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The Chinese Violin

In this animated short, a young girl and her father move from China to Canada, bringing only their Chinese violin along for the journey. As they face the challenge of starting fresh in a new place, the music of the violin connects them to the life they left behind and guides the girl towards a musical future.
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In this animated short, a young girl and her father move from China to Canada, bringing only their Chinese violin along for the journey. As they face the challenge of starting fresh in a new place, the music of the violin connects them to the life they left behind and guides the girl towards a musical future.


Literature and Language Literature and Language - Canada Cultural Diversity and Multiculturalism Music Families Social Issues All subjects
  • director
    Joe Chang
  • producer
    George Johnson
  • technical director
    Shelley McIntosh
  • special effects
    Shelley McIntosh
  • animation
    Celest Brown
    Gintaras Zubrickas
    Joe Chang
  • composer
    Zhuo Rui-Shi
  • writer
    Madeleine Thien
  • sound supervisor
    Jamie Mahaffey
  • voice
    Lulu Li
  • pre-production design
    Joe Chang
  • colour stylist
    Shelley McIntosh
    Celest Brown
    Joe Chang
  • research
    Gintaras Zubrickas
  • editor
    Shirley Claydon
    Ileana Pietrobruno
  • software support
    Nathaniel Akin
  • consultant
    Rubén Möller
  • musician
    Huang Ji Rong
    Heidi Krutzen
    Sun Yong
  • music studio
    Raymond Mak
  • audio facility
    Desolation Sound
  • re-recording mixer
    Mark Hensley
  • production clerk
    Christine Sears
  • producer's assistant
    Christopher Adkins
  • production supervisor
    Kathryn Lynch
  • program administrator
    Bruce Hagerman
  • executive producer
    Svend-Erik Eriksen

Education

Ages 8 to 9

Study Guide

Guide 1

Notes

This film deals with many themes. Use it to begin a unit on China. Ask students to find China on a map. Have students research the Chinese violin and, if interest is there, instruments from other countries. Make instruments and put on a musical performance. Older students can discuss the immigration experience and immigrants’ rights to proper housing, employment and safety.

More educational content

The Chinese Violin
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