Pi Pa Instruction at Orange Grove Middle School 橙树园丛中学——中国乐器介绍活动

       2022年5月19日清晨，迎着初升的阳光，我们亚利桑那中医孔子学院的Stephanie Xu老师和吴宝荣琵琶老师，来到了图桑市橙树园丛中学，为学生们介绍琵琶这一古老的中国乐器。

       我们到了学校，在接待老师的引领下，走在宁静又美丽的校园主道上。我们穿过各种仙人掌和开着红，白，紫，黄色花的夹竹桃树后，来到了教室，开始连续三堂课的琵琶乐器介绍。第一堂课是给六年级和学校乐团的学生们介绍。第二，第三堂课都是给六，七年级的学生们介绍。虽然连续不停地讲三堂课，对老师来讲有点累。但很多学生听完一堂课后，还留下来再多听一次。学生们表现出来的热情和对中国音的好奇，就是给予老师最好的回报。

       吴宝荣老师介绍了琵琶历史，演奏了两首琵琶曲。吴老师还解释了什么叫弹拨乐器，什么是音乐。提到音乐没有国界，音乐本身是一种特殊的语言。音乐家用这种语言技巧去表达我们内心的情感。学生们听了以后，能感到他(她)们对中国乐器和音乐拉近了距离。一个个举起手来，要上去体验如何弹奏这件乐器。最后吴宝荣老师安排每个学生都来到前面试弹琵琶。不少学生当场学会弹奏吴老师编的空弦乐曲“袋鼠”。

最后，橙树园丛中学的老师和学生们都说非常感谢这次活动，希望我们以后再去。图桑橙树园丛中学一直以来都是孔子学院合作课堂的公立社区中学。很多学生从小学就开始学习中文。我们相信，通过这次活动，让学生们了解到更多的中国文化。

In the early morning of May 19, 2022, facing the rising sun, our teachers Ms. Stephanie Xu and Ms. Baorong Wu— Pipa Instructor, from the Confucius Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Arizona came to the Orange Grove Middle School in Tucson City to introduce the ancient Chinese Pipa-musical instrument to the students.

When we arrived at the school, under the guidance of the reception teacher, we walked on the quiet and beautiful main road of the campus. After passing through various cacti and oleander trees with red, white, purple and yellow flowers, we came to the classroom and started the introduction of the lute instrument for three consecutive lessons. The first class was an introduction to the sixth grade and school orchestra students. The second and third classes are for sixth and seventh grade students. Although I have to teach three classes in a row, it is a bit tiring for the teacher. But many students stay after a lesson and listen to it again. The enthusiasm and curiosity about Chinese sounds shown by the students is the best reward for the teachers.

The instructor Ms. Baorong Wu introduced the history of pipa and played two pieces of pipa. Ms. Wu also explained what is a plucked instrument and what is music. It is mentioned that music has no borders, music itself is a special language. Musicians use this language skill to express our inner emotions. After the students listened to it, they could feel that they were getting closer to Chinese musical instruments and music. Hands up one by one, to go up and experience how to play this instrument. Finally, Ms. Wu Baorong arranged for each student to come to the front for an interview to play the pipa. Many students learned to play the empty string "Kangaroo" composed by Ms. Wu on the spot.

In the end, the teachers and students of Orange Grove Middle School said they were very grateful for this event and hoped that we would go there again in the future. Many students start learning Chinese in elementary school. We believe that through this activity, students can learn more about Chinese culture.