The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra stages a concert of traditional Chinese music with its principle sanxian performer Zhao Taisheng at the theater of Hong Kong City Hall on Friday evening. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
The audience was wowed by the magnificently bright and powerful sounds of the sanxian at the Hong Kong City Hall on Friday night, as musician Zhao Taisheng and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year by debuting their new concert, As the Strong Winds Blow.
Au Yeung, a secondary school form 3 student in Hong Kong, said that concert featuring the sanxian — a three-stringed Chinese lute — was “an amazing and unusual musical experience” for her.
Before the show, she has some ideas of traditional Chinese music, as she had watched the performance of other students in her school. “But I have not seen it with a live symphony, and it’s so unique,” she said. “So my teacher recommended I watch the performance today together with my fellow students.”
Zhao, the principal sanxian player in the HKCO, has devoted his career to perfecting his skill on the instrument and preserving this ancient art.
The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra stages a concert of traditional Chinese music with its principle sanxian performer Zhao Taisheng at the theater of Hong Kong City Hall on Friday evening.PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
"Today, I was particularly moved when I appeared on stage," Zhao told China Daily after the concert, adding he did not expect such a huge and appreciative audience.
This tells the sanxian is charming, he said. "All their recognition of the sanxian instrument, the recognition of our Chinese national musical instrument, and the love of Chinese national music culture are demonstrated."
Chinese traditional musical instruments will flare better in Hong Kong, especially the Sanxian instrument, which can be said to have achieved an unprecedented success today," he noted.
In this concert, the orchestra’s artistic director, Yan Huichang, wrote a song for the show named Nuo, or exorcism dance, representing southern China. Northeast China is represented by Song of the Black Earth. For northwestern music, Zhao has chosen to combine in his piece northern Shaanxi monologue storytelling with an auxiliary rhythm beater tied to his leg. Local Hong Kong composer Ng Cheuk-yin also contributed a performance.
Young sanxian performers wait for their time inside the theater during the concert. The orchestra is putting students on such a show for the first time. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
An audience member named So, who gave only his surname, said, “Zhao’s show makes me fall in love at once with the sanxian, this ancient piece of music”.
So said that he did not have a great amount of knowledge about Chinese traditional music, but had looked forward to seeing the performance, and had immersed himself in enjoying the fabulous tunes of sanxian performed live.
“I actually often watch Chinese music performances on YouTube and TV so I came particularly to see this performance after finding out about it from my friends,” he said.
Mance, a local Hong Kong resident, also came with a dozen friends to watch the show because his child is studying traditional Chinese music. “This show also bears very good educational purpose and significance.”
People queue up for entry into the theater of Hong Kong City Hall on Friday evening, for the new performance of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and its principal sanxian performer Zhao Taisheng at a show. EDMOND TANG / CHINA DAILY
Performances by Zhao and the HKCO were scheduled on Friday and Saturday. “At these two concerts, we are making a bold attempt,” he said. “All five of the works performed are large concertos that combine music from east, west, south and north China.”
The sanxian has served as an important part of Chinese folk music tradition, but its popularity waned a bit with the adaption of Western orchestral styles, which preferred softer harmonies, so Zhao is keen on reviving the general public’s interest in the instrument.
In 2005, Zhao joined the HKCO, and has served as the principal sanxian performer since 2017. While on tour with the orchestra in countries such as Russia, Singapore and Estonia, his solo performance of Song of the Black Earth, in which he sings over his own lute playing, has netted him standing ovations.
Zhao has been greatly encouraged by all the support and interest he and his sanxian have garnered, and vows to continue striving to keep the instrument a living part of Chinese culture.
“I have countless memories of my performances being well-received, and these experiences have encouraged me to work harder to carry the art of the sanxian forward,” he said.
The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra stages a concert of traditional Chinese music with its principle sanxian performer Zhao Taisheng at the theater of Hong Kong City Hall on Friday evening. PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY
Edmond Tang contributed to the story.
Contact the writers at
vivienxu@chinadailyapac.com