Yang Enhua and his New Vision of Huqin
There is no limit for visually impaired musician Yang Enhua to express his vision, which is more than the ability to see, but also about insight and foresight. Losing his sight at a young age has not prevented the accomplished Yang from pursuing his musical dreams.
Born in northeast China, Yang Enhua moved to Hong Kong in 2014. He started learning erhu – a Chinese two-stringed bowed musical instrument, sometimes known in the Western world as the Chinese violin – from the age of twelve under the guidance of renowned erhu artists Professor Li Aping from the Harbin Normal University, blind performer Professor Gan Bolin and Peng Cheng, huqin virtuoso, and he currently practises with Mao Qinghua, a co-principal Huqin of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra.
Yang Enhua
One of Hong Kong’s rising stars, brilliant erhu player, Yang has collaborated with numerous music groups and participated in various productions. He performed New Horse Racing with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in 2016, Sing Out in 2017 and Reflection of the Moon on the Water with the Yao Yueh Chinese Music Association in 2018. He also performed The Moon Represents My Heart with the True Colors Symphony in 2020.
Today, Yang works with the Arts with the Disabled Association Hong Kong, True Colors Symphony, Hong Kong Enharmonica and Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble, among other music groups, as their resident musician or guest performer.
His latest online concert A New Vision of Huqin is one of the highlight programmes of No Limits 2022.
Co-presented by the Hong Kong Arts Festival and The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the No Limits project aims to create a barrier-free environment enabling artists and audiences to explore and promote inclusiveness through the arts, with the idea that art is not bound by one’s ability but limited only by one’s imagination. Launched in 2019, No Limits invites members of the community to experience performances by international and local artists of different abilities that defy constraints and boundaries.
Yang Enhua and Mao Qinghua*
A New Vision of Huqin showcases the talents of Yang Enhua, telling his own Hong Kong story through Chinese music. Playing several huqin instruments – huqin is the most common erhu – he will be accompanied by guest musicians, including the Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble, Naamyam singer Tong Siu-yin and huqin virtuoso Mao Qinghua*. Yang will play classics like Reflection of the Moon on the Water and Song of a Promising Future, as well as songs written by blind musicians, such as Hua Yanjun (A’Bing) and Sun Wen Ming, with a special focus on the music of northeastern China.
Conductor Ho Man-chuen and Windpipe Chinese Music Ensemble
Yang’s passion for music allows him to overcome all the challenges. Unable to read, Yang must not only memorise his own parts but also that of the other sections. Also, since eye contact is not possible, it is a real achievement for the soloist to be effectively aligned with the various parts of the ensemble.
Despite his visual impairment, Yang Enhua’s innermost thoughts, emotions and vision are brought to life through the huqin.
YANG ENHUA – A NEW VISION OF HUQIN – Online HERE until 31 October – Part of NO LIMITS 2022
*By kind permission of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra