Chen Zhi () is a Chinese
guitar
The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
teacher (pedagogue) and promoter, who is today known for the exceptionally high level that his
classical guitar
The classical guitar, also known as Spanish guitar, is a member of the guitar family used in classical music and other styles. An acoustic wooden string (music), string instrument with strings made of catgut, gut or nylon, it is a precursor of the ...
students reach. He is one of China's best-known personalities of the guitar in general (not just the classical guitar).
Chen Zhi studied Mathematics and Chemistry.
[Guitarists strike the right chord at SZ]
(News Guangdong)
Chen Zhi learned to play the guitar privately from two Russian immigrants who came to Shanghai from Belarus. He did not receive a formal ''institution-based'' (e.g. conservatory) musical education/training.
Chen Zhi played acoustic "Western" and electric Hawaii guitar
and made some recordings e.g. in the early 1980s. Only thereafter, since approx. 1982 did he begin to ''dedicatedly focus'' on teaching the classical guitar, which is what he is best known for today.
Guitar promotion in China and career
Today Chen is professor of classical guitar at the
Central Conservatory of Music
The Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM; ) is the national music academy of China, located in Beijing. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education. The academy is part of Project 211 and the Double First-Class Construction.
Overview
Fo ...
in
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
. In 1982 he founded China's first school of classical guitar, the Chen Zhi School of Classical Guitar. In 1986 he assumed the post as council director of the China Beijing Guitar Society.
As initiator and artistic director, Chen Zhi organized the first China International Guitar Festival in 1987 and numerous events since then.
[为祝贺陈志教授从教50周年]
''China Zhuhai Guitar Art Festival and Guitar Match''--> He is honorary council member of the
China International Culture Exchange Center.
He has hosted the radio program ''Classical Guitar Lesson Once a Week'' since 1984. Since 1993, he has hosted the
China Central Television
China Central Television (CCTV) is the State media, national television broadcaster of China, established in 1958. CCTV is operated by the National Radio and Television Administration which reports directly to the Publicity Department of th ...
(CCTV) television program ''The Skill and Expression of Classical Guitar'', which is broadcast three times per week. Since 1989 he has served as director, artistic instructor, and conductor of the China Broadcasting Guitar Orchestra.
Chen has written several books and many articles about the classical guitar, which were published in China.
He has lectured in Japan, Spain, Portugal, Germany and several other nations.
Teaching
Chen Zhi is self-taught as teacher. 2008 marked the 50th anniversary of Chen Zhi's teaching career.
His teaching from around the 1990s is such, that based on his students' technical abilities, he is regarded as one of today's top classical guitar teachers (see
Quotations
A quotation or quote is the repetition of a sentence, phrase, or passage from speech or text that someone has said or written. In oral speech, it is the representation of an utterance (i.e. of something that a speaker actually said) that is intro ...
below).
He primarily teaches young students (often ranging in age from 9 to 15
) and some follow a formal track linking middle school, high school and conservatory; many reach a high ability at a young age. He stresses memorization and uses games, competition and rewards.
A number of his students, notably
Yang Xuefei
Xuefei Yang (; born March 15, 1977) is a Chinese classical guitarist acclaimed as one of the world's finest classical guitarists. Classic FM named her one of the 100 Top Classical Musicians of Our Time, and BBC Music Magazine ranks her among the ...
,
Wang Yameng,
Su Meng,
Li Jie have won international competitions.
While he is well known as a teacher, Chen Zhi is himself ''not'' an advanced ''classical guitar'' player, and no concert performer. In ''classical guitar'' demonstration videos, it is always his students that play; with himself just giving explanations, transmitting basic skills, relating how to approach technical aspects, methodology, etc.
Phases of teaching
Chen Zhi notes that the guitar and teaching has been an extensive part of his life (teaching since 1958
) and experimented a lot with different guitar technique and approaches. He identifies six different phases of teaching/instrumental approaches (changing various technical ideas, etc.), beginning in the 1950s with very basic rudimentary insufficient technique; through later phases in which he had contact with western concert performers (1980s), and began changing the technique he taught (e.g. with nails, different hand-position), up to the last phase, which stabilized around 1996, or later: when he slowly began to arouse increasing interest in the West, due to the high level of his students. He identifies different students who are representative of the various teaching phases.
我的教学感受和心得
(Chen Zhi)
References
Further reading
*''The guitar World of Chen Zhi'' by Deng Ying (China reconstructs, Volume 36; edited by Zhongguo fu li hui; published by China Welfare Institute, 1987)
Publications
Classical Guitar Masterpieces Playing, 古典吉他名曲指导
Performance: Li Jie - Pedagogue: Chen Zhi
Shine Horn
先恒)
(VCD
Video CD (abbreviated as VCD, and also known as Compact Disc Digital Video), (not to be confused with CD Video which is a type of LaserDisc, Laserdisc) is a home video format and the first format for distributing films on standard optical di ...
coverback
古典吉他基础教程
名师教音乐系列 古典吉他基础教程
广东东田文化企业有限公司
Guangdong Dongtian Culture Enterprise Co., Ltd.)
,
*古典吉他技巧与表现
*Guitar Art (吉他艺术)
Early Publications
*古典吉他定级标准曲目
*吉他广播讲座
*吉他博览集
External links
Article : Chen Zhi + concert of students Wang Yameng and Su Meng (News Guangdong)
Biography
Biography
(www.almaguitar.com)
(www.guitarchina.com)
(www.mlguitar.net)
(www.guitarchina.com)
(www.zhguitar.com)
Biography
(www.ccom.edu.cn
Biography
Articles
Interview with Chen Zhi (www.mlguitar.net)
([http://d.wanfangdata.com.cn/Periodical_tjyyxyxb-tl200803018.aspx
23
by 李先龙 (Xian-Long Li)
Photos
Cover Photo of Classical Guitar Magazine
Photo of a Masterclass
(Chen Zhi is seen holding a metronome)
*Teaching in the context of a guitar festiva
1
2
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Zhi
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
Chinese classical guitarists
20th-century Chinese musicians
Academic staff of the Central Conservatory of Music