Nanjing to hit high notes

Pipa player Fang is a musician who has been devoted to preserving and promoting traditional music among young people for years. He has attracted lots of young fans on his social media platforms by adapting pop songs with traditional Chinese folk tunes and playing dozens of musical instruments, including the pipa and erhu.

A crossover concert will be held on June 20, featuring traditional Chinese instruments and music from other genres, such as Ye Shen Chen, a famous Peking Opera piece, Astor Piazzolla's Libertango and composer Tan Dun's music work arranged for cello and chamber orchestra, based on Ang Lee's Oscar-winning film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Pioneering Chinese musicians, such as Feng Mantian, who is known for his creativity in playing the ruan, a traditional Chinese plucked, stringed instrument, suona player Liu Wenwen and percussionist Yin Fei, will perform as soloists as well as jamming together at the end of the concert.

Renowned composer Guan Xia, the former president of the China National Symphony Orchestra, is the artistic director of the Nanjing Music Festival.

"It is the first time that I serve as the artistic director for a music festival centering on traditional Chinese music, which allows me to learn and appreciate our long music tradition," says Guan. "I've composed for traditional Chinese musical instruments and to me, those ancient sounds never fail to impress me, musicians and audiences."

He also adds that the organizer of the event, the Nanjing Chinese Orchestra, has lots of young musicians, who make the orchestra vibrant and active in China's music scene. As one of the first orchestras in Jiangsu centering on traditional Chinese music, the Nanjing Chinese Orchestra has toured over 40 countries so far.

Besides performing at concert halls, the orchestra is also keen on performing outdoors, such as on campuses, communities and iconic places in Nanjing, bringing music closer to the general public, according to Xu Kai, executive director of the Nanjing Chinese Orchestra.

To allow more people to enjoy the festival, it will also be livestreamed on music platform QQ Music.