Members of the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent pipa virtuoso Wu Man perform during the opening concert of the sixth annual China Now Music Festival at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music." (Xinhua/Li Rui)
by Yueer Lin, Shilong Yang
NEW YORK, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music."
This extraordinary concert, held at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center Wednesday evening, brought together and cleverly combined various instruments and musical traditions from both the East and the West, showcasing the harmonious fusion of Chinese and Western cultures and backgrounds.
Jindong Cai, artistic director of the festival and conductor of the Bard East/West Ensemble, told Xinhua prior to the concert that this musical event aims to promote understanding and appreciation of the Chinese culture through contemporary Chinese music.
"By bringing instruments with different styles consisting of a Western string quintet and seven Chinese instruments including dizi, erhu, ruan, suona, and guzheng, as well as Chinese and Western percussion, audiences can experience this unprecedented clash of ideas and inspirations," said Cai, who is also director of the U.S.-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music.
Pipa virtuoso Wu, acclaimed for her mastery of the instrument, delivered a stunning performance of "King Chu Doffs His Armour" by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Zhou Long.
Inspired by the poignant love story depicted in the film "Farewell My Concubine," and jointly performed with the Bard East/West Ensemble, the piece undoubtedly built a profound emotional connection with the audience.
"I would never miss any concert performances of conductor Jindong Cai, for only he can seamlessly blend traditional Chinese elements with contemporary concepts and he always brings magnificent music to New York audiences," Christine Walevska, a renowned U.S. classical cellist spotted in the audience section, excitedly told Xinhua.
Walevska revealed that she even pushed back the date of her planned trip to Argentina so that she could witness this incredible performance and the upcoming festival events over the weekend.
"Although I am not a music expert, it was easy to enjoy this performance, and the whole idea of performances playing together with Chinese and Western instruments is really touching and wonderful. Music is just the way cuisine is. It accurately represents the unifying concept of cultural exchange," said Shavon, another spectator from New York City.
Set up in 2022, the Bard East/West Ensemble comprises a Western string quintet, accompanied by an assembly of seven traditional Chinese instruments, namely the dizi, suona, sheng, pipa, ruan, guzheng, and erhu, along with percussionists from both the East and West, totaling 15 young musicians in all.
The China Now Music Festival is a joint endeavor by Bard College's U.S.-China Music Institute and the Central Conservatory of Music in China.
Since its inception in 2018, it has been dedicated to building a cultural bridge between the United States and China through music. Each year, it hosts a series of thematic concerts and lectures, presenting exhilarating contemporary Chinese musical works.
Previous editions of the festival have attracted over 10,000 live attendees, with nearly 80,000 participating in online events.
As the festival continues, it promises more unique performances and opportunities for cultural exchange, reinforcing the idea that music truly serves as a bridge to understanding and unity.
"I was very proud and delighted to see that more and more students (at Bard College) are passionate about learning and practicing Chinese traditional instruments," said Wu Han, who has taught workshops at the college in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. ■
Members of the Bard East/West Ensemble perform during the opening concert of the sixth annual China Now Music Festival at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music." (Xinhua/Li Rui)
Prominent pipa virtuoso Wu Man (R, Front) performs with members of the Bard East/West Ensemble during the opening concert of the sixth annual China Now Music Festival at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music." (Xinhua/Li Rui)
Members of the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent pipa virtuoso Wu Man perform during the opening concert of the sixth annual China Now Music Festival at Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York, the United States, on Oct. 4, 2023. The sixth annual China Now Music Festival kicked off on Wednesday with a captivating opening concert in New York City attended by the Bard East/West Ensemble and prominent virtuoso Wu Man, celebrating the theme of "The Bridge of Music." (Xinhua/Li Rui)
