The performance of Spring River Flower Moon Night on pipa and guzheng concludes the performance, and pianist Yu Chuan, who is "guest-hosting" the event, steps onto the stage and asks the audience a small question: "Pipa pieces are divided into Wenqu and Wuqu, does anyone know what the representative piece of Wuqu is?" "The Ambush from All Sides!" the children eagerly respond. The enthusiastic reply from the audience smoothly transitions to the next piece of music. During the spring festival season, folk music performances in Beijing's venues remain incredibly popular. On February 8, the West District·Yuefu Folk Chamber Orchestra took the stage at the Taihu Stage Art Center of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, adding another beautiful folk music fragrance to this year's Taihu Weekly Concert series.

With the theme of "The Flower Blooms and the Moon Is Full," the West District·Yuefu Folk Chamber Orchestra carefully selected and performed many beloved Chinese works. The musicians not only played well but also offered insightful and witty explanations. For example, before performing the Inner Mongolian folk song Pastoral Song, Yu Chuan explained that many "soulful" pieces of music are not deliberately created but come from "the creativity of the working people." Then, the soothing sounds of the erhu and bamboo flute filled the air, evoking a vast and distant mood. The well-known piece Horse Racing was played on the two strings of the erhu, capturing the image of thousands of galloping horses. Yu Chuan provided an interesting explanation, noting that the reason the erhu's sound is "introspective" is closely related to the snake skin used on the instrument. The audience then joined in for the chorus of The Laugh of the Vast Sea, which was full of elegance and freedom. This well-known classic, however, has a very simple score, rooted in China's traditional pentatonic scale.

As the concert continued, the atmosphere kept rising. When Xiao flute player Zhang Kaiqiang performed Whip and Horse, Delivering Grain in Busy Times, the audience cheered enthusiastically, just like at a live concert. Zhang Kaiqiang "controlled the stage" with a bamboo flute, coordinating with the other musicians while encouraging the audience to clap along. When the final notes floated down, Zhang Kaiqiang couldn't help but give the audience a thumbs-up.

"When performing in the grand theater, we always feel like the audience is the audience and the performers are the performers," Yu Chuan said. His words conveyed a sense of mutual engagement between the stage and the audience, as the recognition, understanding, and love of the audience for the music is "the greatest motivation and happiness for performers." It is reported that the Taihu Weekly Concert, which focuses on public art outreach and features diverse and flexible performances, will hold over 10 performances in the first half of this year. In the future, piano trios, jazz classics, and performances by well-known artists will be staged, all with affordable ticket prices of 40 and 80 yuan to continue benefiting the audience.

Translator: FENG Haoxuan

Reviewer: BAI Jing