Suona player shows its range and versatility

Suona player Wang Zhanzhan performed at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing on Thursday, celebrating both his academic achievements and years of artistic exploration. The concert also marked the debut of the first academic doctoral degree in Music Performance Arts (Suona) at the conservatory.

Guided by professor Shi Haibin, Wang expanded the artistic boundaries of the suona (Chinese woodwind instrument), blending traditional elements with modern innovation. The concert opened with Wan Li Zhuang Ge (Song of the Long March), composed by Wang Yunfei, which was inspired by the Long March of the Red Army from 1934 to 1936.

Wang Zhanzhan's doctoral program integrated theoretical research, composition, cultural communication, and educational inheritance. His two-year composition course allowed him to develop both his performance and compositional skills. Heart Journey, one of his own compositions, broke traditional suona melody frameworks and used the instrument to create dialogue with the sheng (Chinese mouth organ) and Chinese drum.

Da Di Jiao, a folk tune arranged by Wang Zhanzhan in 2013, won the top prize at the first National Folk Instrumental Ensemble Exhibition. Shan Hai: Zhu Long Fu (Mountain and Ocean: Candle Dragon Ode), a premiere collaboration with Zhao Zeming, fused ancient Chinese mythology with avant-garde music.

A professor at Tianjin Conservatory of Music and deputy head of the Traditional Music Department, Wang Zhanzhan started his musical training at 7 under his grandfather's guidance, becoming a lead trumpet player at 9. In 2021, he was admitted to the doctoral program at the Central Conservatory of Music. As Wang Zhanzhan puts it, "Suona can be as wild as a mythical beast's roar or as delicate as a soul's monologue — the key lies in activating its ancient essence with contemporary language."