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Summer Thunder Asian Music Club

Member Profiles

Paul Amiel Dizi, Hu Lu Si, Xun, Gu Qin Paul's love for music, the Chinese culture, and talking to people led to the formation of the Asian Music Club. Through his hard work the Music Club has grown and formed into a close group of friends that all enjoy playing Asian Music. Paul spent 4 months in China studying the Gu Qin with a master player. He is also a very accomplished flute and harp player. He also belongs to a Turkish and Mediterranean music group. Joined 10/10/2005.
Yi Chen Singer, Yang Qin Yi is a wonderful singer and brings much authenticity to the songs she sings as she studied Chinese literature in China before coming to the United States. She is currently getting her Master's degree in Linguistics and Chinese at the University of Arizona.
Ashley Dacey Pi Pa Ashley is a sophomore pre-nursing major from Scottsdale, Arizona. She originally used to play the cello and still does as a hobby. If nursing doesn't work out for her, she plans on working on a minor in Spanish language and Japanese language. I am extremely interested in East Asian culture and especially the arts. Joined 1/15/2007.
Ting-Hui Lee Gu Zheng Ting-Hui began studying the Gu Zheng in 2002. You can visit her homepage at NOAO for more information. Joined 8/23/2006.
Ma Yan Gu Zheng Ma Yan studied fine art in China, and began to study the Gu Zheng as an adult. She is mostly self-taught but occasionally grabs a lesson when a teacher is around. Joined 10/15/2005.
Martin Reinhold Dizi Originally from Germany, being an exchange student the first year, now decided to do his Master's degree in trumpet performance, was physically forced into the group by a crazy globetrotter named Paul Amiel he met in the music department ;)
Li Schmidt Singer Li has always enjoyed singing karaoke and Chinese songs after being born and had lived in China for 22 years. She is a family doctor working in a non-profit El Pueblo Health Center, now an El Rio Clinic, and a firm believer that music helps relax and promotes health.
Mike Torres Singer Mike has always had a special interest in Chinese songs. He has been studying with various teachers for over eight years. He sings the Chinese lyrics with excellent pronunciation, which is especially surprising since he doesn't speak or understand Chinese.
Julie Trujillo Zhong Ruan, Dizi, Suona Julie is a student at the University of Arizona in Music Education. She is currently the President of the club. She plays oboe as well as classical guitar besides her first love, the Zhong Ruan.
Mingming Amy Wang Dizi, HuLuSi Amy is 7 year old and in 2nd grade. Amy started to learn Dizi when she was in China attending first grade. She learned to play Hu Lu Si as well. She loves to play music in the Asian Music Club.
Brittany Wellner Erhu She is a PhD Candidate in Chinese Studies. She previously played violin for a number of years. She loves Chinese traditional music, poetry, and folklore. She has just begun to learn to play the Erhu. Joined 1/30/2007.
Andrew Wilt Erhu, Zhonghu, Gu Qin His interest in Chinese music came about from his college studies on the Chinese culture and his previous background in playing the violin. While teaching English in China, he studied the erhu as well as the Gu Zheng. He now enjoys playing in the music club as an outlet that is different from Computer Science. Joined 10/15/2005.
Yang Yang Mu Yu, Shuang Yin Tong, Xiao Luo, Peng Ling She is a PhD student in the East Asian Studies department at U of A. She is a Chinese traditional dance major when she was in normal college and a drummer at the school band when she was in elementary school. She loves dancing, drumming, and singing Huangmei Opera, a local opera of her hometown--Anhui. She has also taken courses in classic piano, African dance and drum at Ohio University.
Ping Zhou Yang Qin Ping is a student at the University of Arizona, currently working on a Ph.D. in Optical Science. She studied Yang Qin as a young girl in China and enjoys the chance to play it again and take a break from the intellectual Optical Sciences.

Alumni Profiles

Jennifer Kubecka Erhu Her interest in Chinese music started after a tour to China with HarpFusion. Jennifer is currently working on her Master’s degree in library sciences as well as a Master’s degree in harp performance at the University of Arizona. She studies erhu under Andrew Wilt. Joined 10/10/2005.
Liu Er Hu Liu had alsways wanted to learn the Erhu and being in the group gave him a chance to start down that path.
Daniel Morrow Shaku hachi, Dizi, Percussion Daniel is a man of many talents. He sometimes fills in on percussion for various songs. He is a student at the University of Arizona and plays the clarinet.
Ning Hongmei Xiao Hongmei was one of the original club members. She played the Xiao beautifully and the group strongly felt her loss when she and her husband moved to Boise, Idaho. Joined 10/10/2005.
Peng Mei Erhu Peng Mei studied Erhu in China. He joined the Asian Music Club while his parents worked for the University of Arizona during 2005-2006. At the age of 12, he held the record for the youngest member of the music club. Joined 01/15/2005.
David Shaul Er Hu, Koto David participated in the previous Asian Music Club at the University of Arizona in 1999. He is an accomplished harp player.
Sarah Stephenson Erhu Sarah developed a love for Chinese culture when she started to learn Tai Ji Chuan in 1989 and from there started to study Chinese history and other aspects of the Chinese culture including on-going study of the Chinese language. She also went to school to become a certified and licensed acupuncturist. On her second trip to Chengdu, China she acquired an Er Hu and upon joining Summer Thunder in the autumn of 2005 has been learning how to play Er Hu under the tutelage of Andrew Wilt.
Wei Yuan Gu Zheng Wei Yuan studied Gu Zheng at Shen Yang Music College. She now lives in Tucson with her husband.