School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen Holds the First Subscription Concert of 2021-2022 Season
The first subscription concert of the 2021-2022 season was held by School of Music (also known as Shenzhen Conservatory of Music (provisional)) at Shenzhen Concert Hall on the evening of November 1st,2021. The event was highlighted by the rendition of selected musical performances which was instructed by Mr. Xiaogang YE, the dean of School of Music and composer, was conducted by Mr. Yongyan HU, a renowned conductor was directed by Mr. Daye LIN, the director of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and was performed by teachers of School of Music and members of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra. World-renowned soloists and singers who have performed for the concert are the “All-Star” faculty from School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen (hereinafter referred to “the School”) which include violinists Ms. Vera TSU Weiling and Mr. Jingye ZHANG, soprano Ms. ZHANG Liping, mezzo-soprano Ms. Huiling ZHU, violist Mr. JIN Zhenhong, tenor Mr. SHI Yijie, pianist Ms. Fang YUAN and baritone Mr. Shenyang.
Prof. Xiaogang YE, the dean of School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen, member of the Standing Committee of CPPCC, vice president of the Chinese Federation of Literary and Art Circles, president of the Chinese Musicians Association, member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and composer, delivered an opening address for the concert.
Highlights of his speech: “School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen is one of the "Ten Cultural Facilities of the New Era" promoted by Shenzhen Municipal Government, and it was officially established and opened in a very short period of time, which demonstrates the high efficiency of the city. Thus, I would like to take this opportunity to extend our thanks to the officials from Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC, Shenzhen Municipal Government, Publicity Department of Shenzhen Municipal Committee of the CPC and Mr. Chongzhi DUAN, president of CUHK and Mr. Yangsheng XU, president of CUHK-Shenzhen for your continuous support and guidance in the past. Thanks also go to all leaders and colleagues of CUHK-Shenzhen including Prof. Baoting ZHU, Prof. Yufan HAO, Prof. Chan Wing Wah as well as Ms. Shunzhen HUANG who have devoted lots of time and effort during the preparation period. Tonight, School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen has its debut by holding the first subscription concert in Shenzhen Concert Hall, which is a good start for School of Music to participate in and facilitate the development of the arts and cultural industry of the city and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area. I believe that under the guidance of Shenzhen Municipal Government, with the support of CUHK-Shenzhen and joint efforts made by all teachers and students, School of Music will be built into a comprehensive, first-class conservatory in China with global impact.”
Prof. Xiaogang YE Delivers an Opening Address
Reviewing the Classics: Performing world classics from ancient times to the present
In the concert, teachers from the School and members of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra joined together to perform classic works composed by romantic composers including R. Wagner, G. Bizet, M. Bruch, F. Chopin, and A. Dvo?ák. Prof. Xiaogang YE’s work Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage (also known as “Shao Ling Cao Tang”) which is adopted from five poems of famous poet Fu DU of the Tang Dynasty climaxed the concert.
Mezzo-soprano Ms. Huiling ZHU sang Pres des remparts de Seville and Haba?era from the classic French opera "Carmen" with vivid rhythms and melodies; Violinist Jingye ZHANG and violist JIN Zhenhong jointly performed the beautiful and melodic Double Concerto. Op.88 composed by German composer M. Bruch, which was magnificent, brilliant and unforgettable; the masterpiece of F. Chopin Andante spianato et Grande Polonaise Brillante, Op.22 was performed by pianist Fang YUAN elegantly; Romance in F Minor, Op.11 by A. Dvorak's was performed by violinist Vera TSU Weiling, thoroughly demonstrates the genius of the composer; Soprano ZHANG Liping, tenor SHI Yijie and bass-baritone Shenyang, together with Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra performed the classic work Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage (also known as "Shao Ling Cao Tang") which is composed by Prof. Xiaogang YE. The work shows a very noble humanistic sentiment, and it is quite moving and touching.
Ms. Huiling ZHU, Mezzo-soprano
Mr. JIN Zhenhong, Violist (Left) and Mr. Jinye ZHANG, Violinist (Right)
Ms. Fang YUAN, Pianist
Ms. Vera TSU Weiling, Violinist
Ms. ZHANG Liping, Soprano
Mr. SHI YIjie, Tenor
Mr. SHEN Yang, Bass-baritone
Looking to the Future: Cultivating music masters, bridging the East and the West
As the most important part of teaching and an opportunity for practice, the first subscription concert showcased the strength of the School by having well-known teachers with outstanding performing abilities perform. From ancient times to the present, from the East to the West, different civilizations integrate with each other, transcending time and the boundaries of nations. The selected work of this concert is internationalized, diversified, challenging and forward-looking which demonstrates that the teachers of the School are highly-skilled with diverse cultural backgrounds.
Prof. Xiaogang YE once noted that the positioning of the talents cultivated within the School shall be international, elitist, artistic and inter-disciplinary. The school aims to cultivate pioneers and talents with global perspectives and competitiveness; to cultivate music artists with superb skills, self-conscious aesthetic pursuit and artistic innovation ability; the School is committed to cultivating music talents with academic and performing abilities who can bridge the East and the West for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area and the rest of the nation.
Our Vision: Build a world-class conservatory of music with global impact
School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen is one of the "Ten Cultural Facilities of the New Era" planned by Shenzhen Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, envisioning to build itself into an international and innovative conservatory. It aims at cultivating outstanding music talents in both academic and performing studies, innovating the training model for artistic talents with undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs. The School aims to build itself into a training base for outstanding music talents all around the world and a platform for cultural exchange which enables it to facilitate the development of cultural industry in Shenzhen and Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and writes a new chapter for music education endeavors of the country.
During the first term of 2021-2022 which also marks the first academic year of School of Music, the School provides bilingual courses (both in English and Chinese), together with additional foreign language courses which include Italian, German, French, etc. In the future, the School plans to offer graduate programs in music technology, art management, and music therapy.
The School will uphold the atmosphere of CUHK-Shenzhen, the tradition of the academy system, philosophy of education featuring holistic and student-centered, as well as the motto of the School, which is "to excel in the arts, to learn from culture, to aspire to the way, and to become a master of arts" and is committed to cultivating music talents with both academic and performing abilities for Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the rest of the nation. In addition, the plan of the concert will be released at the beginning of each academic year and the concert will be held afterward which will set performing standards and create opportunities for students of the School.
Teachers of School of Music
