Global guests to gather in Wuxi for ethnic music festival

Wuxi in east China's Jiangsu Province will host the "Erquan Yingyue • Wuxi International Ethnic Music Festival" from November 18 to 23, 2024. Erquan Yingyue, or "The Moon Reflected on the Er-quan Spring" is a famous erhu masterpiece by Wuxi musician Hua Yanjun (also known as Abing) and has become a cultural symbol of Wuxi.

It will bring together around 300 musicians from countries including Russia, Kazakhstan, Poland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia and China. This global gathering will feature a rich exchange of musical traditions and artistic dialogue.

The festival will feature over 50 diverse performances and events, highlighting world-renowned artists and ensembles. Audiences can look forward to performances by German musician and composer Stephan Micus, Kazakhstan's Arkaiym Ensemble, Indonesia's Gamelan Semara Ratih, and the Twelve Muqam Ensemble from northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

In addition to performances, the festival will feature community outreach programs and artistic salons, providing opportunities for audiences to engage with ethnic music and learn about its cultural and creative roots. A series of music documentaries will also be screened during the event.

On a broader scale, the festival aims to foster international collaboration. By partnering with world music festivals in Berlin, St. Petersburg, Edinburgh and beyond, it seeks to promote the growth of ethnic music in Wuxi and on the global stage, strengthening cultural exchange and deepening mutual understanding between nations.