"Shanghai Odyssey Stories on the Bund" Tour International Style of Folk Music

by the Shanghai National Orchestra, The organizing committee of China Shanghai International Arts Festival jointly commissioned the folk concert "Shanghai Odyssey Bund Story" created by German composer Christian Youster (Christian Jost). It premiered at the Shanghai Grand Theater in November last year, and the response was enthusiastic both inside and outside the industry. In September this year, the orchestra will launch a national tour with this concert-- Beijing National Grand Theater on September 6, Peking University on September 7, Shanghai Jiaotong University on September 14, Guangzhou Grand Theater on September 18, and will return to the Shanghai Grand Theater on September 24. Use the international innovative expression of national music to show the rapid development of contemporary cities and present gifts for the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up.

this concert is the first time that the Shanghai National Orchestra has commissioned a foreign composer to compose and conduct the whole national orchestral work. Christian Youst, the composer and conductor, is also a Chinese fan. He has created the musical Taipei Horizon, the opera "Heart Sutra" based on Zhang ailing's short film of the same name, the Chinese and American poetry choir "Love," the opera "raising the Red Lantern", and the ballet "A Dream of Red Mansions."

Uster has a unique understanding and understanding of Chinese culture, as well as great enthusiasm for the city of Shanghai. Before he began to create, he used to roam in Shanghai by subway, going to Nanjing Road, Chenghuang Temple and the Bund to read and listen to Shanghai. He said: Shanghai is a magical international metropolis. Here, the spectacular skyscrapers and the magnificent European architecture of the late 19th century are fascinating. These buildings continue to write stories of the past, but also show the development and prosperity of contemporary Shanghai, we can imagine music as a journey of life, is a process of pursuing harmony in reincarnation.

in order to create the Shanghai Odyssey Bund Story, Uster and the Shanghai National Orchestra have been preparing for it since the end of 2016. The orchestra performers assist composers to carefully understand and familiarize themselves with the sound areas, traditional performance techniques and the possibility of integrating various modern performance techniques of various traditional Chinese national instruments such as erhu, pipa, guzheng, bamboo flute, Sheng and so on. It was the voice of Chinese folk music that inspired the creativity of the foreign composer. During the first rehearsal of the work in early 2017, Uster heard the band's sound field at the scene and thought it was incredible: the band's voice is full of magic!

from the very beginning, I went to the streets of Shanghai to learn about the characteristics and performance techniques of Chinese national musical instruments, to continuously rehearse and run-in with all the performers. Youster has constantly improved and improved the creative use of Chinese music elements, and a wonderful chapter that crosses national boundaries has been slowly unfolded.

the international model of folk music

what do you think of when talking about folk music? Is it an ancient musical instrument with a long history? Or the simple and melodious rhythm of silk and bamboo? Is it a classic with moving legends? Or is it the celebration music that flows in the streets and alleys every festive season? If that's all, it's not enough. Our long-standing folk music not only has a glorious history and rich accumulation, but also actively interacts with the times and integrates with life. Especially in the current era of diversified cultural development, folk music is also constantly integrating and innovating, new ideas, new ideas, dialogue with the world, resonance with the times, contemporary folk music is very standard!

the Shanghai Folk Orchestra brought the latest original masterpiece "Shanghai Odyssey Bund Story" to Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The concert was jointly commissioned by the Shanghai National Orchestra and the China Shanghai International Arts Festival Center to be created by the famous German composer Christian Jost. It had a wonderful premiere at the China Shanghai International Arts Festival on November 8, 2017. With new creative techniques, new musical language, the interweaving of Eastern and Western civilizations, and the profound expression of urban spirit, this concert has once become a cultural hotspot in Shanghai.

Shanghai Odyssey interprets the urban spirit

Odyssey, which was originally one of the most important epics in ancient Greece and the foundation work of western literature. The most important thing in the story is the protagonist Odysseus' positive and enterprising spirit of forge ahead, self-improvement and indomitable spirit.

Uster, as the "Odysseus" of contemporary western music, it blends and collides with eastern and western music, tells about an extraordinary "epic" of Shanghai, and injects new artistic energy into Chinese folk music.

