East Meets West in London

East meets West

by New Worker correspondent

The East literally met the West at a concert in London that combined Chinese and Western cultures and showcased brilliant cultural exchanges between China and the world. Some 800 people packed the Cadogan Hall in Chelsea last week for an East Meets West concert presented by the China Performing Arts Agency and the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
    Honoured guests included the Chinese ambassador Zheng Zeguang and other Chinese diplomats as well as classical virtuosos and other guests from China and the UK.
    On the night Cadogan Hall was adorned in Chinese red and filled with applause and cheers. Internationally acclaimed conductor Qian Junping led the London Philharmonic Orchestra with featured Chinese violinist Ning Feng and classical guitarist Yang Xuefei.
    The programme featured celebrated and ground-breaking works by acclaimed Chinese composers Chen Qigang, Tan Dun, Wang Xilin, Zhou Tian, and Fu Renchang alongside Western composers Edward Elgar and John Brunning.
    The concert started with the Torch Festival, a vibrant, rousing piece depicting the traditional fire festival of ethnic groups in China's Yunnan province. This was followed by the Orchestra's performance of Elgar's classic Cockaigne overture. Ning Feng's passionate performance of the Violin Concerto No.1 incorporated traditional Chinese sounds scored for Western symphony orchestra and Western solo instruments, resulting in modern East-meets-West sonic experiences. The concert ended with the Gift which exhibited China’s profound culture and demonstrated the charm of exchanges and mutual learning between the two cultures.
    "I really hope that Chinese music can be performed more, and also be accepted and liked by more people in the West," said Yang Xuefei, one of the Chinese artists.
    After the concert, Ambassador Zheng Zeguang met with the Chinese musicians and expressed his appreciation to them for their efforts and contributions to cultural exchanges between China and the world. He also encouraged them to use their strength, talent and wisdom for the promotion of people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
    Founded in 1932, the London Philharmonic Orchestra is one of London’s five major orchestras and the largest orchestra in Britain. The Orchestra made its first China tour in 1973 and it has valued the cultural exchange and cooperation between the two countries over the years. On 4th November 2022, the London Philharmonic Orchestra held a special concert to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of China-UK diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level.
    The London Philharmonic’s principal piccolo Stewart Mcllwham and double bassist Laura Murphy both mentioned their unforgettable collaboration with Tan Dun, a leading figure in contemporary classic music, during the earlier Spring Festival at the beginning of the year. They have been embracing Chinese music as well.
    "I especially like hearing Chinese traditional instruments in contrast with ours," says Laura. She also mentioned her love of Chinese composers' works, which are "very melodic and harmonious”.
    The orchestra used to travel to China on a regular basis before the Covid pandemic, enabling them to get to know more about the Chinese music and musicians. Now, with the restrictions lifted at the borders, many artists have been looking forward to a journey back there soon. "Music is a common language that we can share, so it's a pleasure for us to be doing this," she said.