INTERNATIONAL TOUR CHINESE TRADITIONAL MUSIC China National Traditional Orchestra, Xuanzang’s Pilgrimage, 2018 | China National Traditional Orchestra, Xuanzang’s Pilgrimage, 2018 |
   Tour Dates: 20 July - 24 July, 2018 The China National Traditional Orchestra (CNTO) is a state-level performing arts institution funded by the Ministry of Culture.
Tour Dates
Tour Information: China National Traditional Orchestra
The China National Traditional Orchestra (CNTO) is a state-level performing arts institution funded by the Ministry of Culture. Members of CNTO—comprising an orchestra of traditional instruments and a chorus—are highly-esteemed musicians both at home and abroad. Founded in 1960 under the guidance of the late Premier Zhou Enlai, CNTO’s inaugural President Li Huanzhi (January 1919 – March 2000) was an esteemed composer and Chairman of the Chinese Musicians’ Association. Current president Xi Qiang is an expert performer on bowed string instruments and ethnomusicologist; he is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. CNTO carries the mission of promoting China’s musical heritage. With an extensive repertoire of traditional and new works, CNTO has long contributed to the country’s cultural landscape. Throughout the decades, all of China’s leaders—Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, Xi Jinping—and many foreign dignitaries have enjoyed CNTO’s performances, many of which having won high praises. CNTO has visited numerous countries over the years, among them the United States, Mexico, Peru, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Austria, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Greece, Egypt, Israel, Singapore, Korea and Japan. In recent years, CNTO has produced such iconic full-length programmes as Impressions: Chinese Music, Rediscover Chinese Music, Looking for Dufu, Golden Echoes, Beautiful Rivers and Mountains, Grand Music from China, Bridge to Chinese Music, Cowherd and Weaver Maid, Chinese Music in Splendor, Beautiful Xinjiang, Tibetan Spring, Love Songs in the Moonlight, The Silk Road, Sun Yat-sen and Xuanzang’s Pilgrimage, the world’s first Chinese concert in drama. Greeting From the Producer / Director
Xuanzang's Pilgrimage, composed, written and directed by Jiang Ying, resident composer of the China National Traditional Orchestra, celebrated its premiere on July 7th, 2017 in Beijing. Curated and produced by the orchestra, it is a classic repertoire in promoting national music by telling a story from China’s perspective and spreading the voice of China following two previous episodes Impressions: Chinese Music and Rediscover Chinese Music. Meanwhile the work injects innovative transformation and creative development into traditional Chinese music, and it highlights the national character, the confidence and motivation of modern China. Based on the Tang dynasty legend of high monk Xuanzang’s pilgrimage to ancient India to retrieve Buddhism scripts, the show exhibits Xuanzang’s great spirit of devotion, perseverance and challenge through music and drama performance. Xuanzang's Pilgrimage is inspired by various areas and cultures along the ancient Silk Road. It is a work that is significant in forging cultural exchanges across the Belt and Road region, as well as in developing China’s national orchestral music. I look forward to a wonderful performance! Composer, Writer, Director: Jiang Ying
Composer Jiang Ying has devoted her career to the exploration and innovation of Chinese traditional music. In 2010, immediately upon her graduation with a Master’s degree from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, she was appointed composer-in-residence at the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. Jiang joined the China National Traditional Orchestra as composer-in-residence in 2013. Jiang joined the China National Symphony Orchestra as composer-in-residence in 2018. Among her representative works are Silk Road, Impressions: Chinese Music and Rediscover Chinese Music. Jiang’s compositions have received accolades at home and abroad; they have also been performed in many countries and regions. Among her various awards are: First Prize in the 18th Ministry of Culture National Composition Competition; Recognition of Excellence in the 9th Golden Bell Award Instrumental Composition Competition; First Prize in the Xiangyin Cup Chamber Music Competition; Gold Award in the 3rd Traditional Orchestra Society’s Traditional Orchestra Composition Competition; and the 2013 Ministry of Culture Young Composer’s Award. Jiang’s The Silk Road has already entered the repertory of traditional orchestras in China and abroad. Jiang Ying collaborated with director Wang Chaoge in 2013 and 2015 respectively, composing and arranging music for the large-scale productions of Impressions: Chinese Music and Rediscover Chinese Music, garnering praise from audiences all over. Rediscover Chinese Music was nominated for Classical: NEXT Innovation Awards in 2016. Aside from extensive national tours, the two productions were staged at the Kennedy Centre and Carnegie Hall in December 2015. In 2017, Jiang Ying created Xuanzang’s Pilgrimage, a new genre of stage work defined as “a Chinese concert in drama”. She is the composer, librettist and director of her production. Conductor: Liu Sha
Resident conductor of the China National Traditional Orchestra, Liu Sha is widely recognized as a leading figure among the new generation of traditional orchestra conductors. To date, he has conducted the China National Traditional Orchestra on its tours to Russia, France, Korea, Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Germany and the United States. As a champion of contemporary music, he has premiered and commissioned hundreds of new works from composers of the younger generation. In the realm of symphonic music, his Russian and East European repertoire has won critical acclaim. One of the few conductors favoured by the leading politicians in China, Mr Liu has conducted at several state visit and diplomatic occasions including APEC in 2014. He appeared in the Chinese New Year’s Concert in Hawaii in 2013 and at the Pan-Pacific Asian Arts Festival at Stanford in San Francisco. In 2015, he conducted two sold-out concerts featuring music composed by Jiang Ying at the Kennedy Centre and Carnegie Hall. A graduate of the Central Conservatory of Music, Liu pursued further studies from 2011 to 2014 at the St. Petersburg Conservatory of Music, studying opera and symphonic conducting with Alexander Polishchuk as well as researching the Ilya Musin conducting method. Among his teachers at the master classes are Seiji Ozawa, Mstislav Rostropovich, Jorma Panula, Colin Meters and Gustav Meier. Programme
1. Mahāyānadeva 2. Buddhism: Xiao, Recorder and Orchestra 3. Desire: Erquanqin, Qudi and Orchestra 4. At the Pass: Xun, Chinese Drum and Orchestra 5. Lost and Seek: Daruan
6. In Danger: Satar, Muqam and Orchestra 7. Pure Land: Dunhuang inspired instruments and Orchestra 8. Gaochang: Uyghur and Qazaq instruments 9. Save the Lost: Konghou and Orchestra
10. Snow Mountain: Tajik folk song and Orchestra 11. The Rite for Heaven: Guanzi, Pipa and Orchestra 12. Bodhi: Indian traditional music chanting 13. Nalanda: Chinese Orchestra 14. Dreamlike: Xiao and Orchestra 15. Tang: Chinese Orchestra
Cast
Guest Artists
Orchestra Bamboo Flute: Fu Qiang Ding Xiaokui Shen Jihui Sun Shuai Production Composed, written, directed by Jiang Ying Conductor: Liu Sha Choreography: Zhang Jiwen Multi-media: Digital Media Studio of CAFA Design School |
