The "Glory of Kings" concert breaks the circle: classical music should not be separated from the public by a wall

"This is a moment to highlight the responsibility of the 'national team' era." At a press conference on the afternoon of January 6, speaking of the opening performance of the Upcoming China Symphony Orchestra 2022 Music Season on January 15, Li Xincao, head of the orchestra and chief conductor, said that it is the responsibility of the China Symphony Orchestra as a "national team" to use music to help the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics.

Violinist Lu Siqing has been working with the China Symphony Orchestra since he was a teenager, and the name of the orchestra at that time was still called the Central Orchestra. This year, he was invited to be the artist-in-residence of the China Symphony Orchestra for the 2022 music season, and collaborated with Li Xincao on Bruch's "Violin Concerto No. 1" at the opening concert. In the second half of the concert, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the chorus of the fourth movement is based on the poet Schiller's "Ode to Joy", which is an ode to freedom, equality and fraternity. In Li Xincao's view, "Ode to Joy" also has a peaceful meaning.

In 1996, the Central Orchestra was renamed the China Symphony Orchestra, which was also the beginning of the professionalization of the orchestra. "Since that year, we've had a season." Li Xincao said that the concept of music season comes from Western symphony orchestras, and throughout the world, most orchestras do music seasons in a New Year's Eve way, that is, from the summer of the first year to the summer of the second year. However, after years of practice, Li Xincao found that this New Year's Eve approach is not suitable for China, and the rhythm of the East and the West is different whether it is holidays, market cycles or off-peak seasons.

Starting in 2022, the China Symphony Orchestra will try to make a music season in the form of a natural year. That is to say, the music season opened before the Arrival of the Chinese New Year, which naturally extends to the next year, which is more in line with the needs of people's intensive entertainment consumption scenes in the New Year.

Finding the country's top musicians to help has become the focus of its planning of the new season.

In addition to the resident artist Lu Siqing, there are guest artists such as pianist Chen Sa, violinist Li Yuhe, soprano Li Xiuying and other guest artists in the new season, and the guest conductor includes Chen Xieyang, Zhang Guoyong, Lü Jia, Zhang Yi, Jin Chengzhi and other domestic old, middle-aged and young conductors. The long-brewed "Proud Son of the Nation" "Concerto Night" concert, as a soloist or ensemble, are carefully selected players of the China Symphony Orchestra.

Li Xincao said that the online concerts that have prevailed during the epidemic can indeed expand the influence of symphonies and orchestras, increase attention, and use the Internet for publicity is also the trend of symphony orchestras. But in the end, whether it's a symphony, an opera, a play, a ballet or a theatrical performance, the soul is still there, and "the symphony is going to return to the theater." The problem we are facing now is how to integrate online and offline well so that more young people can understand. ”

As early as before the epidemic, Li Xincao made many attempts to "break the circle". The Glory of Kings Symphony Concert is a successful practice of breaking the dimensional wall. At concerts in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, the vast majority of young audiences walked into concert halls for the first time, and the boundaries between gamers and symphony, virtual world and serious music were bridged. Li Xincao feels that even if such a concert does not necessarily have a profound artistry, as long as it can become an entrance for young people to contact the symphony, it is to open a door.

When CCTV's "Let's Talk" debuted, Li Xincao questioned the outside world's general description of classical music as "elegant music" and "serious music", "Music types and types of music are various, and it cannot be said who is elegant and who is vulgar." I think this is separating us from the public and the times by a wall. ”

Since 1999 as conductor of the China Symphony Orchestra, Li Xincao has been committed to the promotion and popularization of symphony. Starting this year, he will rehearse Ten Of Bruckner's Symphonies at the rhythm of one or two a year. The first to appear in June this year is Bruckner's Symphony in F minor.

Not only does he perform Western classics, he also performs many Chinese works, and the latter is the key to promoting the Chinese symphony. This year's new season, the China Symphony Orchestra will perform a special concert in honor of Nie Er, Xian Xinghai, Zhu Jian'er and other famous Chinese musicians.