CHINA DAY
MUSIC FESTIVAL
SEP. 27 - OCT. 5 - 2014
MUSIC CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE
Music Confucius Institute (MCI) was established in 2012 following many years of collaboration between
the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing and the Royal Danish Academy of Music (RDAM)
in Copenhagen.
The purpose of MCI is to facilitate musical and cultural exchange and development between China and
Denmark. We aim to create synergies between classical Western and Chinese musical traditions that will
actively contribute towards the future global development of music.
MCI is open to anyone who is interested in and seeks information about Chinese musical tradition and
culture.
WE OFFER GUIDANCE AND ADVICE TO
STUDENTS INTERESTED IN WORKING AND
STUDYING IN CHINA
China is fast becoming an important destination
for musicians and artists. MCI offers advice and
consultation to conservatory students interested in working or studying in China regarding the
artistic and practical considerations surrounding
Chinese musical tradition, performance, and concert culture.
WE OFFER PERFORMANCES FOR ALL
AUDIENCES AT ALL LEVELS, THUS CREATING
MUSIC DIALOGUE
Globalisation facilitates meetings between Chinese and Western musicians, leading to inspiration, creation, and collaboration across borders.
MCI supports such synergies through developing
and presenting performances across all levels,
including business, government, cultural, and
private institutions, showcasing Western and
Chinese music in meaningful dialogue with each
other, thus creating a platform for the future global
development of music.
WE CO-OPERATE WITH HIGH SCHOOLS TO DEVELOP AND DELIVER RECOGNISED COURSES
TO PUPILS
MCI has developed a series of teaching materials
and offers courses aimed at high school students
studying music and Chinese language. These
courses focus on Chinese culture, music, and language, not only presenting students with the skills
to analytically and critically draw comparisons between different
cultures, but also to explore new dimensions
within music and language learning and intercultural relations.
WE OFFER CHINESE MUSIC COURSES
MCI offers a range of instrumental courses at all
levels, for musicians and non-musicians alike. The
teaching staff is selected based on their individual
expertise from CCOM, RDAM’s partner institution in Beijing.
CHINA DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL
27 SEPTEMBER - 5 OCTOBER 2014
It is with great pleasure that Music Confucius Institute at the Royal Danish Academy of Music
presents China Day Music Festival, a week with
sublime music by very best performers from China and Denmark.
The China Day Music Festival celebrations begin
with China Day to mark the 10th anniversary of
the establishment of the first Confucius Institute
in the world, starting with an opening celebration
followed by the Chinese Music and Culture Fair at
the Royal Danish Academy of Music. The opening
concert will present the finalist works of MEETINGS, the 1st MCI composition competition, and a
special performance by guest artist, Mr. Yim Hokman from Hong Kong Chinese Orchestral.
During the China Day Music Festival, we will
present performances by a series of high-level
Chinese guest artistes, workshops, and lectures.
The week will showcase traditional Chinese music, contemporary music and world premieres of
works demonstrating musical dialogue between
China and the West. A highlight of the week is a
very special concert and art exhibition at Hofteatret. At the concert, special guest musicians from
China will perform pieces inspired by the grotto
frescoes of Qiuci, an important location along the
Silk Road, a symbol of the dialogue between China
and the West. China Day Music Festival will close
with the China Day Music Festival Grand Finale on
5th of October, The concert programme comprises
pieces that have been specially selected by Artistic
Director for the concert, Gert Mortensen, Professor of Percussion at The Royal Danish Academy of
Music, to showcase the unique music that is created through the meeting of Chinese and Western
musical culture. Works by Chinese composers
Guo Wenjing, Zhang Xuru and Wang Fay will be
performed, showing the unique result of the creation of dialogue between Chinese and Western
instruments together.
“The Royal Danish Academy of Music is proud to
be part of China Day Music Festival, that showcases traditional and contemporary Chinese music, and demonstrates wonderful possibilities for
dialogue between Western and Chinese music.
In this respect, the 1st MCI MEETINGS INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITION COMPETITION
demonstrates our commitment to such intercultural dialogue.”
Bertel Krarup
President, The Royal Danish Academy of Music
“Having experienced the establishment of the
world’s first Music Confucius Institute (MCI),
I feel very proud about my engagement in the great
cause of Confucius Institute. I believe, through the
joint efforts by our two institutions, that China
Day Music Festival will enhance the friendship
between our two peoples as well as the friendly
relations between our two countries.”
Guo Shulan
Director of School Administration Committee,
CCOM Chairperson, MCI Board of Director
FESTIVAL SCHEDULE
CHINA DAY OPENING CELEBRATION
27 September, 13:00 - 15:00
RDAM Studio Hall (Rosenørns Allé 22, 1970 Frederiksberg C)
Opening concert featuring world-class percussionist Yim Hok-man and other artistes. In
addition, the finalist works from the 1st MCI MEETINGS INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITION
COMPETITION will also be presented.
CHINA DAY MUSIC AND CULTURE FAIR
27 September, 15:00 - 18:00
RDAM Studio Hall (Studio Hall, Studio Foyer, Organ Hall and the Canteen)
Workshops for traditional Chinese instruments, language, calligraphy, tai-qi, traditional
Chinese tea ceremony, and face-painting will be held across RDAM. There will also be
opportunities to savour chinese snacks. A reading of The Nightingale by H.C. Andersen be
presented by Christian Steffensen, accompanied by music composed for traditional Chinese
instruments by Tan Tuan Hao, soloist composition student at RDAM.
