new and seeking erhu teacher in Oregon

[corvideye]

Greetings,

I have wanted to learn to play the erhu for years, and at last acquired one which a friend purchased at the Shanghai Natl. Factory (I have no idea of the quality, but assume it is basic). I have been practicing for a few months on my own, gathering what I can from the internet. This forum is amazing, and it will take me quite a while to go through and absorb even a portion of the info here.

My previous instruments are folk harp and piano, so bowed things are quite mysterious to me. I am hoping I can find someone to take at least a few lessons from, so that I have some idea if I'm going in the right direction... I am in Eugene, Oregon, but could travel to Portland or other areas if anyone can suggest teachers to contact. Even being able to watch someone play would help immensely.

Thanks all,
corvideye

[paulv]

Jul 26, 2009 21:35:02 GMT corvideye said:

Greetings,

I have wanted to learn to play the erhu for years, and at last acquired one which a friend purchased at the Shanghai Natl. Factory (I have no idea of the quality, but assume it is basic). I have been practicing for a few months on my own, gathering what I can from the internet. This forum is amazing, and it will take me quite a while to go through and absorb even a portion of the info here.

My previous instruments are folk harp and piano, so bowed things are quite mysterious to me. I am hoping I can find someone to take at least a few lessons from, so that I have some idea if I'm going in the right direction... I am in Eugene, Oregon, but could travel to Portland or other areas if anyone can suggest teachers to contact. Even being able to watch someone play would help immensely.

Thanks all,
corvideye

I think that the people who can help you are on vacation since they haven't replied.

Check out Jie Bing Chen's site as she used to have some introductory info that could get you started: www.jiebingchen.com

Regards,
paul...

[davidmdahl]

Somehow I missed this post. Thanks Paul for responding to corvideye and bumping up the thread.

Welcome to the forum, corvideye. I have been studying erhu with a teacher in the Portland area for about four years. I will write to you privately with contact information for my teacher.

Besides this forum, you might check out the following:

www.ezfolk.com/forums/forum50/

Best wishes,

David

[corvideye]

Thanks, Paul and David! Jie Bing's lesson is definitely the only reason I have been able to get started playing. It is really helpful, and I've fleshed that out with the tansungwah vids on youtube; I can now produce what sounds like pretty classic beginner violin, which I find somewhat excruciating and certainly try not to inflict on anyone else yet . But I'm itching to get some live instruction to steer me on. There's so much it's hard to be sure about from online info, like how the bow should be tensioned, the ideal angle of the bow relative to the body of the instrument, and how much the bow hair should touch the body, etc... So I really look forward to learning more, and eventually sounding less excruciating.