STRIKING RIGHT CHORD FOR CULTURAL EXPRESSION

Wuxi woos audiences melding musical heritage with modern trends

Wuxi, a city that seamlessly blends ancient traditions with modern innovation, embraces a rich musical heritage that has nurtured countless talented artists over the centuries.

Located in East China's Jiangsu province, the city is the birthplace of the Wu culture that spans over 3,000 years and is renowned as the hometown of the erhu, a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, and traditional Chinese music in the Jiangnan region, nestled in the southern lower reaches of the Yangtze River Delta.

Wuxi serves as a vibrant hub where traditional and contemporary musical expressions converge, embodying its reputation as a "city of music" and serving as a catalyst for local socioeconomic development.

Housing two prominent music ensembles — the Wuxi Chinese Orchestra and the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra — the city showcases a commitment to preserving cultural traditions while embracing artistic innovation. The orchestras aim to inject new vitality into the flourishing development of local culture, exploring the fusion of traditional and modern music while collectively promoting the innovative development of musical arts.

Established in 2020, the Wuxi Chinese Orchestra serves as a cultural bridge between past and present musical traditions, encapsulating the essence of Wu, Taihu Lake and Jiangnan cultures. Since its inception, the orchestra has been dedicated to creating era-defining works that reflect unique cultural elements, striving to uphold and illuminate the essence of the local music scene while showcasing distinctive regional art forms.

Delving into the study of traditional instruments such as the guqin, erhu and dizi, the Wuxi Chinese Orchestra inherits the charm of China's traditional music, sharing its profound essence with a global audience. The orchestra has captivated audiences with a myriad of performances, including its debut concert "Glorious Liangxi" and the original epic symphony Bright Procession, celebrating the centennial anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party. It has also presented a grand production Dream of Jiangnan and a tribute concert honoring the legacy of Liu Tianhua, a pioneer of modern Chinese folk music. Each performance is a journey through time, allowing audiences to experience the depth of history and the continuity of culture.

The Wuxi Chinese Orchestra has performed at such prestigious events as the 39th Shanghai Spring International Music Festival and the second session of the Spring of Chinese Music at the National Centre for the Performing Arts. It also oversaw the creative planning for the concert series Four Seasons of Music, Sunday Music Appreciation Workshop, and Musical Festivities. Moreover, the orchestra has showcased its creative prowess on international stages, garnering acclaim and fostering cultural exchange in Australia, Laos, Canada, Mauritius, France, Portugal, Russia, Turkiye, as well as China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions.

Despite its achievements, the Wuxi Chinese Orchestra remains bold in pursuit of innovation, blending traditional melodies with modern elements to create compositions that resonate with both the past and the present, infusing ancient tunes with renewed vitality.

In September, the orchestra held a Mid-Autumn Festival concert, which also served as the opening of its 2024/25 season. The audience was treated to a musical feast that blended the old and the new, from innovative works like The Moonlit Night and Czardas Dance led by erhu players, to classic orchestral music such as Jasmine Flower.

In a similar vein, the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra, founded in 2023, represents a beacon of modern musical excellence in China. As one of the youngest symphony orchestras in the country, it epitomizes the artistic aspirations of the nation's youth while showcasing remarkable talent and creative vigor. The orchestra made its official debut on Jan 1, with the triumphant notes of Wuxi Overture ringing in the New Year at the Wuxi Grand Theatre, setting the stage for a journey toward becoming a world-renowned cultural institution.

With a vision to attain domestic and international acclaim, the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra aims to elevate the city's cultural influence, enhance the local business environment, facilitate global exchanges, enrich the lives of residents and elevate the city's cultural sophistication. Additionally, it expects to empower the city's cultural industry by accelerating development of stage creations, film and television productions, celebratory events and cultural dissemination, according to local officials.

Through the universal language of symphonic music, the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra endeavors to share the enchanting tapestry of Jiangnan culture with the world, narrating Wuxi stories and radiating the city's charm on a global scale. At the 23rd China Shanghai International Arts Festival, which ended on Nov 17, the orchestra seized the opportunity to showcase its 2024/25 music season, expanding its network and solidifying its reputation. As one of the most influential cultural platforms in the Asia-Pacific region, this year's festival attracted over 500 professional organizations and more than 2,000 industry insiders from around the world.

The 2024/25 music season opened in September and will run until July 2025. This marks the orchestra's first complete season and another milestone in its development. The event has been comprehensively upgraded in terms of theme planning, content presentation, performance lineup, and artistic innovation, according to the orchestra. It promises a rich tapestry of performances across seven series, including "Heavyweights Arrival", "Masters and Renowned Players", "Strolling through Classics", and "Wuxi Symphony Originals", offering audiences a transcendent experience of top-tier artistry and the timeless beauty of classical music.

During the Shanghai arts festival, the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra engaged in fruitful discussions with international luminaries, including directors of international arts festivals and heads of theaters and arts centers. They delved into the topic of "Symphony Orchestra and Urban Culture", exchanging insights on operational strategies, management models and the publicity of humanistic values.

Wuxi's innovative spirit in the realm of music is further exemplified by its International Musicians Residency Program, a platform to foster international music exchanges that was announced during the "Chanson of Silk and Bamboo — Wuxi Week of Chinese Folk Music" event, held in May at the China Cultural Center in Paris. The Wuxi Chinese Orchestra launched the series with a performance of The Beautiful Taihu Lake.

Each year, the program invites up to five influential musicians from around the globe to reside in Wuxi and engage in artistic performances, creative collaborations and cultural exhibitions to promote the dissemination and development of global music centered around diverse themes.

This year's program began on July 10, with two young Russian accordion players and one Portuguese accordion player arriving in Wuxi for a four-day music journey. Through activities such as public lectures, roadshow interactions and visits to cultural venues, the three musicians experienced the driving force and vitality of Wuxi's cultural industry development.

Local officials said the city is looking forward to making more contributions to the inheritance and innovation of Chinese culture, adding that by welcoming more international talents to its vibrant cultural landscape, Wuxi will continue to promote traditional Chinese music on a global scale and showcase innovative creations that transcend borders and cultures.

haonan@chinadaily.com.cn