CHINESE MUSIC LECTURE SERIES
2-3 October
Skt. Annæ High School
Chinese musicians embark on a 2-month educational project with Sct. Annæ High School,
where students immerse themselves in Chinese music and musical culture. Over the course
of these two months, students will learn more about the instruments and music of China,
performance traditions, and also attempt to write music inspired by their sessions with the
musicians.
CHINA DRUM NIGHT
2 October, 19:30
RDAM Studio Hall
Chinese master percussionist Yim Hok-man and Kong Fu Zi Master Drummers present the
results of their masterclass and workshop sessions held over the course of the China Day Music
Festival. Chinese percussion master Wang Jianhua from Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing
will also perform at this concert.
CHINA TRADITIONAL MUSIC NIGHT - INCLUDING PAINTING EXHIBITION FROM
SILK ROAD
3 October 20:00
Hofteatret (Christiansborg Ridebane 18, 1218 Copenhagen C)
This concert aims to brings the audience to the world of Chinese music and art through presenting a programme featuring high-level musical performances, exhibitions and lectures by music
professors from the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing.
CHINA DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL GRAND FINALE
5 October 16:00
RDAM Concert Hall (entrance via Julius ThomsensGade 1, 1974 Frederiksberg)
The festival week closes with special performances by artistes and musicians from Denmark and
China. The concert programme comprises pieces that have been specially selected by Gert
Mortensen, Professor of Percussion at The Royal Danish Academy of Music, to showcase the
unique music that is created through the meeting of Chinese and Western musical culture.
Of special note are pieces by Chinese composers Guo Wenjing, Zhang Xuru and Wang Fay, that
demonstrate the musical possibilities of combining traditional Chinese instruments and Western instruments. In addition to a musical presentation, all audience members are also invited to
an exquisite art exhibition designed by two excellent young artists, Wang Zheng and Liu Chang.
The concert also serves as a finale to the China Day Music Festival, in which musicians and
artistes from Denmark and China jointly contribute to a week-long festival, presenting Chinese
music, culture, and language.
CHINA DAY
OPENING CELEBRATION
WELCOME SPEECH
1ST MEETINGS MCI INTERNATIONAL COMPOSITION COMPETITION 2014
FINALIST WORKS
Piotr Peszat
James Black
Lee Chie Tsang
- Mo Yan
- Silk
- Re-sketch(es) II - resurrection
MCI New Music Ensemble, MCI Classical Chinese Music Ensemble
QIN WENCHEN - PIPA WORDS
Cui Ying
- Pipa
MADS VESTERAGER NIELSEN - 我的爱情 (MY LOVE)
Mads Vesterager Nielsen
Cui Ying
- Pipa
Yan Yan
- Erhu
TANG JIANPING - THE RAIN OF HEART
MCI Classical Chinese Music Ensemble
WANG FAY - 世界的中文 (WORLD CHINESE)
Specially written for China Day, music by MCI, text by Aalborg CI
Wang Fay
Cui Ying
- Vocals
- Pipa
ANNOUNCEMENT OF WINNING WORK
Niels Rosing-Schow, Professor of Composition, The Royal Danish Academy of Music
TIAN LONGXIN - THE GOLDEN PHEASANT FLYING OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN
Gert Mortensen, Yim Hok-man, Jiajia Qiao, Huang Xuanning
TAN DUN - DRUM POEM
Yim Hok-man with Kong Fu Zi Master Drummers
CHINA DAY
CHINESE MUSIC AND CULTURE FAIR
ROYAL DANISH ACADEMY OF MUSIC - 27 SEPTEMBER, 15:00 - 18:00
STUDIO HALL
Chinese drum workshops with Yim Hok-man and taiqi workshops with Yang Jie and Shan
Zhengwu. Each lasts approximately 30-60 minutes, and will be held regularly during the
afternoon.
STUDIO HALL FOYER
Participants can participants can get their names written in traditional Chinese calligraphy,
take part in Chinese language workshops, and watch video presentations on MCI, Copenhagen
Business Confucius Institute, and Confucius Institute for Innovation and Learning at Aalborg
University.
ORGAN HALL
Chinese instrument workshops - learn more about traditional Chinese instruments, and even
get a chance to try playing them. There will also be storytelling performances by Christian Steffensen, presenting The Nightingale by H.C. Andersen, accompanied by music composed for
traditional Chinese instruments by Tan Tuan Hao, soloist student at RDAM.
CANTEEN
MCI Classical Chinese Music Ensemble
OUTSIDE RDAM (JUNCTION OF ROSENØRNS ALLÉ AND JULIUS THOMSENS GADE)
Lion dance, taiqi, and Chinese drumming performances. Each performance lasts approximately
10 minutes, and will be held regularly during the afternoon.
