Conference showcases Chinese art, culture in NY

The US-China Music Institute opened its seventh annual conference in New York on Thursday, showcasing a colorful array of culture and Chinese art while exploring the rich tapestry of Chinese musical heritage and its resonance in the West.

The three-day event was held at the century-old China Institute in America in Manhattan, an organization that has strived to illuminate Chinese culture in the United States.

Several attendees expressed hope that the event would help foster better people-to-people ties between the two countries, amid tense political rhetoric on trade.

"If we all remember in 1973, when the US and China started to reconnect after World War II, the first thing America did was send the Philadelphia Orchestra to China to perform for Chinese people," said Jindong Cai, director of the US-China Music Institute and a professor at Bard College in New York.

"Now I feel like we should do the same, especially when the political and economic situation is getting obstacles, music will be the best way to connect people."

On Thursday, Cai led a panel of international musical experts — moderated by his wife, Sheila Melvin, an author and expert on Chinese culture — discussing music leadership, academic research and education of Chinese instruments.

Music is "one of the only remaining vehicles for showing how we can bring harmony" between the US and China, Melvin said. "It really can transcend language and cultural barriers in a way that many other art forms can't. It's vital to have much more musical cultural exchange right now."

Frank Kouwenhoven, director of the European Foundation for Chinese Music Research and a lecturer at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, has spent decades studying Chinese traditional music based on fieldwork in China.

He said European audiences have responded "generally positively" to Chinese music, noting its distinctiveness lies in "the instruments, voices and the use of vocal cords".

The event also featured student performances on traditional Chinese instruments. Many panelists voiced hope that Chinese music would soon reach more people globally.

"China's Central Conservatory of Music has worked to promote Chinese music in the West," said Li Zhong, vice-chairman of its University Council. "Chinese music has developed very quickly and broadly, not only the traditional music, but also the contemporary music."

Ye Xiaogang, chairman of the China Musicians Association, said, "At this critical moment, it's very important for music and communication as they can help us understand each other."