Striking traditional chords

NEA Today, Oct 1998

Some play the erhu, a two-stringed violin, or the yue qin, a threestringed, moon-shaped guitar. Others play the di zi, a bamboo flute, or da gu, a drum.

California teacher Sherlyn Chew's students are learning Chinese music on traditional instruments-and, through notes and chords, many are connecting to the past, playing songs their parents and grandparents remember.

Trained in classical Chinese music and opera, Chew came to Lincoln Elementary School, in Oakland's Chinatown, as a bilingual teacher.

Four years ago, when her former music teacher died, Chew had the chance to buy from his estate the 30 traditional instruments he brought to the United States decades ago from Taipei. She put up her own money from a teaching award and raised the rest.

At the time, Lincoln Elementary had no music program-"not even a choir," Chew says.

Now, she spends her days teaching music to all 700 students.

"All the children at Lincoln are learning to read notes and play an instrument, not just Chinese music, but Western music too-even R&B," she says.

The best of Chew's students get to perform in the school's Purple Bamboo Orchestra.

"Bamboo is purple when it's very young and tender, and each stalk supports the next to be strong enough to endure the winter," Chew explains.

Chew encourages her students to be like the bamboo-strong and supportive. "I want them to have character, be forgiving, become useful human beings, and make positive contributions to their communities," she says.