CHINA DRUM NIGHT
Tan Dun
Wang Yidong
Guo Wenjing
An Zhishun
An Zhishun
Zhang Lie
Li Minxiong/drum part by Wang Jianhua
Tian Longxin
Arr. Yim Hok-man
“Drum poem”
“Copper idiophoned over the drum”
“Dramma I VI movements”
“Squabbling Ducks”
“Teeth-grinding Tiger”
“Camel Bells of Xinjiang”
“In the Depths of the Night”
“The golden pheasant flying out of the mountain”
“Drums East, Drums West”
Yim Hok-Man , Wang Jianhua, Gert Mortensen, Jia Jia Qiao & Kong Fu Zi Master Drummers
CHINA TRAD. MUSIC NIGHT
INCL. PAINTING EXHIBITION FROM SILK ROAD
Mo Fan - “Sketch of the Watery Region” - Traditional Chinese Music Quartet
Ancient Piece - “Parting at Yanguan Pass” - Guanzi Solo
Ancient Piece - “The Moon High Above” - Traditional Chinese Music Duet
Chen Yunyun - “The Alley of Sichuan” - Yangqin Solo
Zhou Chenglong - “Verve of Tanci” - Traditional Chinese Music Trio
‘’Partridges Flying’’ - Folk Music of Hunan Province, Arr. by Zhao Songting - Dizi Solo
Ancient Piece - “Ambushing On All Sides” - Pipa Solo
Liu Tianhua - “Birds Singing in the Mountain Air” - Percussion solo
Li Minxiong, Arr. Sun Xiaosong - “In the Depths of the Night” - Percussion solo
Jacob Gade, Arr. Wang Fan - “Tango Jalousi” - Ensemble
Huang Huaihai, Arr. Sun Xiaosong - “Horse Race” - Ensemble
CHINA DAY GRAND FINALE
SUN OCT 5 TIME 16:00
PROF. GERT MORTENSEN, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Gert Mortensen
“Echoes of Time.”
Globo Art Team DKDM
Ancient Piece
“Parting at Yanguan Pass”
Guanzi - Hu Zhihou
Guo Wenjing
“Sound of Tibet”
RDAM Orchestra Department Chamber Ensemble.
Conductor - Prof. Gert Mortensen.
Zhang Lie
“Camel Bells of Xin Jiang”
Wang Jianhua with Kong Fu Zi Master drummers
N. V. Gade
“Aquarelle Op. 19”
Piano - Huang Meiling
(No. 1. - Elegie. No.2 Scherzo - No. 9 Novelletta)
Wang Fay
“Totem Wolfs” (World Premier)
Duo Crossfire: Assistant Prof. Jia Jia Qiao and Prof.
Gert Mortensen, Zhang Meng
Liu Tianhua
“Birds Singing in the Mountain Air”
Ma Xianghua - Erhu
Fay Wang
“Monodrama of Old Heaven no. 3.”
RDAM Orchestra Department Chamber Ensemble
Soloist - Fay Wang
Conductor - Prof. Gert Mortensen
Zhang Xuru
“Call From Siganli” “(A. Arouse”)
Percurama Percussion Ensemble
Conductor - Prof. Gert Mortensen
Axel Borup Jørgensen
“Three Old Chinese Poems”
Soprano: Rikke Lender
Guitar - Allan Sjølin
Zhang Xuru
”Call From Siganli”
“(B. “Booming” - Symphonic Poem for
the Percussions)
Percurama Percussion Ensemble.
Conductor - Prof. Gert Mortensen
ENCORE:
Yao Zu Dance, Mo Li Hua, Jakob Gade - Tango Jalousie
CCOM Three Tour Group, MCI teacher interns and students
Prof. Gert Mortensen: Musik for Kinesiske vifter / Music for Chinese Fans
Kung Fu Zi Master Drummers
YIM HOK-MAN
PERCUSSION
HU ZHIHOU
GUANZI
Yim Hok-man is a renowned percussionist with
more than fifty years of performing experience.
Over the last five decades, Yim has made substantial contributions to percussion music in both
China and Hong Kong, He has involved himself
and excelled in the areas of Chinese and Western
percussion, teaching, music composition, and research. His performing experience and repertoire,
his efforts in carrying on traditions, while attending to musical developments in the East and the
West, and his untiring pursuit of breakthroughs
all stand witness to his artistic virtuosity as well
as to his seasoned cultural insight. He has toured
to cities and countries on four continents, and
given performances to wide acclaim from audiences, music critics, and the press alike.
Professor of Traditional Instruments Department,
Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM). Born in
Wuhu, Anhui Province in 1941, he enrolled in the
Youth Class of CCOM in 1952, he graduated and
stayed at school to teach in 1964. As the last disciple of the folk wind music artist Yang Yuanheng,
he has preserved and developed the music culture
of guanzi. Hu Zhihou has successively performed
in many countries and recorded features.His “Beijing Music of Zhihua Temple in Beijing” was recorded and published by domestic and foreign
recording and video companies, his music scores
were integrated and published by National Instrumental Music. Hu’s unique cognition and understanding of traditional music culture have caught
the attention of many people home and abroad.
He has successively held academic lectures in a
number of national and foreign universities. He
has been conferred the Title of Excellent Expert
by a number of national ministries, and has won a
number of awards, both home and abroad.
