The suona is a Chinese double-reed wind instrument related to the European oboe and the Middle Eastern zurna. It has a conical wooden tube with finger holes and a characteristic metal bell that amplifies and “sharpens” the sound.
The suona's timbre is loud, piercing, bright, and extraordinarily joyful, so the instrument has long been an indispensable participant in folk festivals, weddings, temple processions, and in some places funeral rites too. It can cut through the noise of a large crowd, making it ideal for open-air playing. The suona is widespread not only in China but in many countries of Asia. In contemporary Chinese orchestral music it is used as a virtuoso solo instrument, capable of astonishing imitations — from birdsong to the human voice.
