Patriot’s Day Parade @ Lexington

By Emma Shi, 12 years old
May 2, 2024

I’ve been playing the Guzheng, the Chinese zither, for almost five years now, and I
cannot believe how much it has changed me–not just as a musician, but as a friend, family
member, and person. Playing this instrument has opened so many doors for me, and it’s
something I will always be grateful for. To date, I have been in over 50 public performances and
have introduced the Guzheng to hundreds of people at many different locations–the most recent
of which was the Patriot’s Day Parade in Lexington.

Back when I was starting to learn Guzheng, the idea of playing on a parade float would
have seemed impossible. But when I heard about this event a few weeks ago, I wasn’t even
nervous–I was excited! I had been to plenty of multicultural festivals, but playing in a parade
dedicated to one of the most important events in US history–that was different. Would people
find it disrespectful if I played a Chinese instrument on an American holiday?

Turns out, no one cared that instruments from our culture were different–the music was
beautiful, and that’s what mattered. I’ve never been happier while performing; seeing the halves
of my identity merge put a smile on my face. It was an honor to be able to play the Guzheng at
the parade. The parade went amazingly, and I couldn’t have asked for a better audience and a
team more supportive than my own.

Miles of audience stretched out ahead of us–there was always someone pointing a
phone camera at us, always someone smiling at us. Our Yizhiyin Guzheng Ensemble were in
Chinese costumes, hair, and makeup. In front of us was a Chinese drum team with a large
Chinese chess board and other culture-specific elements. Trailing behind us were a group of
other American-Chinese people wearing traditional Chinese costumes–we together made a
unique team! I think the parade-watchers were a little surprised seeing us, but in a way that
showed curiosity and appreciation, likely because many other people in the parade wore army
uniforms. This is my favorite part of American culture: where everyone is inclusive and all
cultures are welcome. And guess what? Our unique cultural style won us 2nd place in the youth
group. Sometimes it pays off to stand out from the crowd.

I’ve grown up learning either how to be Chinese or how to be American, but no one ever
teaches me how to be both. I’d thought that maybe an in-between culture couldn’t exist, but my
participation in the parade changed my view on that. Music truly has no boundaries if it can
reach through so many different cultures to create one community: America, the melting pot of the world.

On our Guzhengs, we played both traditional Chinese songs and American folk
songs–the music has no boundaries, and the instruments don’t either!
Diversity is all around us, and I hope that others will have found their identities through
this amazing event. You can be whoever you want to be, and it’s all thanks to music.