Shanghai, as the vanguard of national reform and opening up and the forerunner of innovation and development, also embodies the spiritual core of Odysseus. The Bund is a microcosm of Shanghai's great changes in the past century, which not only has historical memories, but also shows the development of the new era. Therefore, this concert is also a gift for the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up.

the concert consists of Oriental urban perfume "Oriental charm", Pearls reflecting Towers "Pearl of Pujiang", The Garden Bridge "Bridge of Eden", East Nanjing Road "China first Street" and The BUND "Bund". Music, which is full of rhythm and sense of painting, jumps out of the habitual expression of national music and shows the mutual brilliance of Chinese and foreign cultures with a new color and vitality, as well as the eclecticism of modern and traditional civilization. it also allows the audience to get unlimited reverie and intoxication in the limited sound field space. A familiar and fresh epic of Shanghai is spread out one after another.

the young old brand of folk music

Shanghai, founded in 1952, is the earliest large modern national orchestra in China. There have been a number of artists who have made great contributions to the development of national music, such as Zhang Ziqian, Sun Yude, Gong Yi, Gu Guanren, Min Huifen and Yu Xunfa. Today's Shanghai Folk Orchestra inherits the rich heritage of its predecessors to carry on the past and forge ahead into the future, with new performances and new creations to make folk music coruscate new brilliance at present.

the orchestra not only has a group of young and powerful performers, but also has a creative and imaginative artistic creation and management team. The orchestra created "Sea Life Folk Music", "Gardenia blossoms", "Winter Rainbow", "12 moments of Dream of the Peony Pavilion", "Poetry, calligraphy and painting Series in Chinese Music" and other concerts with wonderful creativity, beautiful music and youthful performers were warmly welcomed by the market, especially the young audience.

Orchestra leader Luo Xiaoci said that in order for folk music to become popular among young people, it is necessary to integrate current music elements and conform to the aesthetic concepts of contemporary people. In addition to being in line with the current aesthetic in music creation, but also reflecting the contemporary style in expression, we should have the courage to promote the creative transformation and innovative development of Chinese folk music, promote the contemporary expression of folk music, and make traditional culture popular. Become a way of life for young people.

the Shanghai Bund Story Odyssey, jointly created by Chinese and German artists on this tour, is another successful practice of the creative transformation and innovative development of contemporary Chinese folk music. what's more, it is a powerful expression of actually setting up the brand of "Shanghai culture" and strengthening the gathering force of cultural radiation in the coordinates of the new era. The contemporary movement of urban development is played with folk music, showing a new dimension of international exchange of Chinese folk music. this national tour hopes to make audiences in more areas feel the vitality and energy of Shanghai-style folk music. it also presents a sincere gift to celebrate the 40th anniversary of reform and opening up.

different versions show elegant demeanor

in order to meet the different needs of this tour, the orchestra has created a multimedia panoramic version and light and shadow version of "Shanghai Odyssey Bund Story" respectively.

Multimedia panoramic version, with the work "Heart of the Bund" by the famous Shanghai painter Mao Donghua, has become one of the main visual presentations of the concert. This is also the first time to combine Bund-themed contemporary painting with folk music. Mao Donghua presented the Bund and other classic buildings and cultural impressions in Shanghai to the audience one by one through her paintbrushes. Her works have traditional Chinese meticulous and freehand painting style, and are more integrated with western sketch and oil painting style. Its fine lines are delineated to the point of hair. The multimedia production team takes Mao Donghua's works as the main line vision, through the integration of technical means, the combination of virtual and real, so that the static art of painting, with the flow of music ups and downs, stretch as much as possible, bring a fresh new visual experience for the audience. The multimedia panoramic version of the tour has carried out artistic treatment and promotion on the original basis, which will more reflect Shanghai symbols, highlight the spirit of Shanghai craftsmen, and express the concept of building a city of humanistic innovation in Shanghai with more classic and contemporary elements.

the light and shadow version reflects music through the visual art of lighting. The light and shadow of different colors and different levels make delicate changes with the advance of the music, and at the same time highlight the interweaving and theme transformation of the main instrument, creating an environmental atmosphere consistent with the mood of the music, so that the audience can feel the impact of music again visually, and fully experience the rich expression of music.

this version of the Shanghai Odyssey Bund Story will reflect innovation in the light and shadow art of the stage. The orchestra is accompanied by the transformation of light and shadow with role switching and description, and the stage presents elegant and calm environmental light and shadow with the development of music, which is rare in similar works of art, which we call "emotional light and shadow art".

Orchestra leader Luo Xiaoci said: "Writing should go with the times, and creation should express the present and walk into the hearts of contemporary people. In recent years, Shanghai Folk Orchestra has been hoping to present the international expression and contemporary temperament of folk music, so it has an attempt of "Shanghai Odyssey Bund Story". Chinese folk music should better go to the world, not self-restraint, and let more people from all over the world listen and create together. "