Qiang folk songs rely on polyphonic singing to illuminate history, legends and stories. Zewang Renqing and Geluo Zhaxi, who learned to sing with their parents while farming, will be joined by their wives to re-create the song-and-dance repertoires associated with local parties.
Qiang songs are passed along through an oral tradition rather than written down and generally features a near-soprano singer and another lower, bass singer. In the wake of Sichuan’s massive 2008 earthquake, retaining and strengthening these ancient traditions has become difficult, but these artists are engaged in helping to reverse the tide.
Learn more about Qiang polyphonic singing at the Artist Talk on July 13 at 2pm.
PRICES
Everyone: FREE
Saturday, July 12, 2014
9:00PM – 9:45PM
235 Queens Quay West
The Qiang people live mostly in valleys in western Sichuan Province, which was severely damaged by an earthquake in 2008, thereby threatening the continuity of Qiang culture.
Zewang Renqing 泽旺仁青, Geluo Zhaxi 格洛扎西
Zewang Renqing and Geluo Zhaxi are brothers who learned Qiang polyphonic singing while herding cattle with their parents. Today there are relatively few who can still sing these ancient songs, which document the history of the Qiang people. In 2006, Zewang and Geluo won the bronze prize at the CCTV National Youth Singers’ Competition and have since toured not only nationally but also internationally. For the Folklife Festival, the brothers are joined by their wives Shi Maomao 石昴毛 and Lin Macuo 林玛磋 to re-create the atmosphere of local wine parties with songs and dances.
羌族毕曼兄弟演唱组合由来自四川阿坝藏族羌族自治州松潘县小姓乡大耳边寨的两位牧民泽旺仁青和格罗扎西组成。他们演唱的歌曲是羌族古老的民歌，这种古歌又称羌族多声部，是我国民族音乐史上最古老的一种唱腔，至今已有数千年的历史，是中华民族的宝贵文化遗产。
目前，能够演唱这种古老多声部合唱的人，可谓凤毛麟角，仁青和格洛以及他们的父辈，是目前我国唯一还能用古唱腔演唱古歌曲令的队伍，他（她）们全是世居深山的羌族人。仁青和格洛从小跟着父辈学唱古歌，平日里只在家里务农、放牛。