Chinese compositions make world premiere at New York concert

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A concert featuring the world premiere of compositions by a group of distinguished Chinese composers was held here at the Carnegie Hall on Monday.

Six pieces of new work from Chinese composers such as "The Landscape of the Northern Country" and "Scented Forest" were played at the concert.

All the composers are faculty members of China's Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing, dubbed the cradle of 21st-century Chinese composers.

Conductor Jindong Cai conducts the Orchestra during a closing concert of China Now Music Festival at Carnegie Hall in New York, the United States, Oct. 22, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

The concert attracted hundreds of music fans. Anjuri Jain, a tourist from India, said it provided her with a rare opportunity to appreciate live show of melodies written by Chinese musicians.

"It is amazing. Besides Chinese food and kungfu movie star Jackie Chan, I had limited knowledge about China. But now I learned the charm of Chinese music," Jain told Xinhua.

Alice, a New York resident and an ardent fan of Chinese culture, said she was curious about Chinese symphony and the concert offered music to her ears.

The orchestra stages a closing concert of China Now Music Festival at Carnegie Hall, Oct. 22, 2018. /Xinhua Photo

The event was part of the 2018 China Now Music Festival presented by the US-China Music Institute of Bard College Conservatory of Music in collaboration with the CCOM. It is dedicated to promoting an understanding and appreciation of music from contemporary China through an annual series of concerts and academic activities, according to the institute director Jindong Cai.

China Now Music Festival is inspired by the richness and vitality of music in contemporary Chinese society. "With China Now, we hope to bring people and cultures from East and West together through music," said Cai.

"Chinese composers are talented and with great imaginations. We hope to continue work and communicate with Chinese composers with music," Robert Martin, director of Bard Conservatory of Music, told Xinhua.

The inaugural season of the China Now Music Festival was held from Friday to Monday in New York with the theme "Facing the Past, Looking to the Future: Chinese Composers in the 21st Century." This year's festival consisted of three concerts and a panel discussion.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency