CBA in China: B-system and C-system

[Deleted member 48]

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PIF2017 | AperiPIF: concert by Conservatory of Pechino

Note some Chinese CBA players play C-system and some B-system accordions.
Especially younger students increasingly trying C-system, the older generations played B-system (because the Russian B-system bayanists taught this system in China accordion masterclasses to Chinese students).

 

[debra]

This has been discussed here before with I believe also the same reasoning.
In most cases people learn whichever system their teacher recommends. I can believe that decades ago only Russian B system accordions may have been available to Chinese students. Nowadays they can get instruments from anywhere and start learning any system they like (or their teacher likes). And Russian bayans can be ordered in C or B system alike.

 

[Deleted member 48]

My post also is an example of the choices students have nowadays. Yes, not only the availability and the choice (online orders etc) between different instruments (PA, CBA B-system, CBA C-system, ...), also the choice between different teachers (PA teachers, CBA teachers), and also the choice of the country of accordion education (Chinese conservatories/music schools, or European conservatories / music schools, USA conservatories/music schools, ...).

(Adult) students, usually 18+ age for conservatory students, don't automatically learn wichever system a teacher recommends, because they can easily switch teacher(s) these days.

My post highlights the increasing effect of global choices for music education, and comparative aspects in international accordion education.

The Chinese accordion students are looking for excellent teachers in all countries offering accordion courses and masterclasses: China, Europe, USA, ...

I find it very exciting Chinese CBA players are attending Castelfidardo and European accordion festivals.
The walls between education systems in accordion teaching no longer exist.

I think this topic deserves our attention.
If I'm not mistaken, the topic of waxing reeds, leather valves or missing keys/buttons has been discussed more than once. As a matter of fact it is an almost daily or weekly repeated topic. And so it should be because accordion repair is a noble cause. As is accordion teaching.

 

[debra]

I wasn't trying to criticise that the topic was brought up again. It's good to bring topics back to life for people who missed them earlier and also to add to the discussion because situations do evolve. It is a relatively recent development in China. I used to first see mostly PA in Chinese videos, then also some B system CBA, almost all Russian Jupiter bayans. The access to mostly Italian accordions is a more recent development, as is the appearance of Chinese players in western competitions.
What is also almost entirely limited to China that I saw is accordion orchestras where many players use a PA that only has a playable keyboard side, no bass buttons. (And no these are not bass accordions, they play the much higher melody notes.) When you can mass produce these they obviously become a lot cheaper than "complete" accordions, and when you do not use the bass side at all (true in many accordion orchestras) the whole bass side is a waste of money. I have not seen this with "full size" CBA accordions though (not counting some rare small western boxes).

 

[Deleted member 48]

China will face the same problems the West had with PA teachers and CBA students not finding CBA teachers. This will take some time, before specific CBA departments will be created.
Lets not forget, also in China, there may be fierce resistance from the PA teachers or piano teachers.
As we have seen for decades in the West, it was far from easy to find budget and form CBA teachers in Europe.

The problem is institutional. In some cases the accordion is a subcategory in the piano department at conservatory:

http://en.ccom.edu.cn/wn/news/2016s/201612160001.shtml
ian Jianan, a first year graduate student of CCOM who is an accordion-major student of Piano Department, won the First Prize of the 24th Arrasate-Hiria International Accordion Competition in Spain. Her advisor is Professor Cao Xiaoqing.

The accordion has to struggle to get its own accordion department. And not being some subcategory or derivate of piano education.

The Pechino (= Beijing) accordion students attending a Castelfidardo recital and playing aperitive concerts, is a really big event. This is one of the most important music conservatories in China.

 

[Deleted member 48]

Is there anyone who knows the hyperlink to the official website of the Chinese Accordion Association (CAA) ?

China - Accordion Association of Chinese Musicians Association (CAA)
President: Li Cong
http://www.accordions.com/cia/cia_members.php

Is Li Cong still the present president of the CAA in China?
The 2019 Coupe Mondial mentions him as the president in office:
http://coupemondiale.org/2019/cn_coupemain.html

Interesting interview about the changes in China higher accordion education:
http://www.accordions.com/interviews/zhang.aspx

 

[Deleted member 48]

By the way, the 4th volume of the Modern Accordion Perspectives series has an article by Wei Bijun, MA and CBA player, about the evolution of accordion in China.
It's the last article in the volume, pages 72-79

So great to learn this from a young graduate of higher Chinese accordion education. 
She also followed accordion tuition in European conservatories.