Choir bridges musical divide between East and West
Posted on 7 April 2010
The choir, called The 24, will sing a varied programme of Chinese and English music during their concert tour, which will include a performance at the University of York’s second graduation ceremony in Beijing on 17 April.
Formed eight years ago in the University’s Department of Music, the choir will also take part in a number of workshops with Chinese choirs during their nine-day tour. The conductor will be Zhu Bu Xi, a Professor at Wuhan Conservatoire, who visited York last year.
A tour like this is a demonstration of the musical excellence at York
Professor Bill Brooks
The choir’s Director, Professor Bill Brooks, said: “The 24 is a true chamber choir that does unusual and new repertory. The musical idioms of the Chinese music we are singing don’t make any exceptional technical demands, and the pieces are accessible and attractive. I think the biggest challenge is learning the language.
“A tour like this is not only a wonderful learning experience for our students but also a demonstration of the musical excellence at York. We hope it will attract Chinese students to come and study music with us.”
Professor Roger Marsh has composed a new piece of music for the choir to perform on their tour and will travel with them to China.
"The piece I have composed for them is a bit of old Yorkshire - a setting of the traditional poem 'A Lyke Wake Dirge'. It's quite bleak, and will contrast nicely with the evocative Chinese pieces,” he said.
“This tour is Bu Xi’s idea, and he commissioned a new piece from me, so it’s fitting that he will conduct it."
Zhu Bu Xi said: “The 24 is a choir with high musical standards across a wide repertory of music. Chinese audiences will enjoy both the British music (which spans 500 years) and the Chinese music arranged from Chinese folk songs. I believe The 24’s Chinese tour will be very successful, and I am very much looking forward to working with them.”
The tour will include concerts in Beijing, Wuhan, Hangzhou and Ningbo (TBC). The Wuhan concerts will be performed at the Hubei Theatre. The 24 will perform at 7.30pm on 16 April, 2010, at the Concert Hall of the China Conservatory, 1 An Xiang Road, Chao Yang, Beijing 100101. Admission is free.
Notes to editors:
- The University of York held its first Graduation Ceremony in China in 2008 in an attempt to meet the growing needs of Chinese students studying in the UK. The University previously held degree ceremonies at Central Hall on the York campus in the UK, but families of Chinese students at York found it difficult to attend and celebrate due to the distance. Find out more about the University's forthcoming visit to China at http://www.york.ac.uk/admin/presspr/china2010/.
- The University of York’s Department of Music is recognised as one of the liveliest in the country. It places a strong emphasis on performance and stages an extensive programme of recitals by staff, students and visiting musicians every year.
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