WANG JIANHUA
PERCUSSION
MIAO JIANHUA
MUSICOLOGIST
Head of the Teaching and Research Section for Percussion, Professor and Master’s Supervisor of the
Traditional Instruments Department of Central
Conservatory of Music (CCOM), Vice President
of Chinese Percussion Association and Vice President of Chinese Traditional Percussion Association. Since 1985, Wang Jianhua has performed
with many groups in more than twenty countries
and participated in international music and arts
festivals. He has held lectures and master classes of Chinese percussion in a number of national
and foreign prestigious universities. He has also
held percussion concerts with several orchestras
at home and abroad. In 1991, Wang Jianhua won a
Gold Award for Performance at the Shanxi International Gongs and Drums Competition, and released his percussion solo album in CD format. The
following year, he won a Class One Award at the
2nd held his concert, named as “Gongs and drums
beat all around—percussion concert held by Wang
Jianhua and his friends” in 2008 and later on released the DVD of this concert. 2nd Jiangnan SizhuInternational Competition for Chinese Wind and
Strings. He successfully held his concert, named
as “Gongs and drums beat all around—percussion
concert held by Wang Jianhua and his friends” in
2008 and later on released the DVD of this concert.
Doctor of Literature, Researcher, and Doctoral
Supervisor of Central Conservatory of Music. She
mainly engages in the research of Chinese music’s history of aesthetics and history of Chinese
ancient music. She has published books “Research
on the Aesthetic Ideology of Guqin”, “Preliminary of Chinese Music” (co-author), etc. She has
published academic papers including “Study
on the Written Time of Chen Chang’s ‘Book of
Music’”, “The Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist
Ideas in the Aesthetics of Guqin”, “Primary Exploration into the Aesthetic Ideology of Buddhist
Music”, “The Buddhist Mood in the Qin Poem”,
“Primary Exploration into the Aesthetic Ideology of Su Shi’s Buddhist Music”, etc. The awards
she has received including the Second Prize of
National Teaching Achievements Awards, First
Prize of 7th Beijing Higher Education Teaching
Achievements Awards, Second Prize of the Beijing Literary Federation’s 4th Literary Criticism
(Theory Class) Awards, Excellent Award of 9th
China Golden Bell Awards Theory Criticism
Awards. She has engaged in a number of scientific
research programs of national and ministerial levels. She has organized and participated in a number
of international academic conferences, and conducted academic lectures and exchange activities
in Australia, South Korea, Japan, etc.
MA XIANGHUA
ERHU
DONG YING
SHENG
Associate Professor of Central Conservatory of
Music (CCOM), Beijing, and and Head of the
Teaching and Research Section of CCOM Middle
School.
Dong Ying, a young sheng player, the first female Chinese wind instruments Master student
in China Central Conservatory of Music. In 2010,
she won the audition of China Radio Chinese
Orchestra playing both Solo Lu-sheng (a kind of
sheng used by one of the ethnic group people in
China) and Soprano sheng.
She has cooperated with many famous international symphony orchestras including the National Orchestra of France, Russian Philharmonic
Orchestra, Venice Opera House Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, etc. She
has participated in many international cultural
exchange activities and performances home and
abroad such as art festivals and music festivals.
She has recorded and published a number of solo
albums at home. She is favoured by many famous
composers as a collaborative partner. She premiered the erhu concerto “Four Ancient Scores of
Dunhuang” composed by Huang Anlun, the new
erhu piece “The World is Like a Dream III” composed by Shijing Zhenmu, the erhu concerto “Past
Time” composed by Chen Qigang and the huqin
concerto “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (traditional Chinese instruments version) composed
by Tan Dun.
Dong Ying has performed in many cities of China, Japan, Russia, Australia, Mexico, America,
Korea, Germany, Poland, Denmark, and Malawi.
Also, she gave lectures about Chinese traditional
music and Sheng in Japan, Korea, Denmark and
Germany.
She has performed solo with NationaltheaterOrchestra Mannheim, Orchestra Nipponica
(Tokyo), Moscow Philharmonic, Korea National
Traditional Orchestra, Ensemble Modern, Saint
Petersburg Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra,
AArhus Symphony Orchestra, Beijing Symphony
Orchestra, China NCPA Orchestra, Central Chinese Orchestra and many others.
ZHAO YUANCHUN
JINGHU, ERHU
GUO WENJING
COMPOSER, JURY MEMBER
1st MCI MEETINGS International Composition Competition
Ms. Zhao Yuanchun is a young erhu artist of
highest potential. She represents the highest
level of modern erhu performance in the World.
She is one of only a few young erhu artists who has
won top awards of different kinds, which include
“Taibei Chinese Traditional Instruments Concerto Competition”, “Tianhua Cup” National erhu
Competition, National Culture and Arts Government Awards, Wen Hua Arts Conservatory
Award, “Golden Bell” Award, etc.
Ms. Zhao Yuanchun received a Masters Degree
in Performing Arts with Honors from China’s
best music academy, the Central Conservatory of
Music, Beijing.
Composer, jury member (1st MCI MEETINGS International Composition Competition) Guo Wenjing is a contemporary Chinese composer. Unlike
many Chinese composers who have studied and
lived in other countries, he has only studied in Beijing. He has lived and worked in his home country
for nearly his entire life with the exception of a short
period of time living in New York. However, over
the years he has had many works commissioned
around the world. He and his music have appeared
at the Beijing Music Festival, Edinburgh Festival,
Hong Kong Arts Festival, Holland Music Festival,
New York Lincoln Center Festival, Paris Autumn
Festival, Perth International Arts Festival, Almeida Theatre (London), Frankfurt Opera (Germany),
Konzerthaus Berlin (Germany), Kennedy Center
(Washington), as well as Turin, Warsaw, etc. In addition, he is contracted by CASA RICORDI-BMG
and the first composer to be contracted by People’s
Music Publishing House. His music has been given
high praise both at home and abroad by The New
York Times, Le Monde, The Guardian, People’s
Music, etc.
