"Her erhu sound tells a story that we can all understand, and she uses two strings to present images and scenes that are difficult for words to describe." France's Permanent Correspondent to the United Nations, Sélia de Ravaren, expressed the above sentiments after watching a special concert at the United Nations by Ma Xiaohui, the cultural ambassador of Mrs. World and a famous erhu player, on October 9.
In the evening, Professor Ma Xiaohui, an internationally renowned Chinese erhu artist, educator and composer, successfully held a cross-border erhu concert with the theme of "New Music Trend, New Cultural Tourism" in the Delegates' Ballroom on the fourth floor of the United Nations Headquarters in New York, aiming to convey the common emotions of "beauty, love and peace" through musical strings. The show was a complete success.
This concert is an important stop on Ma Xiaohui's tour to the United States. Diplomats, media reporters, celebrities, and contestants attending the Mrs. World Global Contest and Awards Ceremony in New York almost all deeply felt the magical power of the erhu!
This concert is an original boutique concert specially created by Ma Xiaohui for the United Nations, aiming to convey "beauty, love and peace", and present the Chinese oriental charm and great love warmth of the concert with the original form concept of "a handful of erhu in the world - new music trend and new cultural tourism".
The concert is divided into a prologue, three thematic movements, and an epilogue. Starting from the "Preface" of "Silk Road Legend, Fragrant Soul", a song "Woman Flower" is used to unveil the mysterious prelude to the "new music trend" of erhu. In the first movement "Beauty", "Colorful Erhu, Walking with Beauty, Colorful Silk Road", the erhu presents and depicts the "ink painting" of the "Belt and Road" through the form of a legato of famous Chinese and Western songs. In the second movement, "Love" Chinese and Western Classics - Melting the Soul and Softening the World", "Liang Zhu", "Silent Night Thoughts, Qin Rhyme", the sitcom "Summer Time" and "Teresa Teng's Suite" made the audience fascinated. The third movement, "Harmony and Peace, Realizing Dreams of Homeland and Leading the World New Music Trend", recreates the classic duet theme song of the erhu original performance film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (which won the Oscar for Best Original Score, etc.), allowing the audience to relive the classic scene of the theme song music of the movie "Dialogue" between the erhu and cello. The original erhu poetry "Motherland" and "Prairie Love Song: Ten Thousand Horses Galloping" brought the atmosphere to a new climax. At the end, "Realize your dreams and go home, follow love, and be on the road" lingers, making the audience linger.
Multimedia artist Ranjit Bhatnagar said, "This beautiful and inspiring concert blends classical, Chinese and cross-cultural themes in an amazing way. It's a feast for the ears and the soul. The show is creative, a perfect mix of tradition and modernity, experimentation and nostalgia, centered around her perfect mastery of the instrument..."
"As a guitarist, I had the privilege of sharing the stage with erhu virtuoso Ma Xiaohui." Guitarist Tim Kelly said. "Her powerful, moving melody inspires me and the audience," he said. It seems that the erhu in her hands can melt every heart of the audience. ”
"It was a real honour for me to work with Ma Xiaohui at the UN concert on October 9. It was a very pleasant dialogue and cooperation between Chinese and Western strings. Her performance has a distinct and unique personality, and her artistic expression is rich, delicate and intense, which is extremely infectious and inspiring to the musicians she works with, and makes the audience fascinated, even dancing and singing to the music. This is the ability and strength of a good musician! From a testimonial by young cellist Molly Aronson of New York.
Influenced by the lively atmosphere of the scene, Mrs. World 2023 World Champion Sepideh Behboudi danced to cheerful music with other audiences many times.
"I really enjoyed it. Professor Ma is not only handsome, but I was amazed by the high level of her erhu art. Bebudi said excitedly.
On the same day, the United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting due to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and some journalists had to leave the concert site early due to their reporting tasks. Reluctant to leave the stage early, Ravareen said with deep feeling: "Music can help the world heal, it is one of the best mediums to resolve differences and misunderstandings, and to strengthen friendships. Professor Ma uses the magical musical language of erhu to convey the essence of Chinese civilization to the world at this special moment, which is of great significance in this special context. ”
Ma Xiaohui's "Erhu in the World" world tour kicked off on September 17, covering Tennessee, Nashville, New York City and the United Nations Headquarters in New York, and will continue until October 29.
According to Ma Xiaohui, this tour is not only about the music itself, but also about organically combining music and mental health, and is committed to bringing people a unique music healing experience.
On October 13th, Ma Xiaohui held the "Medical Healing, Music and Psychology" at the Belmont Conservatory of Music in Nashville, and launched the global "Campus Tour" master class appreciation lecture concert.
