“Chinese composer Ye Xiaogang will premiere his latest symphonic poem, The China Story—Songs From the Steppe, with a joint performance of the Baotou Symphony Orchestra and the China National Symphony Orchestra at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Wednesday,” writes Chen Nan in Saturday’s (6/26) China Daily. “The concert, conducted by Chinese-American conductor Hu Yongyan, will feature a series of Ye’s new pieces, including Steppe Eagle, The Holy Mountain and Northern Sky. … Han Mouren, a master of the morin khuur, or horse-head fiddle (a traditional Mongolian bowed stringed instrument), will perform along with the orchestras, offering authentic sounds of the Mongolian ethnic group. Ye was commissioned by the Baotou Symphony Orchestra three years ago to write the symphonic poem, which mainly draws inspiration from the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. … Since 2015, the orchestra has held two music seasons every year, which not only introduce Western classical music to local audiences but also keep alive the tradition of Mongolian ethnic music. … The 62-year-old, who teaches at the Central Conservatory of Music and serves as the president of the China Musicians Association, is known for his compositions, which range from operas and TV drama soundtracks to symphonies.”
Posted June 27, 2017