QIN WENCHEN
COMPOSER, JURY MEMBER
ZHANG XURU
COMPOSER
1st MCI MEETINGS International Composition Competition
Qin Wenchen is a Professor of the Composition
Department of Central Conservatory of Music
(CCOM, Beijing), Distinguished Professor of Chinese Conservatory of Music.
In recent years, Prof. Qin has accepted commissions from numbers of international musical institutions including Berlin Symphony Orchestra,
German Bavarian Broadcasting Station, Bonn
Beethoven International Music Festival. His works
have been played worldwide by noted national and
overseas orchestras, including Recherche Modern
Ensemble, L’Ensemble Itineraire , Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Antidogma European Modern
Ensemble of Italy, Tokyo Symphony Orchestra,
Nieuw Ensemble, Stuttgart Chamber Symphony
Orchestra, Ensemble on Line of Austria, Phoenix
Chamber Orchestra of Switzerland, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Modern Ensemble of South
Korea, and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.
Qin Wenchen’s major works include: orchestra
works “Aroma” (1991), “Sound from Heaven”
(2001), “Saint Way of May” (2004), cello concerto
“Daybreak” (2008), “Talk to Nature” (2010), violin
concerto “Mountain Line” (2012), etc. Numerous
chamber music works include “Five Songs above
the Horizon” (2005), “Shadow of Sun” series
(1987—), and “Towards the Distance - 30 Chamber
Melodies Composed for Chinese Musical Instruments” (2010).
Zhang Xuru is a famous composer active in the
international music. He has dozens of works on
orchestral, chamber music, musical theatre, music
theatre, percussion. The “YIXIN” (mixing chamber music), “Sense” (chamber music), “Voicing”,
“Legend “, “Zi&Qu”, “Sanling” (national chamber music), “Fu”, “Spring Winds” (percussion),
“True and Avant-garde dialogue” (multimedia
percussion theater), “Endeavor” (a symphonic poem), “White Snake - Four Seasons of Love
-- Autumn” (multimedia opera music theater),
“Shang Yuan” (symphony), “Shang Lake” (qin and
vocals), “Home and Impression” (multimedia drama), “Desert Wall” （humai, changdiao and Symphony Orchestra), which performed in the United
States, France, Switzerland, Holland, Germany,
Britain, Taiwan, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen,
Chengdu, Tianjin, Wuhan, Shenyang and other
countries and regions and Shanghai Spring International Music Festival, the Shanghai International Arts Festival, the Shanghai World Expo, Jiangsu
Changshu International Folk Arts Festival, France
international year, the United States of America
Tanglewood Music Festival, the Swiss National
Radio Music Festival, the Shenyang International
Percussion Festival, Beijing modern music festival
and other major activities.
WANG FAY
COMPOSER, JURY MEMBER
1st MCI MEETINGS International Composition Competition
Chinese-American musician Wang Fay was born
in Beijing and now lives in Boston and New York
City, USA. After getting her Bachelor’s degree in
composition from China Central Conservatory of
Music in 2008, she went to the United States and
pursued her master degree in Yale University, and
later was admitted by the College of Fine Arts of
Boston University as a PhD candidate at the Composition Department of BU. Through the years,
she has refined her talents under instructions of
the first-class composers around the world, from
professor Ye Xiaogang, Chen Yi, Zhou Long, to
Martin Bresnick, Ezra Laderman, Aaron Jay Kernis
and Christopher Theofanidis.
Many of her works have been presented and awarded around the world, while commissions from
music festivals and foundations also became an
occasion for her to yield more masterpieces. With
her works featuring wide and expansive styles in
many fields, Ms. Wang also explores dance drama,
opera, movie scores and experimental pop music,
apart from her expertise in orchestra, chamber
music, artistic songs and instrumental solo.
GERT MORTENSEN
CONCERT ARTISTIC DIRECTOR, CONDUCTOR, PERC.
Gert Mortensen was born in Denmark in 1958.
He studied in the soloist class at The Royal Academy of Music in Copenhagen, where he is now
professor. He has played at numerous international festivals, including the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with the BBC Philharmonic, The
Barbican, ISCM World Music Days, Warsaw
Autumn, the Edinburgh Festival, The Bergen
International Festival in Norway, Estate Musicale
Venice, Beijing Percussion Festival, The Stockhausen Festival and at the Berliner Philharmonie.
Gert Mortensen’s research and projects are often
a blend of the avant-garde and ethno-musicology,
and at his concerts he makes use of a fascinating
array of instruments from all parts of the globe
where he has carried out studies: Mexico, Cuba,
Zimbabwe, Burma, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Cook Islands and China. Gert Mortensen
is known as a particularly innovative creator of
instruments, and as a result of his search for new
sounds he has created a new instrument, a ‘glassophone’, which has a range of nine octaves and is
made of hand-blown glass used in the traditional
Italian wine industry.
