CulturalFest Countdown: Meet 11 Strings Ensemble

This year's CulturalFest Performance Showcase will feature 10 performing artists from around the world on the Meany Hall stage. Read on to learn more about one of this year’s performers, 11 Strings Ensemble, and watch them on the big stage on February 25!

How did your group begin? Tell us a little bit of your story.

Hi, I am Suning Li. I am the pianist of the group 11 Strings Ensemble. I met Fleur Li, the violinist in our group, at last year’s CulturalFest Performance Showcase after party and we found that we are very fond of ‘The Butterfly Lovers’ both literally and musically. When this year’s audition invitation was released, we got reconnected. We then found our friends Shaohang Hao, the flutist, and Horan Li, the Guqin player and finally formed a group. 11 strings is the addition of the 7 strings from Guqin and 4 strings from violin. It also represents a harmony of eastern and western culture. Our group is tied up with coincidence and friendship which we are very grateful of.

What do you hope the audience will take away from your performance? What do you hope they will learn about the culture(s) that your performance represents?

The Butterfly Lovers is a Chinese violin concerto and was composed 50 years ago by two young  talented Chinese music students. It is based on a well-known Chinese folk story, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai which took place over a thousand years ago. Like those of you familiar with Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, the ancient Chinese were no strangers to ill-fated romance. Legend of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai is intricate and devious, just as the music. We want our audience to be immersed in to music and follow us into the world of the greatest tragedy of Chinese history. It was also bold and revolutionary to use western orchestra form to interpret a eastern story. The fusion of the Chinese tune and the western instruments is just amazing. We want our audience to experience the fusion of east and west, Chinese subtle way of expression in the music and twist and turn of our story.

Is there anything else you would like people to know about your performance?

One instrument, which will be used in the performance is Guqin, also known as Chinese ancient zither. It is a plucked seven-string instrument. It has been played since ancient times, and has traditionally been favored by scholars and poets as an instrument of great subtlety and refinement. It is sometimes referred to by the Chinese as "the father of Chinese music”. It was not originally been played in this music, and it was really hard for us to fit this to the western harmony. We hope this creation of ours can bring you a sense of traditional Chinese instrument and the contrast it makes with other instruments on stage.

Thank you! We look forward to seeing you soon and bringing you to the watery town of China where the story begins.

Join us for our celebration of the diversity and talent that international students bring to our community!

CulturalFest Ticket Information:

General admission tickets are on sale now for $15 online or at the door. Discounted student tickets are available for $10 in advance at the FIUTS office (HUB 206).