Ma Xiaohui had an in-depth exchange with teachers and students through music appreciation, and explored the close connection between music and mental health. The concert not only brings musical pleasure to the audience, but also provides them with a new way of psychological healing.
John, who came all the way from Canada to attend the appreciation meeting, told Ma Xiaohui: "The fact that there is so much information in this short erhu performance piece has deeply touched my heart and touched my soul. From this point of view, the erhu does have the magic of warming and healing the heart. ”
Audience member Rose shared her feelings: "This is the first time I have heard the combination of Western instruments and erhu, and it makes the story more diverse and touching. It was a wonderful experience that brought back memories that I hadn't remembered for a long time, and it was like watching a movie and I seemed to understand the whole story. ”
Nashville is known as the City of Music. The city, known as the "Capital of Country Music" and the "Capital of Music", has long been the birthplace of American country music.
On October 21, Ma Xiaohui cooperated with the Symphony Orchestra of the School of Music of Middle Tennessee State University to hold the first symphony concert of this year, and the perfect performance of the erhu concerto "The Shepherd Girl of the Tianshan Mountains" was full of pictures, bringing the audience to the foot of the Tianshan Mountains, as if seeing the blue sky and white clouds and the beautiful and kind shepherdess...
When the last note of Ma Xiaohui's new version of the erhu symphony "Ten Thousand Horses Galloping" fell, the audience stood up and cheered, and the concert hall resounded with continuous warm applause and cheers.
That evening, several American audience members who were watching the concert couldn't wait to communicate with Ma Xiaohui during the intermission, saying that the performance was "so wonderful!" "I love it so much!" "It's amazing!" I didn't know about this instrument before, but it really fascinated me. ”
Carol Nies, Artistic Director of the Symphony Orchestra at the University of Music at the University of Central Tennessee School of Music, said, "Professor Ma Xiaohui is artistic, fluent in English, friendly and patient with the students in the University Orchestra, and her erhu performance is magical, like a diamond! Whether expressed in her musical vocabulary or in her words, she is a rare ambassador of international culture. Her music not only made the audience quickly understand and fall in love with Chinese culture, but also left an indelible impression on the country music and music capital. ”
She said to Ma Xiaohui with emotion: "This is the first time I have cooperated with the erhu and conducted on the spot. You're cute, and the erhu playing is magical. It has been an honor and pleasure to work with you. The erhu you play is very impressive and also resembles a violin. Your music is like an 'Oriental Jewel' – perfect for our students, and you help them open their eyes and hearts to Chinese music even more." ”
At the same time, the local audience and musicians in Nashville are even more excited to wait for Ma Xiaohui to perform the first ever New Year's "Year of the Dragon" symphony concert with the Nashville Symphony Orchestra at the noble and beautiful Schermerhorn Symphony Center Concert Hall on February 7 next year!
It is understood that Ma Xiaohui's concert with the Symphony Orchestra of the School of Music of Middle Tennessee State University is the first concert of the school's symphony orchestra this year, sponsored by the University of Middle Tennessee and the Chinese Culture and Music Center of the University, and it is also the first time they have performed concertos with musicians, especially with erhu players from China, which is their first attempt and experience.
Dr. Mei Han, a renowned musicologist and guzheng player who is currently a professor at the School of Music and director of the Center for Chinese Culture and Music at Tennessee State University, said: "Congratulations to erhu virtuoso Ma Xiaohui for the success of last night's concert with our school's symphony orchestra! The concert hall was packed, and the audience was deeply moved by the sound of Xiaohui's erhu. The Center for Chinese Culture and Music at Middle Tennessee State University once again showcased a high level of Chinese music for the local American people. Thank you to all the artists and local Chinese friends for their enthusiastic support for last night's concert. ”
The audience sighed that Ma Xiaohui's erhu performance is a "miracle" of the East and a shining "diamond" of Oriental music. Her music is not only a kind of enjoyment, but also a kind of education, which opens up the campus culture and students' musical horizons, and allows them to better understand the profound heritage of Chinese music.
On this tour, Ma Xiaohui did not forget to share the beauty of erhu art at the Franklin Intercultural Education and Training Center in the United States and the American Community Cultural Center. At the same time, he planned the release and promotion of the "Erhu and Hawaii" guitar crossover music dialogue album and fan meeting... Spread Chinese culture and tell the current Chinese story!
