News Briefing: "First Recordings from China Project"

The project has been funded by the Tang Research Foundation to curate and provide greater use and availability of 400 phonograph cylinders recorded by Berthold Laufer in 1901 and 1902. The cylinders document performances of Beijing opera in Shanghai and story-telling songs in Beijing. Held by the Archives of Traditional Music (ATM) at Indiana University (IU) they are the first sound recordings made in China. The event will also include a general promotional presentation for an audience in Beijing to know about the extensive collections housed at the Archives of Traditional Music at Indiana University. We anticipate that our presentation will take an hour and then we anticipate another hour for Q&A and informal discussion afterwards.