Chinese culture at Lady lever

ZI Lan Liao, wife of Jah Wobble and top musician, is among top Chinese performers appearing in a series of free summer lunchtime workshops at the Lady Lever Art Gallery in Bebington. 

As well as recording music for the Oscar-winning blockbuster The Last Emperor, collaborating with Peter Gabriel, Nigel Kennedy, and other internationally-known artists, Mrs Wobble is one of the people behind Liverpool’s Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra and Dance Group. 

Zi Lan will introduce the guzheng (Chinese harp), talk about its history and perform music more than 2,000 years old at 1 pm on Saturday 6 August 2011. 

But there is plenty going on before then. Her visit is just one of a series of weekend Sounding Out Art events beginning this weekend at the gallery, revealing the vast, rich world of Chinese music and arts. 

They are suitable for all ages and no booking is necessary. All start at 1 pm and last between one and three hours. Mask and puppet-making and Chinese calligraphy and paper cutting. The events help to interpret the stunning collection of Chinese art amassed by soap mogul William Hesketh Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme. 

Another high spot is a performance by the Pagoda Chinese Youth Orchestra on Saturday 2 July. The orchestra – directed by Kui Hsiung Li – is the first and largest Chinese youth orchestra in Europe. 

The award-winning orchestra teaches young people how to play traditional Chinese musical instruments and offers a programme of training and performance opportunities throughout the year. 

Mr Li will also be visiting this Saturday 18 June and on Saturday 16 July with his hour-long Making Music interactive workshop. Visitors learn about Chinese music and join in with the percussion performance.     More details here.