The January Series is a free, 10-day event filled with brilliant speakers, fascinating topics, and enlightened conversation. Calvin University invites prominent academics, educators, artists, activists, and others to present thought-provoking lectures in their areas of expertise.

The Coopersville Area District Library is a remote location for this series. It offers a livestream in the Community Room from 12:30-1:30 PM each day.

Today's speaker: Wu Man

Wu Man will share how the pipa, a pear-shaped, four-stringed Chinese lute, serves as a bridge between cultures. Through music and storytelling, she explores how this ancient instrument has helped her connect with her heritage and engage audiences across the globe. Drawing on decades of performance, composition, and cross-cultural collaboration, Wu Man offers a compelling vision of music as a tool for understanding and unity.

Wu Man is recognized as the world’s premier pipa virtuoso and a leading ambassador of Chinese music. Wu is a Grammy Award winner and the first artist from China to perform at the White House. A soloist, composer, and educator, she has premiered hundreds of new works for the pipa while preserving and promoting China’s ancient musical traditions.