NIELS ROSING-SCHOW
COMPOSER, HEAD OF JURY
HENRIK VAGN
CONDUCTOR
1st MCI MEETINGS International Composition Competition
Niels Rosing-Schow received his education in
Music History and Composition from the Royal
Danish Academy of Music (1987). This was followed by a shorter residency in Paris, which came
to be of critical importance for the composer’s
future musical direction. He became deeply interested in the works of the Greek/French composer,
Iannis Xenakis, and was furthermore introduced
to early French spectral music through the lectures of the French composer, Tristan Murail.
Niels Rosing-Schow has produced a comprehensive range of works within most catagories, and
his music is often performed in Denmark and
Europe. Some of his recent major works include
the cello concerto, Chimere (2008), which received its world premiere by Andreas Brantelid
and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra,
and Les pas d’Eurydice (2011) for solo cello and
string orchestra, premiered by Andreas Brantelid
and Kremerata Baltica. Niels Rosing-Schow has
also closely collaborated with the French ensemble, TM+, which has been invited to the Royal
Danish Academy of Music on numerous occasions.
Henrik Vagn Christensen is a versatile conductor
with a repertoire spanning a wide range of arts and
genres: symphonies, contemporary music, opera,
operetta, musicals and ballet. Vagn Christensen is
regarded the leading Danish ballet conductor of his
generation, and has been conducting at The Royal Danish Ballet from 1996 to 2012 and as of 2013
- The New York City Ballet. Apart from touring
extensively with The Royal Danish Ballet, primarily in USA, Japan and China, Henrik Vagn Christensen has also conducted the Finnish National
Ballet, The Royal Swedish Ballet, The Norwegian
Opera, State Theatre in Pretoria, Teatro Real de
Madrid and Marinskij Theater in St. Petersburg.
Henrik Vagn Christensen was a founder member
of the Figura Ensemble in 1994, and has since premiered and recorded numerous Danish orchestral
and ensemble works.
ALLAN SJØLIN
GUITAR
RIKKE LENDER
SINGER - MEZZOSOPRANO
Born in 1986, Allan Sjølin is a young Danish guitarist, mandolinist and arranger. He has been studying at the Royal Danish Academy of Music since
2006 and is currently enrolled at the last year of
the postgraduate program with associate professor Jesper Sivebæk as his teacher. Allan has played
in master classes for Alvaro Pierri, Pepe Romero,
Ricardo Gallén, Pavel Steidl, Marcin Dylla, Erling
Møldrup, and Diego Cayuelas among others.
Educated at The Academy of Music and Dramatic
Arts (Esbjerg) and The Royal Danish Academy of
Music, teachers Susanna Eken and John Guttman.
Allan has performed in many different places
throughout Denmark. He is an active performer
who also participates in different ensembles as
well, including Take Away Opera and Copenhagen Guitar Duo and has been a soloist in Joaquin
Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez” several times.
He is frequently used by symphony orchestras in
works featuring guitar, banjo and mandolin and
has had many different collaborations with opera
singers.
HUANG MEILING
PIANO
Huang Meiling was born to a musicians family.
In 1995, she won first prize at the Yan Bian piano
competition. In October 1996, she toured visit 9 cities in Korea. She participated in the Ji Lin
piano competition in 1999 and won the first prize.
From 2001-2007,she was a student at the Central
Conservatory Of Music Middle School.This was
continued in 2007-2011 with studies at the Central
Conservatory Of Music, with Prof. Taihang Du.
In 2014, she graduated with a Master degree from
Central Conservatory of Music. Following that,
she began working towards her soloist degree at
the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen in the class of Niklas Sivelöv.
Since 2010 a member of the Danish National Vocal
Ensemble, where she has sung a number of solo
parts, including in Carl Nielsen’s opera Maskarade
(CD recording 2014, cond. Michael Schønwandt)
and in Beethoven’s Cantata on the Death of
Emperor Joseph II (2012, cond. Ivor Bolton). Other
solo parts include Verdi’s Requiem, Beethoven’s
Missa Solemnis and the major baroque oratorios.
Member of Trinitatis Church Baroque Ensemble,
specializing in cantatas by Bach and Buxtehude.
SIMON STEEN-ANDERSEN
COMPOSER, JURY MEMBER
KIETH FITCH
COMPOSER, JURY MEMBER
1st MCI MEETINGS International Composition Competition
1st MCI MEETINGS International Composition Competition
Simon Steen-Andersen (b.1976) is a Berlin-based
composer, performer and installation artist, working in the field between instrumental music, electronics, video and performance within settings
ranging from symphony orchestra and chamber
music (with and without multimedia) to stagings,
solo performances and installations. The works
from the last 6-7 years concentrates on integrating
concrete elements in the music and emphasizing
the physical and choreographic aspects of instrumental performance. The works often include
amplified acoustic instruments in combination
with sampler, video, simple everyday objects or
homemade constructions.
Keith Fitch currently heads the composition department at the Cleveland Institute of Music,
where he holds the Vincent K. and Edith H. Smith
Chair in Composition and also directs the CIM
New Music Ensemble. Called “gloriously luminous” by The Philadelphia Inquirer, his music has
been consistently noted for its eloquence, expressivity, dramatic sense of musical narrative, and
unique sense of color and sonority.
Since 2008 Simon Steen-Andersen is a lecturer
of composition at the Royal Academy of Music in
Aarhus, Denmark, in 2013-2014 he was visiting
professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music in
Oslo and in 2014 he was lecturer at the Darmstädter Ferienkursen für neue Musik.
