Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra
Chinese traditional music
The Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra (FYCO) of San Jose is composed of students who play traditional Chinese musical instruments, including the pipa, ruan, zhong, er-hu, and zhang-hu, among others. The community-based concerts that the orchestra presents promote Chinese instrumental music as an integral part of Chinese-American cultural heritage and help to enrich the cultural diversity and quality of life in the Bay Area.
In 2002, as a participant in ACTA’s Traditional Arts Development Program, FYCO invited four professional masters to lead workshops on the instruments used in the orchestra. Through working with the masters, young musicians enhanced their performing and instrumental technical skills, as well as their appreciation of traditional Chinese instrumental music.