was a coordinated effort. The teacher was testing her, challenging her. At times, it was sort of like watching two banjo players dueling with each other.
Let there be no doubt. My daughter can definitely play the zither. Now I just hope she can still be ready for her geography and English finals tomorrow. I helped her prepare to write answers to two essay questions in geography. What would be different and what would be the same if you moved to a Muslim country. What are the effects of migration from rural to urban areas. She somehow came up with the text of The Odyssey and Romeo and Juliet in Chinese, which allowed her to prepare a bit faster for the English test. She already read and studied both stories in class and doing homework, so I am fine with her using the Chinese text to study for the final exam.
So 3:30 will come early, especially for two girls who aren't likely to go to bed until midnight or later. I will sleep with beautiful gu zheng music ringing in my mind.
It was amazing to me as I watched Cici sit down and begin playing like it was only yesterday that she last played the gu zheng. After she warmed up a bit, she and the teacher played some music together, each on a different gu zheng. Then they played music that was at times the same, and at times they were each playing something different, though it was a coordinated effort. The teacher was testing her, challenging her. At times, it was sort of like watching two banjo players dueling with each other.
Let there be no doubt. My daughter can definitely play the zither. Now I just hope she can still be ready for her geography and English finals tomorrow. I helped her prepare to write answers to two essay questions in geography. What would be different and what would be the same if you moved to a Muslim country. What are the effects of migration from rural to urban areas. She somehow came up with the text of The Odyssey and Romeo and Juliet in Chinese, which allowed her to prepare a bit faster for the English test. She already read and studied both stories in class and doing homework, so I am fine with her using the Chinese text to study for the final exam.
So 3:30 will come early, especially for two girls who aren't likely to go to bed until midnight or later. I will sleep with beautiful gu zheng music ringing in my mind.
Time to break out the video camera...with sound of course!
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Yes, I wish I had that video camera with me. I also need to take pictures of the school's Student of the Month board with Cici's photo and a write up about her.
And breaking news in the wee hours of the morning. I picked up Cici's grade on her algebra final exam. She blew it. Only a 99.
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When I was in high school, a friend who was from Mexico City, often read Spanish versions of books for book reports.
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