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NewsUpcoming Concerts with Peggy Chew 2010 In September 2009 “Sonic Calligraphy” performed in China with special guests, Coco Zhao, jazz singer from Shanghai and Wu Na, gu qin virtuoso from Beijing. As participants of the Swiss Arts Foundation Pro Helvetia’s “Swiss China Cultural Explorations Program,” the group travelled to the cities of Shanghai, Hangzhou, Beijing, Qingdao, Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hong Kong. This exciting cultural encounter between five musicians of European, Chinese and American backgrounds created a new musical soundscape. A cosmos of sounds both familiar and unexpected emerged from this unusual combination of gu qin (an ancient 3,000 year old Chinese zither), the piano, the percussion and the two voices singing in English, Chinese and wordlessly. The response of the audience and critics were positive to the fusion of jazz improvisation, rhythms and harmonies with Chinese poetry, folksongs as well as jazz standards and originals compositions. The group will continue their collaboration with a Swiss concert tour in 2010 as participants of the “Culturescapes Festival.”
Back to China for the Second Time In September 2007, "Sonic Calligraphy" toured China with several concerts in Hong Kong, Kunshan and Shanghai. Joining them on this musical journey was Willy Kotoun on percussion. It was the second China tour for Peggy and Adrian after their duo appearances on the mainland in 2002. From California to Brazil to Switzerland In October 2006, Peggy performed at the Sanchez Concert Hall in Pacifica, California with Adrian Frey, piano and the American rhythm section of John Wiitala, bass and Jon Arkin, drums. The concert was reviewed in the Pacifica Tribune: "Smart music fuse of culture without boundaries…the vision of Sonic Calligraphy…The Chinese tune “Lan Hua Hua“ (The Orchid) was hip,catchy and hot…"Li Bai’s Mood" (Frey) accompanied by the words of an ancient Chinese poem "Quiet Night Thoughts" spotlighted Chew’s eloquent vocal charm inside a whirl of expressive percussion. The extraordinary musicianship of Sonic Calligraphy is obvious." Pacifica Tribune, October 2006
In January and February 2007, Peggy Chew and Adrian Frey shared musical experiences in Brazil where they participated in jam sessions and concerts in Rio de Janeiro and Joao Pessoa. In May 2007, Peggy was a guest soloist of the JCT All Stars in Thalwil, Switzerland as part of the International Thalwil Jazz Weekend.
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