Sitar Playing Technique Training: Volume 1

Author: Cao Dewei
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-05-01
Features: This book selects suitable exercises from violin etudes by composers such as Kayser, Donat, Mazas, Kreutzer, and Paganini for erhu training. The original scores have been adjusted and modified according to the standard tuning of the erhu (inner string D1, outer string A1) and its range. The bowing, fingerings, and playing techniques have been reorganized into a progressive learning sequence from basic to advanced, divided into two volumes. Cao Dewei studied at the (Junior High School) of the Central Conservatory of Music and the (Junior High School) of the China Conservatory of Music from 1977 to 1982. In 1986, he graduated with outstanding achievements from the China Conservatory of Music and was retained as a faculty member. Over the years, he has systematically studied and mastered the playing techniques of various major Chinese bowed instruments, including erhu, gaohu, zhonghu, banhu, jinghu, erxian, and coihu. He won the second prize and the Best Performance Award at the 1985 Beijing Erhu Invitational Competition and the first prize at the inaugural National and Overseas Jiangnan Sizhu Competition in 1987. He has visited Hong Kong, Japan, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark, and Luxembourg. He has recorded works such as "Liu Tianhua Erhu Collection," the "Erhu Collection" of the Great Series of Chinese Music, erhu solos, and Cantonese music for China Record Company. He also recorded two CD laser discs for Shenzhen Sinco Audio-Visual Company, solo pieces for the CPIC International Music Production Center, and numerous programs for China Central Television. Additionally, he has composed music for many films and television dramas. In 1993, he successfully held a personal huqin concert at the Beijing Music Hall, which was later released as a special album. In recent years, he has trained many professional talents for artistic groups, and a large number of his students have been admitted to professional schools. He has published numerous papers, including "My Views on Erhu Bowing," "On the Pitch Accuracy of Erhu," "On the Playing Techniques of Jiang," and "Erhu Vibrato Techniques."