Hi everyone,

I am going to be in Beijing for a few months and would really like to hire a cello so that I can keep up my practice. I know it's a long-shot, but I just wondered if anyone knew anything about instrument hire in Beijing.

Thanks, Nat

I work with a number of Chinese people, including one from BJ, so I'll ask for you, but I won't see them until next Weds. Well, I can e-mail her as well.

Hang fire, I'll get back to you when I have something to report. Do you speak any Chinese BTW?

Thanks elisabeth_rb!
Yes I have been learning Chinese for 2 years now, and I am going to China to take a Chinese course at Beijing Language and Culture University (as part of my gap year)

Learning intensively, or by yourself, or with a school/college class? I'm always interested in learning Chinese as I'm actually a Chinese Studies graduate with a PGDip in Translation and 8+ years of teaching beginners (to one degree or another) under my belt.

Have e-mailed my colleague and am waiting for the reply. I'm interested in viola hire/2nd hand purchase and re-sale in Taipei myself, so should be interesting!! Chinese made instruments will be well cheap over there though, so you could conceivably buy one for the few months prac, then sell it off when you leave.

OK, my BJ colleague has got back to me after doing a websearch for you and she can't find anything that looks suitable. She said she doesn't think this kind of service exists in China and, let's face it, it's hard enough to get a decent on here!

Having said that, I found this site when doing an English language search. It's an English speaking teacher who lives in BJ and who would be in a good position to advise, so I suggest you drop her a line and see what comes from that. http://www.foreignhr.com/myad/content.php?myad_id=10

Jiayou! 加油！

Learning in a class at the language and culture university, should be a great experience!
Thanks for the advice, I have sent an email to the teacher, she hasn't got back to me yet, but I will leave it and see what happens. Otherwise I think I will just have to wait until I get out there and then see what I can find!

xie xie

Sorry, I meant how have you been learning so far!

I did a year in one of the Mandarin centres in Taiwan 97/98 as my year abroad for my degree and it certainly was good for my Chinese! We're hoping to go back next year, or even this year if I don't get a job I've just put in for and I succeed in getting a scholarship instead.

I wondered how this would work out...it's not common here either. I think the two choices would be: find a teacher and ask if they could privately arrange an instrument loan; or decide that now is the time to buy a "silent cello" for practice purposes, and take it with you... (with plug adaptors etc).

elisabeth_rb: Sorry, I was learning at school with private lessons

all ears: Thanks for the advice, I've managed to find a few contacts so hopefully I should be able to find something when I get there! But I think I've left it a bit late for the silent cello option, as I am leaving on Sunday!

Have a safe journey and a terrific time, Nat! I'm sure you'll learn a lot there and you've timed it well - missing Chinese New Year, when nothing is open and all there is for novelty is NOISE! You'll soon know just how highly the Chinese value 're'nao' - ie noise!!!

Haha thanks, I thought it would be good to be there for new year, but I will take your word for it!