Understanding China Through Music—2018 Chinese Music Culture International Summer Institute Opens

On July 13th, “Understanding China Through Music”—2018 Chinese Music Culture International Summer Institute kicked off in Beijing. The event was sponsored by the Confucius Institute Headquarters’ (Hanban) Confucius China Studies Program, and organized by the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM), and co-organized by Music Confucius Institute & Center for the Exchange and Experience of Chinese and Foreign Music Culture and Arts Center of China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Exchange Centre for Young People.

More than 50 teachers and students from music and art schools from eight renowned professional music institutes in the United States, Canada, Denmark, Kenya and Romania participated in the activity. They respectively organized teams of young performers, guidance experts and young scholars and conducted a 20-day Chinese music culture training, study and academic research activity in Beijing. Through music, they explored the charm of traditional China, its folk diversity as well as contemporary China.

On July 14, Chinese Music Culture International Summer Institute held an opening ceremony and project introduction meeting. Teachers and students from all over the world, as well as Chinese teachers and volunteers gathered together and expressed their anticipation for the upcoming Chinese music culture tour.

Liu Yuening, Director of Music Confucius Institute Office and Center for the Exchange and Experience of Chinese and Foreign Music Culture of CCOM, as well as Cai Ying, Director of the Arts Centre, China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Center for Young People attended and addressed the opening ceremony.

Teams from different nations making self-introductions

Teachers and students taking a group photo at the opening ceremony

Later on, a press conference was held, at which, Zhao Min, Director of the Board of School Administration of CCOM, Su Hongtao, Deputy Director of the China Soong Ching Ling Science & Culture Center for Young People, and Liu Yuening delivered speeches as representatives of their organizations, introducing the original mission, purpose and significance of the event. Dennis Friesen-Carper, Professor of Valparaiso University in the United States and the conductor, Matthew Devost, a graduate student of Carleton University in Canada and Megan Hill, the doctorate of the University of Michigan in the United States, respectively represented the music guidance experts team, young performers team and young scholars team and shared their experiences from the past summer camp as well as their fondness of Chinese culture.

Zhao Min delivering a speech

Su Hongtao delivering a speech

In the evening, the Global Music Bridge Opening Concert of International Summer Institute was held in the China Soong Ching Ling Science and Cultural Exchange Center for Young People. Wang Zhizhen, Deputy Chairman of the 11th session of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Chen Ziming, senior musician of CCOM, Guo Shulan, Director of the Belt and Road Commission of CCOM, Li Hai, Deputy Director of the Asia Africa Department, Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Hassan Tavana, President of the Beijing branch of China Chamber of Commerce in Iran and other guests attended the concert. Teachers and students from all participating countries played music in their repertoire. Lalgudi GJR Krishnan, an Indian violinist and a visiting scholar to the “Confucius China Studies Program” of CCOM, also engaged in the performance. Musicians of different ethnicities gathered on the same stage and aroused the interest of the audience present.

Scottish bagpipe and Highland fling “Scottish Medley”

Instrumental ensemble “The Old Hen Quacks”

Accordion Solo “From the Deep”

A cappella “Hello Friend”

Piano solo “Spanish Rhapsody”

Guzheng and piano quintet “Music in Quiet Prairie”

Chamber music ensemble “Hallelujah”

During the training, teachers and students learned about Chinese traditional and contemporary classic folk music, listened to music lectures, participated in Chinese art workshops, visited museums, watched traditional Chinese concerts, and visited professional music groups from Beijing and other cities, Children's Palace, choirs, Cultural Industry Area and other places.

On July 29th, at the closing concert “Understanding China through Music” and the completion ceremony of the international institute, the young performer teams from various countries will perform many Chinese traditional and contemporary classic works in various art forms such as solo, reprise and ensemble. They will report their training results and share experiences through music. In addition, young scholars will submit a comprehensive research report on the project to combine practice and theory.

Group photo

Since 2014, CCOM has held four consecutive Confucius Institute international music summer camps, inviting 166 music teachers and students from 11 Confucius Institutes from eight countries and five continents to visit China. The camps are based on the theme “Chinese Music Culture” and have carried out a variety of learning, experience and exchanging activities, and won wide acclaim at home and abroad.

This year, the Confucius Institute International Music Summer Camp has been upgraded to the Chinese Music Culture International Summer Institute. It aims to help foreign young talents from the past events who are interested in spreading Chinese music culture in their countries to deepen their studies, help them to become future foreign “Chinese music experts”, and continue to promote the understanding of Chinese culture in the world, as well as make contributions to the prosperity and common development of music culture exchanges.