Arts Education Programme · Workshop Series
Chinese
Orchestra
Appreciation
Workshop
中华乐团欣赏工作坊
A four-session journey into the vibrant sounds, stories, and instruments of the Chinese orchestra — for students aged 7 to 16. No music background needed.
Programme at a Glance
- Multimedia slides & performance videos
- Live demonstration each session
- Hands-on instrument exploration
- Suitable for Pri & Sec levels
- Bilingual: English & Mandarin
- Delivered at your school
About the Programme
Step into the world of Chinese music
This four-part workshop series invites students to explore the four key sections of the Chinese orchestra — each session devoted to a different family of instruments, brought to life through multimedia, live demonstration, and hands-on play.
Students will listen to iconic compositions such as "Horse Racing," "Ambush from Ten Sides," and "Dance of the Yao People," gaining insights into how traditional music tells stories, evokes emotion, and connects generations.
No prior music background needed — just open minds and eager hands.
Learning Goals
What students take away
Introduce students to Chinese Orchestra instruments across its four sections: Bowed, Plucked, Wind, and Percussion.
Cultivate appreciation for Chinese orchestral music through iconic pieces and rich cultural context.
Provide hands-on experience with selected instruments to deepen understanding and engagement.
Programme Structure
Four sessions, four families of sound
Each session builds on the last, guiding students through the complete landscape of the Chinese orchestra — one instrument family at a time.
Discover the emotive, voice-like tones of China's bowed string instruments. Students identify key instruments, understand their tone and function, and experience basic bowing firsthand.
From the lively Pipa to the sweeping Guzheng — instruments that combine melody and rhythm. Students explore how plucked strings shape the orchestra's sound and try simple plucking techniques.
From the bright bamboo Dizi to the festive Suona and ancient Xun — understand how breath, reeds, and tone-holes shape each unique voice, and try simple blowing techniques.
Feel the heartbeat of the orchestra. Dramatic drums, gongs, and cymbals create rhythm and flair. Students explore basic striking patterns and understand percussion's dramatic role in Chinese music.
Featured Repertoire
Music that tells stories
Students listen to iconic compositions, gaining insight into how traditional Chinese music evokes emotion, narrates stories, and connects generations.
A vibrant Erhu showpiece portraying the thundering energy of Mongolian horse racing through galloping rhythms and a soaring melody.
A dramatic Pipa solo depicting an ancient battlefield — celebrated for vivid sound-painting of tension, conflict, and resolution.
A beloved orchestral work drawing on folk melodies of the Yao ethnic minority, capturing festive joy and China's rich cultural heritage.
Practical Information
Everything you need to know
Sec Lower · Upper · JC/CI