Highlights of recent seasons include the premieres
of ’Tho Night Be Falling (commissioned by the
Fromm Music Foundation for the Colorado String
Quartet); Midnight Rounds, written to celebrate
the fortieth anniversary of the Da Capo Chamber
Players; and Mean Fiddle Summer, composed for
the acclaimed violinist Lina Bahn. The 2012-13 season brings the premieres of Knock on Wood (for
the harp/guitar duo of Yolanda Kondonassis and
Jason Vieaux); Cascade, a fanfare commissioned by
Cleveland’s Museum of Contemporary Art for the
inauguration of their new building; and In Memory, a new chamber orchestra work commissioned
by the League of Composers Orchestra (NY).
DUO CROSSFIRE
KONG FU ZI
MASTERDRUMMERS
Representing fine national academies of Asia and
Europe, these two artists have created a global
meeting point of crossing musical styles. Since
2008, Professor and soloist Gert Mortensen from
the Royal Academy of Music in Denmark and Chinese percussion professor Jia Jia Qiao from Central
Conservatory of Music in Beijing have been performing in Europe and China. Since 2008, Duo
Crossfire has performed more times at the National Center for the Performing Arts Beijing (NCPA).
2009: Estate Musicale, Italy and with the Zielona
Gora Philharnonic Orchestra from Polen, National
Chinese Television CCTV. 2010: Summer Festival
Tour Shanghai, Tianjin, Nanjing and Hangzhou.
2011: Young Nordic Music Festival Copenhagen,
Xinghai Music Festival Guanzhou. 2012: Official
Opening Ceremony China Denmark Music Confucius Institute, World premier of Bach to the Future by Per Nørgård (chamber version) together
with the Diamond Ensemble Copenhagen, Zielona Gora Philharmonic Orchestra, Estate Musicale
Italy. 2013 and 2014 Pulsar Festival for new music
Copenhagen
Since 2004, a great number of Chinese students
have studied with Prof Mortensen at the Royal
Danish Academy of Music and this resulted in the
creation of a unique Chinese ensemble in Denmark: Kung Fuzi Master Drummers. This troupe
has specialized in classical Chinese percussion
music from all arias of China: Beijing opera style,
traditional drumming of the Shaanxi province,
minority music of the Tu Jia people, totem dance
of the the Wazu tribes, temple music of Daizu
people and Cantonese acrobatic drumming. Kung
Fuzi Master Drummers presents several compositions related with nature and the percussions are
often used to mimic animals like tiger, duck, bull,
peasant and even the dragon.
The group regularly performs concerts with Chinese programmes and has performed at many
Danish-Chinese events in Copenhagen including
at the Danish Parliament and in the presence of
the Royal Family.
PERCURAMA PERCUSSION
ENSEMBLE
MCI CLASSICAL CHINESE
MUSIC ENSEMBLE
The Percurama Percussion Ensemble was founded
by Professor Gert Mortensen, with The Royal
Danish Academy of Music as its point of departure. Percurama is a melting-pot of various artistic
forms such as ‘contemporary concerts’, ‘crossover performance’, drums and modern dance,
world/ethno music, concerts for children, trash
music, music theatre, percussion and choir and
percussion combined with ‘real-time painting’
and gamelan ensemble. One thing all Percurama
activities share is the fascination with the ritual
power of drums, pulse and rhythm that is created
by a blend of sounds, sound effects and the use of a
large number of instruments.
The MCI Classical Chinese Music Ensemble was
formed in 2013, with MCI Chinese Music teachers,
all of them highly skilled musicians from Central
Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the premier institute of music education in China. The Ensemble
will present all the Classical Chinese Music pieces
though the different form of performance on traditional Chinese Instruments. As a bond spread
Chinese music, It will gives chances to Danish and
Europe audience to listen to the Classical Chinese
Music, better understanding the spiritual of Chinese music and culture.
For years, Percurama has had a fruitful cooperation with the French conductor Jean Thorel, one
that has resulted in many performances of works
composed for enormous groups of percussion, including: Edgar Varese: Ionisation, Lou Harrison:
Labyrinth #3, Gérard Grisey: Le noir de l’étoile
and Alberto Ginastera’s Cantata para America
Magica.
CCOM THREE TOUR GROUP
ANCIENT QIUCI FRESCOES
EXHIBITION
As a key national academy representing the highest level of professional music education in China
and the Chinese partner academy of the world’s
first “Music Confucius Institute”, CCOM has
elaborately planned an array of activities for the
European performance tour “Celebrating the 10th
Anniversary of the Establishment of Confucius
Institute”, which includes concerts, art exhibitions, and small-scale cultural lectures that embody our central theme “the fusion between the
traditional and the modern, the East and the West,
and music and paintings”.
Qiuci is located in the Kuqa County, Xinjiang
Province, China, and was an important city along
the “Silk Road”, which had been an important
passage for Chinese and Western cultural exchanges in the history. A large number of exquisite Buddhist grottoes with frescoes were found
there, many of which are about music and dancing
content. In the history, the Qiuci Buddhist art had
contributed a lot to the development of the Buddhist art in the Central Plains, and the art forms
and cultural information of Qiuci art had been
retained in the grotto frescoes. As a result, the
copy and research of Qiuci grotto frescoes are of
important academic value to the deep excavation
of the historical styles and features of the cultural
and art fusion between China and other countries.
