In the past two years, many Sino-US people-to-people exchange activities affected by the epidemic have pressed the "pause button". Members of the Philadelphia Orchestra often ask wang Yixun, senior advisor to the orchestra, "When can I come to China?" I want to go back to China to perform. ”
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of the Shanghai Communiqué. In a recent interview in Shanghai, Wang Yixun recalled the story of the exchange of words in those years. Since the 1973 Philadelphia Orchestra's "Ice-Breaking Tour" in China, as the first American orchestra to tour China after the founding of New China, it has carried out 12 cultural exchanges in China before and after, and the voice of Philadelphia and the oriental rhythm are intertwined. "When the epidemic is over, music exchange will come back to life." Wang Yixun said.
Wang Yixun felt that this was probably "love at first sight". As early as the evening of September 12, 1973, the Philadelphia Orchestra and a group of 130 people arrived in Beijing, performing four times at the People's Cultural Palace in Beijing from September 14 to 16. On September 19, the Philadelphia Orchestra left Beijing for Shanghai, and on the evening of the 20th and 21st, the Philadelphia Orchestra held two concerts in Shanghai. Bass cellist Neil Courtney once recalled that in Shanghai, thousands of spectators followed the Philadelphia Orchestra's convoy. The good impression of the first meeting has promoted people-to-people exchanges between the two peoples. When Wang Yixun communicated with some orchestra members, he found that they still retain the musical instruments and books they bought in China, and many people specially placed them in the collection cabinet to "take care of".
The Philadelphia Orchestra visited China and opened the "ice-breaking journey" of Sino-US art exchanges. "They love China, they love the people of Chinese, they love Chinese culture." Wang Yixun said so. For example, the orchestra members once toured Hunan, and the Philadelphia Orchestra commissioned Tan Dun to spend 5 years to compose the "Nushu Harp Concerto", using symphonies on the spot to tell the agricultural civilization and show the most simple folk customs, and the American artists on the stage and the Chinese audience on the stage communicated in that moment.
The story between the orchestra and Shanghai has also become a good story. Wang Yixun still remembers that 8 veteran artists of the orchestra arrived in Shanghai in 2013 to participate in exchange activities, and children from the Children's Palace sent a warm welcome at the airport. In the evening, Chen Xieyang, a famous conductor who participated in the 1973 Philadelphia Symphony Art Troupe, Shi Zhongqin, former principal dancer of the Shanghai Ballet, and Lu Chunling, a famous flute player, were invited to come, and the artists of the two countries had a very happy conversation.
Kindness and love also flow between the two peoples. During the Philadelphia Orchestra's visit to China, special attention was also paid to some special groups. Yannick Neger-Segun, current music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, spoke with the Shanghai City Symphony Orchestra in 2013 and learned that the orchestra was committed to using music to help children with autism. Later, the two sides jointly planned a communication activity for "Children of the Stars" and sent the principal percussionist of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra to guide the children. Not only that, but later, when the two sides cooperated in concerts, the first ten rows of seats were specially set aside, and children with disabilities were specially invited to come. "The Violin Concerto 'Liang Zhu' reverberated in the concert hall, and the exchange touched countless people." Wang Yixun recalled.
Many of the artists who participated in the "ice-breaking journey" have retired, but the memories of their visit to China are still vivid. Wang Yixun introduced that artists who have come to China many times feel that China has undergone too many changes in recent years, and the speed of urban social development is incredible, "I still want to come to China to see."
Author: Zhan Yue
Photo: Zhang Yichen, courtesy of the interviewee
Editor: Wang Jiayi
Editor-in-Charge: Lu Yifeng
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