The Four Seasons of the Pipa
On a cold winter night, a young girl dreams of visiting her faraway grandfather in Kunming, a magical place in China known as the eternal city of spring. As gusts of snow blow outside her window, the gentle sound of her mother plucking the pipa in the family room wraps around her like a warm blanket. The intricately illustrated story is accompanied by 11 stirring instrumental performances by world-renowned pipa master, Liu Fang. With roots that reach back to the Qin Dynasty, the pipa's repertoire draws from a wellspring of ancient poetry and folklore, summoning themes of natural splendor that resonate across generations. Notes on the origin of the pipa and each composition appear at the end of the book along with a CD and digital download code.
Liu Fang is regarded as one of the leading pipa players in the world. Born in Kunming (China) in 1974, she started learning the pipa at the age of six and soon began to perform in public as a child prodigy, including a performance for the Queen of England in 1985. She has performed at the World AIDS Day presented by the BBC World Service and the WOMAD festival.
Patrick Lacoursière is a producer and journalist originally from Western Canada.
Josée Bisaillon has illustrated more than 35 picture books and received several awards and distinctions. Her work has twice been shortlisted for the Governor General's Literary Award in Canada.
