Music has always been a passion of mine; it runs in my family. My mother said I could tap my foot to the beat of a radio song before I could walk. When I was five years old, my mother didn't ask me if I wanted to play an instrument, rather, she asked me what instrument.
Here in Kinmen, I have tried to maintain this passion. Sometimes I sneak away during lunch hour to play the piano in the music room when no one is around. However, this occasional opportunity did not fully satisfy my desire and thirst for music. Consequently, I sought out the opportunity to learn a traditional Chinese instrument. About two months ago, I began learning the guzheng, or Chinese zither.
The guzheng, although comparable to the piano, is taught without traditional western musical theory. Eastern instruments are taught using a pentatonic scale, with five note octaves repeating. Conversely, western musical theory is written on a seven note staff, with major and minor scales, known as the heptatonic scale. Despite studying piano, saxophone, and guitar, I find learning the guzheng to be quite challenging due to the differences in music theory.
Once a week, I have a guzheng lesson with an instructor that flies in from Taipei for part of the week to share her talents with Kinmen students. The joy I have gained as a result of learning to play is unparalleled. It has provided me with yet another outlet to embrace Taiwanese culture. My instructor assigned two eastern style music books that are written all in Chinese. Despite the language barrier, there is no music barrier; music is a universal language.
I find the sound of a guzheng both alluring and soothing. I still have quite a way to go before I am confident enough to tackle more challenging material on the guzheng. Learning an instrument during my time in Kinmen will leave me with a long lasting memory, and a foundation for a musical skill I hope to build upon in the future.