Bell number 93 from tomb 2 at Leigudun. Height 87.5 cm, weight 46.75 kg. Photograph:Hao Qinjian.

Socially, the trip was a delight and pleasure. Members Jung-Ping, Bo, Stephen, and Matthew attended, many with family members. Friday afternoon, we visited the exhibit at the Sackler, toured through it by its chief curator. Jenny So. At the same time, she had promised Beijing Television to let them film her doing it, so most of us ended up as anonymous tourists in a television news spot back east. Except Stephen, whom the rest volunteered when the TV people requested an interview. Stephen spoke not only about the wonderful exhibit but entertained us to a short but precise discussion on gesture in music. He pointed out that physical gesture is a significant influence on musical interpretation and phrasing when playing the qin and other traditional instruments, an influence that has been much lost in the modern west. However, gestural phrasing has begun to return in some recent compositions, including his own. This was an interesting talk; it is also interesting to wonder what the broadcasting translators will make of it back in the studio.

Friday evening, amplifying a diet of East Asian intellect with East African food, we trooped off to an Ethiopian restaurant. Afterwards, most of us gathered for a little music and discussions of the show and other things. On Saturday and Sunday, we slowly dispersed according to our schedules, some of us revisiting the Sackler exhibit, or the Tibetan fair on the mall, or other downtown sights and museums.

President Message
Many thanks to Mr. Matthew Flannery who, since its second issue, has been the chief writer/editor for our journal. I really enjoy his writing and appreciate his excellent reports. I would also like to announce a special event, which will take place on Saturday, September 30th at the China Institute. Guest Mr. C.C. Wang, a renowned collector/painter, will give a lecture on Chinese painting and show us works from his precious painting collection. Qin demonstrations will follow the lecture. I believe this will be an exceptional event, and I hope to see you all there, jp