Chinese Guqin playing and Notation

Pei-You Chang

Guqin culture is deeply influenced by Confucianism and Taoism. Also, through the geographical division of China over time, several Guqin schools or styles of playing developed. The northern Chinese Guqin style is more expressive and unconstrained, while the southern Chinese Guqin style is more delicate and contained. Peiyou's Guqin style primarily follows the southern Chinese Guqin style and is most influenced by Master Wu Zhao-Ji (1908-1997) from Suzho, China.

Peiyou Chang was born in Taipei, Taiwan. At age 3 her father sat her in front of a piano and there began her musical education. At age 8 she studied the Guzheng. However she gave up both piano and Guzheng while under the pressure of entering college. At age 30, the 3rd year after she moved to New York, she revived her musical life with the love of Guqin music. She has been playing and studying the Guqin since 2000, and was taught initially by Mr. Yuan Jung-Ping.

After 13 years of working in fashion industry in Taiwan and New York, Peiyou now is fully devoted to Guqin music reconstruction, composition, promotion and performance both solo and ensemble.

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