Miao Jianhua, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of CCOM, will lead the performing delegation, which comprises three generations of CCOM
performers – veteran faculty, new faculty, and
accomplished students. The frescoes exhibition
will be jointly curated by two excellent young
artists Wang Zheng and Liu Chang, who have long
engaged in the archaeological research and painting of Buddhist art.
THE ROYAL DANISH ACADEMY OF MUSIC
The Royal Danish Academy of Music is the oldest
music academy in Denmark. It is a dynamic and
vibrant artistic educational institution centred
on teaching. An additional important role is to
support the development of classical music and
enhance its relevance on an ongoing basis as a central part of contemporary musical and cultural life.
The Academy has a broad musical and stylistic
span, ranging from period music to classical-romantic, as well as more recent and new contemporary music, including the compositional music of
tomorrow.
The majority of the Academy’s courses are aimed
at performance at the highest level, and many
also include pedagogical training with a view to
professional music teaching. Besides the purely
instrumentalist and vocalist programmes, specialised courses are also available within the fields of
music teaching, composition, conducting and
church music, as well as recording direction.
The Academy’s fundamental artistic activities find
expression in a comprehensive and richly varied
range of concerts, as well as high-profile projects
within educational and artistic developmental
work and research. A wide network of international contacts and partners rounds off the picture
created by the Academy’s many committed teachers and other staff – and above all, by the large body
of talented students who form the heart of it all.
THE MUSIC CONFUCIUS INSTITUTE LOGO
A great part of the cultural heritage of China can
be linked to the written language - Chinese characters. We wanted to include the strong symbolism
found in Chinese calligraphy and at the same time
include the square and the circle, existing design
elements found in the logo of The Royal Danish
Academy of Music.
The Square and the Circle hold significant symbolic value in Chinese culture, especially when they
appear together as two opposites. There is an old
saying in Chinese philosophy that one cannot
draw a perfect circle and square without compasses and rulers, which means nothing can be accomplished without norms or standards.
After careful consideration we opted for the character “和” (hé). We chose this character based on
its strong positive connotations of “harmony”,
“collaboration”, “peace”, and “balance” – concepts
that are all key integral parts in the world of music.
The character was then stylized to further specify
the look and feel, and to have it match the existing
geometric elements.
We are very proud of the final result.
CENTRAL CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC
Founded in 1950, the Central Conservatory of
Music is located at the former Prince Chun’s Residence of Qing Dynasty and merged together
with the National Conservatory of Music, the
Peking National School of Fine Arts and other 6
departments of music in Universities from 1920s
to 1940s in China. Music Department of the
Yenching University ( 1927), the Music Department of the Literature and Art School of the North
China University (1939), the National Academy of
Music in Nanjing (1940), the Music Department of
the National Peiping School of Arts (1946), and the
Music Department of the Northeast Lu Hsun Institute of Literature and Art. Moved from Tianjin to
Beijing in 1958, it was ranked among the national
leading universities in 1960. Currently, it is listed
as one of the leading universities in the “211 project” in 2000, the only institution in Academies
of Fine Arts in China, and only key institution of
higher learning supervised directly under the Ministry of Education of the State Council among all
academies of arts in China. The ex-presidents have
included Ma Sicong, Zhao Feng, Wu Zuqiang,
and Liu Lin. Professor Wang Cizhao is the current
president.
As an institution of single discipline for training
high level musical specialists in higher learning,
the Central Conservatory of Music has evolved a
complete system of pedagogy embracing courses
of all levels starting from elementary classes up to
postgraduate programs for master and doctoral degrees. The Conservatory has departments
of composition, conducting, musicology, music
education, voice and opera, piano, orchestral instruments, and traditional Chinese instruments,
academic study, offering undergraduate programs
of study for a period of 4 to 5 years and postgraduate program for 2 or 3 years. The attached institutions also include a six-year middle school and a
three-year primary school, giving courses in piano,
orchestral instruments, traditional Chinese instruments and music theory. The Music Research
Institute is the Key Research Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of Ministry of Education.
The Orchestra Academy was established in 2005
for training orchestral musicians and offering
postgraduate program, the first of its kind in Asia.
The Journal of the Central Conservatory of Music, a quarterly published by the Conservatory, is
widely distributed at home and abroad. The postdoctoral station has also been set up recently. The
Institute of Violin Making, Modern Electro-acoustic Music Centre, Voice Research Centre, Music
Therapy Center, College of Continuing Education
Music, Education Center of Distance Learning and
Division of Social Education of Music are designated to conduct interdisciplinary researches for the
aim of enriching the programs.
The Central Conservatory of Music is a holy palace
for many musical talents in the country. For past
55 years, thousands of students have graduated
from the Conservatory, some of them have going
on to establish an international reputation. Students have won 481 prizes in major international
music competitions, including the golden and
silver medals in Tchaikovsky International Music
Competition, 1801 prizes in national music competitions, and 346 music compositions have been
awarded in international and national competition. From 1987, 87 prizes for scientific achievements have been awarded to the CCOM.
CONTACT
Music Confucius Institute at The Royal
Danish Academy of Music
Rosenoerns Alle 22
DK-1970 Frederiksberg
Denmark
www.dkdm.dk.
T: +45 72 26 72 80
E: mci@dkdm.dk