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Cross-Cultural Resonance: Practice-Based Artistic Research on Guzheng–Harp Collaboration and Listener Experience

Authors

  • LEI ZHOU

    Akademia Muzyczna im. Krzysztofa Pendereckiego w Krakowie
    Author

Keywords:

music therapy; practice-based research; guzheng; harp; cross-cultural music; music and wellbeing

Abstract

Music therapy has developed into an interdisciplinary field linking musicology, psychology, and health research. While many studies have examined the emotional and cognitive effects of music listening, relatively little attention has been given to the acoustic interaction of specific instruments in cross-cultural performance contexts. This study investigates the interaction between the Chinese guzheng and the Western concert harp through a practice-based artistic research approach. Between 2023 and 2025, the research team composed five works for guzheng and harp (Morning Light, Cherry Blossoms, Cloud Dance, Raindrops, and The Field), exploring timbral resonance, pentatonic melodic structures, and evolving harmonic textures. These works incorporated harp techniques such as bisbigliando, près de la table, whistle effects, and pincé articulation alongside expressive guzheng techniques including vibrato, pitch bending, and glissando. Performances in China and Poland in 2025 generated observational data through performer reflection and audience feedback. Listeners frequently described the combined guzheng–harp sound as transparent, spatially resonant, and immersive. The findings suggest that the interaction of guzheng melodic expressivity and harp resonance can create a distinctive sonic environment that encourages attentive listening and aesthetic engagement, highlighting the potential of cross-cultural plucked-string collaboration for future interdisciplinary research on music and wellbeing.

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Published

2026-04-25

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 04 (2026): Volume 02, Issue 04

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 LEI ZHOU (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Cross-Cultural Resonance: Practice-Based Artistic Research on Guzheng–Harp Collaboration and Listener Experience. (2026). Art & Design for Humanity, 2(04). https://www.adh-journal.com/index.php/journal001/article/view/53