A city comes alive with the sound of music

Violinist Alice Schoenfeld's legacy helps Harbin harmonize tradition, hone talent and host international events, Cheng Yuezhu reports.

When Alice Schoenfeld (1921-2019), an internationally acclaimed violinist and educator, visited Harbin in Heilongjiang province around a decade ago, she exclaimed, "It's a beautiful city. It's a beautiful country. This year's competition (takes place) in beautiful Harbin. It is a music city."

The competition she was referring to is the Alice and Eleonore Schoenfeld International String Competition, a biannual music contest she founded in 2012. The first edition was held in Hong Kong in 2013, and since 2014, at the initiative of her student, violinist Xue Suli, the competition has been based in Harbin.

A decade later, her legacy continues to illuminate Harbin's music scene, as Xue works to contribute to the city's music development in her honor, and young students rise up to take up the baton.