After learning to play the Chinese zither while on a mission in China, Eric Chipman strung together Matteo, a classical American folk band that plays with traditional Chinese instruments.
Traditional Chinese music has grooved its way into American folk sounds through a band called Matteo. Eric Chipman began playing the Chinese plucked zither while on a mission to Taipei in 2005. When he returned, he strung together a group of American 20-somethings who recorded and released their first EP, Sichuan Project.
"The East is truly unique from the West in so many ways," said Jordan Riley, a member of the group who is a classical guitar player and teacher. "By using the sounds and appearance of the instruments, we hope our audience is able to feel for a moment something like what a foreigner visiting China might feel on their first or even fiftieth time there."
We recommend:
Creative industry taps into ancient culture
China, Japan, and the Koreas: Linked by language
