US students display their chops

The MTSU Chinese Music Ensemble's first trip to China opens eyes on both sides, Xing Wen reports. He was part of a concert by the Middle Tennessee State University Chinese Music Ensemble and a group of teenage players of traditional Chinese instruments from the Beijing-based Soong Ching Ling Peace Angel Art Troupe on July 17. The MTSU Chinese Music Ensemble, directed by Han Mei, an ethnomusicologist and established guzheng performer, is a credit course at the university's school of music that is open to the entire student body. The ensemble aims to broaden cultural horizons, offering students hands-on practice that enriches their musical vocabulary, enhances their international understanding, and extends and strengthens their music theory and history studies.