Music week sees ethnic groups come together to create sweet sounds

The Second China (Sichuan) Ethnic Music Week concluded with a five-hour New Year's Eve concert from Dec 31 to the early hours of Jan 1 in Xichang, Sichuan province. The music week brought together musicians and bands from various ethnic groups across China.

Over 13 days, the event hosted an opening ceremony, a series of concerts featuring more than 100 musicians and groups from home and abroad, and master classes offering training to 60 young musicians.

The opening ceremony merged modern genres such as rap, electronic, rock and symphony with traditional ethnic music. Performers from different ethnic groups expressed affection for their hometowns in their dialects through rearranged folk songs. Children's choirs were also a highlight of the ceremony.

Two short reality shows were filmed in which musicians journeyed to the Xuanya and Sanhe villages in Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture to experience the local culture and exchange ideas with inheritors of local music forms.

From Dec 19 to 26, lyricist and playwright Wang Xiaoling, along with other music experts, led master classes centered on the preservation and innovation of ethnic music. The Yi embroidery event on Dec 30 showcased the Yi ethnic culture through songs, dances and fashion shows.

"Ethnic music is a Chinese cultural treasure and the world's musical heritage. The development of ethnic music nurtures the spirit of our nation. I hope it will continue to flourish and spread across the country and the globe," said Ye Xiaogang, chairman of the China Musicians Association.

According to Liangshan Culture and Tourism Investment Group, the event is held to leverage the musical resources of the region, discover musical talents and showcase the artistry, modernity and global appeal of Chinese ethnic music.