Guan Zhiguo is giving a lecture. [Photo/Zhongshan Daily]

A concert themed "Impression of National Music and Love of Strings - Ancient and Modern Legends of Erhu" was held on September 1 in the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Library.

Guan Zhiguo guested the concert. For the love of erhu, Guan sought for study chances in Zhongshan and Guangzhou when he was young, and he got admitted to the Xinghai Conservatory of Music later.

Guan Zhiguo, who has his own erhu music studio, once served as principal of the Zhongshan Youth National Orchestra. He also won the first prize of the Guangdong National Music Instrument Competition in 2006 and 2007.

Now, Guan attends various activities, hoping to acquaint more people with erhu and spread the erhu culture in Zhongshan.

In April this year, Guan was invited to teach old people in Boya Community to play erhu twice a week. He also accepted the invitation from relevant departments with pleasure to give lectures on erhu.

"In many people's impression, erhu music sounds sad and miserable," Guan said. In order to change this mind, Guan innovates his teaching methods. For the kids, he starts with children's songs to make children understand the lively and vivid part of erhu music and help them develop strong interest in this traditional instrument. For the elderly, Guan tries to turn playing erhu into a recreational activity by teaching them some easy-to-learn songs.

In the future, Guan Zhiguo plans to transform his music studio into an activity center for the elderly, where old people in the community can learn and practice erhu. "I want more people to love the culture of Erhu," Guan said.

The erhu is a tradition string bow instrument, sometimes known in the West as the Chinese violin or a Chinese two-stringed fiddle.