[An erhu in the world_ New music trend, new cultural tourism, strings play "Beauty, Love and Peace" US tour received enthusiastic responses]
Excerpt 1 from Audience, Teachers and Students:
A student named Oliver: "I really enjoyed the erhu music lecture, the music content was very perfect. There are several melodies that are very familiar. The erhu performance is so beautiful, I can't put it into words! Erhu music shook my soul, it was beautiful and moving, and it had an indescribable beauty. The erhu has a sense of history, and the instrument looks simple, but these two strings can perform such a beautiful and moving melody. I was fascinated. ”
Another girl also said, "I am a music therapy student, and I was deeply moved by the melody and cried. What a beautiful erhu music therapy this is. It was the first time I heard erhu music live. The erhu sounds like a sound, and you feel the ups and downs of the tone. Erhu music is colorful, multi-dimensional, and powerful. ”
Excerpt 2 from Audience, Teachers and Students:
"This was the first time I had heard an erhu playing, and before that I was curious about what kind of instrument the erhu was. After listening to your erhu performance, it touched my heart deeply, and I will never forget this wonderful erhu. The melody of the erhu touches the heartstrings, shocks the soul and expresses strong emotions at the same time. Erhu music is full of spirituality. Through erhu, I want to understand China and Chinese stories even more. ”
Excerpt 3 from Audience, Teachers and Students:
"I've never heard of this instrument – it's beautiful and magical, and the tone is so noble and gorgeous. It is a musical instrument full of spirituality and warmth. We have fallen in love with the erhu and would love to come to Shanghai to hear more Chinese music. ”
A young music student said, "It's the first time I've heard of this instrument, it's amazing, and it's so noble and elegant – I've fallen in love with the erhu." You are playing with your soul and your whole body and mind, and it is a passionate spiritual experience. You grabbed all my attention throughout the concert, all the time, and I loved every minute of it! So passionate and loving. I love your performance so much! Your expressions, your eyes, your dancer-like body language, your hand-painted artistic costumes – all of these are combined expressions and experiences of beauty, and everything seems to be filled with love, energy, and fresh life. I can feel the notes you play flowing in every vein of me! It's amazing! ”
Ma Xiaohui is an outstanding contemporary composite artist, a national first-class actor, a famous principal erhu soloist of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, and graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He is a member of the Shanghai Municipal Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) for three sessions, a member of the Shanghai Zhi Gong Party Committee, a judge of the National Arts Fund, a judge of the National Golden Bell Award, an executive director of the China National Orchestra Association, a special researcher of the Shanghai Museum of Culture and History, a visiting scholar in Europe and the United States, the deputy head of the Shanghai Zhi Gong Art Troupe, a cultural ambassador of the Global World Expo, a special Olympics ambassador, a United Nations Artist for Peace, an ambassador for international cultural exchanges, and the initiator of the Ma Xiaohui Culture and Art Special Fund of the Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation. As the global cultural ambassador of Mrs. World, Ma Xiaohui was invited to participate in the performance at the Mrs. World Global Awards Ceremony held at the Goethe Hall in New York on October 7.
As a contemporary literary and art worker, in the past 20 years, Ma Xiaohui has initiated more than 1,000 global tours and lectures such as "Erhu Shakes Hands with the World", "Music and Psychology, Erhu Art Melts the Heart", "Legend of the Silk Road", "Poetry and Rhyme", "Returning Home to Realize Dreams", "Legend of Music and Painting" and "A Handful of Erhu Travels the World", covering Europe, America, Asia and Africa, reaching more than 1,000 performances, carrying out in-depth practice of the "Belt and Road", and asking about major art festivals, concert halls, United Nations, universities and education, community cultural centers, etc. At the same time, he has frequently and successfully cooperated with world-famous music masters and world-renowned orchestras. He has recorded more than 30 erhu albums and created, adapted and premiered more than 100 works. He has made outstanding contributions to the development of national music to the world.
Ma Xiaohui said: "My original intention is to let the world feel the beauty of erhu art and the charm of Chinese culture. Use the spiritual beauty of Chinese art and the warmth of erhu timbre to pluck and melt the "heartstrings", so that the world can feel the beauty of erhu art and the charm of Chinese culture.
She said that music is an international language, especially national musical instruments, which have its unique advantages and timbre characteristics, so it can be based on musical instruments and the melody of "truth, goodness and beauty" as the core; It can also use the theme of women and campus as a breakthrough to softly link world culture; With the wisdom and softness of oriental women, and the interaction with vivid, friendly and generous communication, it fully reflects the status and demeanor of contemporary Chinese women and the civilized quality of contemporary education, so as to deeply and effectively convey the current Chinese charm, Chinese wisdom and Chinese voice.