The Hong Kong String Orchestra was founded by renowned violinist Yao Jue in 2013, with an aim to allow young musicians to pursue their dreams. In recent years, it has released several new works, adapted from famed Chinese songs. Yao believes it is important to infuse the distinctive characteristics of Chinese culture in their artistic creativity, as it is the root of their identity. In this episode, we will get up-close with Yao Jue, who will share with us how she boosts cultural ties between the mainland and Hong Kong and how she uses music to strengthen social bonds.
Do you have any favorite songs that have been playing for years or even decades? Hearing the familiar melody from the past has the tendency to stir strong emotions and transport us back in time. Singers also have their all-time favorites. Apart from adding them to playlists, they cover these songs to pay tribute to the classics or to the artists. In this edition, Wang Wen, who has been covering Cantonese pop songs over the past decade, is our guest. His covers are more soothing that are pleasant to listen to after a busy day or during a sleepless night. Today, Wang will share with us his journey to be a singer and some of his handpicked covers.
Cantopop is a contraction of Cantonese pop music mostly created by Hong Kong artists. It was phenomenal in the 1980s and 1990s when it almost dominated the Chinese pop music scene across the world. Although its popularity nowadays has declined, some golden oldies are just too classic to let go of and some argue that they will never get old even for generations to come. In this edition, we bring you several Cantonese classics by representative Hong Kong singers. We will also hear from their fans about their intriguing stories.
There are different types of hammered dulcimers across the globe, sharing similar tonality and appearance. The Chinese dulcimer is called the Yangqin. Over the past decade, Liu Yuening, a Yangqin professor with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, has committed herself to using music as a bridge to enhance intercultural communication. In 2009, she spent nine months in India to learn the Indian dulcimer, classical music and culture, and also introduced the Chinese dulcimer to the nation as she gave lectures and performed in local cultural activities.
Many are probably familiar with the famed violin concerto "The Butterfly Lovers." Incorporating elements of a popular Chinese regional opera and played with the violin, the masterpiece was originally an experiment to compose a violin piece with Chinese musical style. Zhan Ning is a violin performer and an associate professor with the Shenyang Conservatory of Music. She explains the purpose of localizing the violin is to make Chinese violin pieces with distinctive Chinese features known to the world. Today, she brings us several remarkable Chinese violin works.
Many of you are familiar with Michael Jackson's epic single "Earth Song." The track sees the artist sending out a wakeup-call about the devastation of nature caused by mankind, from overexploitation of natural resources, to endless wars and to killing of animals. The late musical genius wasn't the only one using the power of music to confront the climate crisis. More musicians worldwide are expressing their concerns about the pressing issues through their works. Composer Deng Weibiao is a leading figure of New Age Music in China. Today he brings us several songs from his album "Rivers - Our Lifeblood," each portraying a famed river across the nation. It’s hoped that his music will raise awareness on environmental conservation and encourage more people to reduce their impact on the environment.
The Dragon Boat Festival was the first Chinese festival inscribed onto UNESCO's List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2009. It is observed on the Fifth day of the fifth month on China's traditional Lunar Calendar. Some century- old customs are still observed during the festival today, such as the dragon boat race, diverse folk art performances, and eating zongzi— a type of glutinous rice dumpling warped in leafs. Today, the director and chief conductor of the prestigious China National Traditional Orchestra Zhao Cong and Liu Sha will share some music that reflect those traditions.
International Children's Day aims to draw the world attention to issues affecting children. To celebrate this special day for our young listeners, our guest on the show is Duan Liyang, a singer and song writer of children's songs. She brings us several of her melodic works and also talks about how she made her childhood dreams come true.
Previously, we introduced a three-stringed lute, called the Sanxian, which is a common supplementary instrument in the folk performance of Beijing, so many say they feel nostalgia for old Beijing when hearing it. Today, instrumentalist Wang Yu joins us and shares how he puts effort into optimizing the electric Sanxian. His aim is to expand its volume, giving it a more powerful resonance. He also brings us several remarkable works played with the electric three-stringed lute.
Guzheng or 21-stringed zither performer Luan Siyuan brings several modern Guzheng works that she collaborates with foreign musicians to find chemistry when the Chinese instrument is played with others from different cultures.