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Performances TV Presentation |
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Fong Liu and Chinese Storytelling in English
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Fong Liu’s storytelling experiences started 25 years ago while she was studying at secondary school in China. She remembered the traditional story tellers of her early childhood and her father singing the tales of traditional Chinese opera. She won storytelling competitions in her school and in the Changshu storytelling festival in Jiangsu. Several wins in storytelling competitions followed while she was studying in Suzhou University. The highest award she received was as winner of the “Suzhou Canglang Storytelling Competition”. After studying Chinese language and literature at Suzhou University she spent a brief period as an advertising designer before launching her singing career. However, she never gave up her passion for storytelling. In October 2010, at Scotland’s International Storytelling Festival, she made her debut in storytelling in English, using her own adaptions of tales and ancient legends from Chinese tradition. Interacting with her - with original, improvised and traditional music - were her fellow Harmony Ensemble members Hooi Ling Eng and Eddie McGuire.
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Fong has evolved a personal and unique storytelling style which is mixed with Chinese traditions and western drama elements. Singing always plays an important part in her storytelling performance - and research uncovers songs related to the legends. Chinese traditional legends are the main source for her repertoire and, while remaining true to their essence, she can adapt them to be suitable for - and readily understood by - different types of audience found in this country. Her next challenge is to try using English language to tell such stories in the very traditional Chinese storytelling style “Shuo shu” - in a similar, audience-appealing manner. Fong Liu's story telling sample: |
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| Chinese voice over Chinese Cultural workshops © 2008 CCC LINK Chinese translation UK Cinese singer | ||
