Concert-goers enjoyed an "East-meets-West sonic experience" where Chinese music was played on instruments from the London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO).

Recent years have witnessed a growing trend of music from China being played on Western instruments, marking a new form of cultural exchange between the East and the West. 

This phenomenon has been seen in various forms, including symphony orchestras incorporating traditional Chinese instruments into their performances, or Western musicians composing music that showcases Chinese melodies and rhythms.

READ MORE

Türkiye prepares for momentous elections

Climate changes forces Loggerhead turtles to migrate

World participates in Earth Hour – but what is it?

The latest event is the Image China: East Meets West Concert, where musicians from the LPO and several top Chinese musicians - including prize-winning soloists Ning Feng and Yang Xuefei and Conductor Qian Junping - gathered in Central London's Cadogan Hall on Thursday.

The program featured well-known and groundbreaking works by several acclaimed Chinese and Western composers, with some of the big names including Chen Qigang, Tan Dun, Fu Renchang, Edward Elgar and John Brunning.

"Those works incorporate traditional Chinese sounds scored for Western symphony orchestra and Western solo instruments, resulting in modern East-meets-West sonic experiences," according to a statement from Cadogan Hall.

Yang Xuefei said: "Retaining Chinese characteristics while playing on western instruments."

During the concert, world-renowned soloists Yang Xuefei and Ning Feng took the centre stage.

Yang began playing the guitar from the age of seven, and her extensive music background across China and Europe over the past two decades has made her one of China's top classical guitarists.

At the concert, Yang performed John Brunning's Guitar Concerto Magna Carta - III and Fu Renchang's A Lovely Rose, both pieces composed for her.

Yang said music transcends language and cultural barriers, which helps bridge cultural gaps.

"Western instruments can offer harmony, polyphony. Chinese instruments are usually very lyrical, but they are very melodic, very lyrical and very free. But they can create hundreds of ways when playing one single note, Yang told CGTN. 

"So, when playing Chinese music on western instruments, you have to retain the essence of Chinese music but offer something more on your instruments."

The LPO - A familiar name for the Chinese audience

The London Philharmonic Orchestra is a well known name among China's classical music fans. It celebrated its 40th anniversary and became the first Western orchestra to perform in China back in 1973, in which world-renowned copnducters Malcolm Sargent and John Pritchard performed the ensemble during the tour.

Ever since then, the LPO has had regular exchanges with Chinese musicians, with their footprints left in major Chinese cities, including, Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen over the past decades.

"We've been many, many times to many, many [Chinese] cities. We've got a very positive response when we've been there," said Stewart Mcllwham, Principal Piccolo of the LPO. "Obviously, we played very Western programs. But we did some Chinese pieces at encores. As soon as we started to play those, the audience erupted, because obviously they were very familiar for the Chinese audience," 

As China gradually reopens its borders after the coronavirus pandemic, officials from the Chinese embassy in the UK said there could be plenty more joint performances in the future.

"We are looking forward to having more Chinese people, to having more Chinese artists and tourists come to visit the UK. And we also welcome more and more Londoners and British people to visit China. We'll have more cooperation culturally and in other fields," said Li Liyan, Minister Counsellor (Cultural) from the Embassy of China in the UK.