Silk Road soundtrack returns in full volume

Both Abliz and Wang note that interest among younger generations has grown significantly in recent years. To encourage deeper engagement, the troupe is working to create new forms of presentation. 

Wang is currently leading a nationwide tour of a grand opera about the story of Wan Tongshu and the preservation of Muqam. The production incorporates classical selections, contemporary staging, digital projections and newly written lyrics, with the goal of introducing Muqam in a large-scale theatrical setting and demonstrating its relevance in the new era.

Abliz is also pursuing innovation through musical collaboration to blend ghijek with guitar, bass, drums, ney, rawap and kanun, to present Muqam music with refreshing sounds. 

"Muqam is evolving over time. As an instrumentalist, I am looking to combine it with other Chinese traditional folk instruments such as the erhu (a two-stringed fiddle), pipa (a four-stringed Chinese lute) and the guzheng (a plucked zither), as well as Western instruments like the bass, guitar and electric keyboard. We have experimented a bit and the results are fantastic. I hope more young talents join us," says Abliz.

They are not the only ones making efforts to help this ancient art further thrive on the global stage. Ma Xuguo, deputy director of Xinjiang's department of culture and tourism, says the region has rolled out diverse measures to support the protection and growth of local intangible cultural heritage."Xinjiang, standing at the crossroads where Eastern and Western civilizations converge, boasts vast expanses, diverse landscapes, and a rich tapestry of intangible cultural heritage.

Xinjiang is effectively working to protect the 5,956 intangible cultural heritage items across the region, including Muqam, and to help them weave vibrant chapters in the new era."