The Chirps in Gao Hong's Pipa
Project Introduction
Audio
《琵琶声声，小鸡啾啾》是一本互动的双语图画书，适合5-9岁的儿童阅读。故事发生在1968年，四岁的小女孩高虹在中国洛阳家中的窗台上，怀抱着一只小鸡，听着收音机，并在家里独自编织故事。这是一个关于悲伤、音乐和成长的故事，改编自著名琵琶演奏家、高虹老师的真实生活经历，并由她亲自创作的音乐丰富了整个故事。
通过高虹的琵琶演奏，孩子们可以听见各种生动的声音，从马蹄哒哒到小鸡啾啾。随着故事的发展，孩子们不仅可以体验特殊的历史背景，还能理解悲伤、家庭和自然之间的关系。
"The Chirps in Gao Hong's Pipa" is an interactive bilingual picture book designed for children aged 5 to 9. This unique book blends vivid storytelling with cultural immersion, offering young readers a treasure trove of learning and enjoyment.
Set in 1968, the heart of the story revolves around a four-year-old girl named Gao Hong, sitting on the windowsill of her home in Luoyang, China. She holds a chick in her arms, listens to the radio, and crafts stories while alone at home. This touching tale of friendship, music, and growth is based on the real-life experiences of renowned pipa soloist and composer Gao Hong, enriched with her original compositions.
Through Gao Hong's pipa playing, children can hear various vibrant sounds, from the clip-clop of horse hooves to the chirping of little chicks. As the story unfolds, young readers get a glimpse of a unique historical context and learn about the relationships between children and nature and between children and their mothers.
Authors‘ Bio
Gao Hong is the protagonist of this book and the music composer (www.chinesepipa.com). She is a Chinese-American pipa performer, composer, and educator. She taught at Carleton College in the United States for 23 years and is also a visiting professor at the Central Conservatory of Music and the China Conservatory of Music, a board member of the American Composers Forum, a board member of the Grammy Chicago Chapter, and the co-chair of the Songwriters and Composers Committee. She has received multiple rewards locally and internationally. As an important community member in Minnesota, her collaborations with musicians from various ethnicities over the 52 years have set an example for cross-border world music ensembles.
Shuazong Chanthalakeo is the illustrator of this book. She is a teacher, a Hmong illustrator, and a writer. She is skilled in digital cartoon illustration and traditional media such as watercolors, pencils, and alcohol markers. For this book, she researched a large amount of historical material and asked many powerful questions.
Peng Liu Nelson is the project curator and author of this book. Peng is a first-generation Chinese American, a nature educator, and a Chinese teacher currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Culture and Teaching at the University of Minnesota. As a mom of a six-year-old kid, Peng is honored to co-create the story with Gao Hong and community members in Minnesota. Peng wrote the story based on a child-centered view. In this book, Peng hopes to help children understand embodied grief, the relationship between children and nature (such as the chicks), and the relationship between children and their mothers, under specific historical conditions.