On December 7, coinciding with the "Major Snow" solar term in the traditional Chinese calendar, a concert titled "Melodies Along the Central Axis: Winter Harmony" was held at the Huguang Guild Hall near Beijing's Central Axis. The event showcased a musical dialogue of ethnic integration and cultural exchange within the historic theater.
The concert was jointly organized by the School of Arts at Renmin University of China, the Beijing Xicheng District Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and the Taoranting Subdistrict Office, with the Chinese Classical Music Research Institute as the main organizer. Performances were contributed by institutions such as the Music College of Inner Mongolia University for Nationalities and the Music and Dance College of Aba Teachers University, with support from the Cultural Section of the Austrian Embassy in China.
Centered on the spirit of the "Major Snow" solar term and the cultural heritage of Beijing's Central Axis, the concert featured diverse musical traditions, including Austrian accordion, Northwest China's Qinqiang opera, Qiang folk songs, and Mongolian long songs. Ancient instruments like the Qiang flute and sheepskin drum were also highlighted, blending with Mongolian throat singing (Khoomei) and Choor performances. These national and world-class intangible cultural heritage elements, rooted in ethnic traditions, were revitalized by young performers, transforming them from preserved legacies into living art forms.
The Huguang Guild Hall, a historic theater built in 1807 during the Qing Dynasty, served as the venue. Once a stage for Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang and visited by historical figures like Sun Yat-sen, it now bridges past and present, East and West, through music.
Zhang Chun, Dean of the School of Arts at Renmin University of China, noted that this concert concluded the 2025 "Melodies Along the Central Axis" series, symbolizing a farewell to the old and welcome to the new. Over the year, the Chinese Classical Music Research Institute has hosted academic seminars, lecture series, seasonal concerts, and innovative performances, building a framework for the global dissemination of Chinese classical music. Moving forward, the institute will continue exploring creative transformations and innovative developments in this field.
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