After learning vocal music for 4 years and 8 months in my free time and have worked in the music column on the web site for 2 years, I am thinking of doing something more to improve it and myself.

Today, I would like to combine the three columns of Chinese Folk Song, Art Song and Popular Song to be one column as "Chinese Song". Meanwhile, I am going to open a new column "Chinese Song in English" for you.

Several years ago, when I just started to learn vocal music, then to design this little music column on the web site, I would like to improve my English level via introducing Chinese Songs in both of Chinese and English. However, at that then, both of my singing and English level could not support me to do that. So, I just tried several times, then, I have been singing in Chinese.

Right now, 4 years and 8 months has past, I start to feel that the work of translating and singing are changing something comfortable more and more, I have had my second vocal music teacher who is teaching me with a new and better style, I have had making sure that my music learning can not only help me to improve myself as an educational woman, but also, it can be something to service for my Chinese language teaching now and in the future.

Maybe I can create and exploring my own music studying style to support my Chinese teaching as below:   

* Music that I created for Chinese classical poem
* Lyrics that I translated for Chinese song
* Chinese song that I sung in both of Chinese & English
  Maybe someday:
* English song that I sung in Chinese

The Music over pluses my painting, calligraphy and Chinese culture introduction and so on,   maybe all of them will support me to create a Chinese language teaching style with my own knowledge copy right along with the time? I am not very sure about it at this time. But, I am going to do my best to learn, to create and to exploring, to enjoy the working process with a big smile.   

How do you think of my new thoughts? Do you think it is a good idea?

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn . You are welcomed to leave your message on Message Board.   

--Shirley Yiping Zhang
Sat, July, 28, 2007