Giving free music lessons to preserve Chinese culture in Wisconsin

The distinct sound of a traditional Chinese instrument reverberates through the halls of a Waukesha County home. The instrument tells tales of war, heartbreak, and horses.

“Some of the sound it makes goes deep to your heart kind of or your soul even," Bing Yao said.

She has been playing the Erhu, a two-stringed instrument, for 30 years. The 34-year-old took lessons when she was four living in Shanghai. In 2011, she immigrated to Wisconsin. Now, she lives in Sussex.

“It relieves a lot of stress. It makes me feel relaxed.”

However, she doesn’t just play for herself. Yao plays to preserve the sound.

“There is not a large like instrument player, like, population here. And if I don’t do it, it’s just lost, you know. It’s lost," Yao said.

So she teaches free erhu classes every Sunday for the Milwaukee Modern Chinese School (MMCS) located on Marquette University's campus. She has about 12 students of various ages. Other classes taught at MMCS are Mandarin language courses, dance, chess, drawing, and calligraphy.

“It’s better that I just volunteer and teach free and spread the music," she said.

Watch the story to hear am erhu and guitar duet featuring reporter James Groh...

Giving free music lessons to preserve Chinese culture in Wisconsin

Yao also teaches her children.

“How do you feel when you play this instrument?” James Groh asked her five-year-old son Aiden.

“Happy," he said.

Her seven-year-old daughter Emily also plays.

“Once you know how to play it, it’s really easy, and it’s really fun," she said.

Overall, Bing said fewer young Chinese Americans are learning traditional practices.

“A lot of younger generation of the Chinese population they don’t really speak, they don’t really talk, or they don’t really love the music, calligraphy, or dance.”

She hopes to reverse that which is why Bing teaches free classes. It's also part of the larger mission of the MMCS.

“If they love it, it’s good. If they don’t, it’s also good. It’s just a good impression on them.”

Any exposure is good exposure.

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