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With the summer vacation about to commence, the Forbidden City Concert Hall is presenting Open the Door of Arts from July 9 to Aug 29, during which there are 60 shows specially designed for youngsters.
Founded in 1994, the event is one of Beijing’s most popular projects for young people. When it started, there were only Western classical music and folk music concerts, but now, it has developed into a giant festival featuring piano, violin, and guitar concerts, Peking Opera, Kun Opera, ballet, crosstalk, acrobatics and movies.
The highlight this summer is storytelling and music shows. Aimed at developing children’s interest in music, the shows feature kids’ favorite DJ Xiao Yu from Beijing Art Radio Station. With beautiful erhu, pipa, and guzheng melodies, she will tell how the Monkey King starts a fight in Heaven. Also, her Snow White and the Little Mermaid stories will be accompanied by Western piano, violin and cello classical music.
Movies and music are never separate, but what about silent movies? On Aug 24, local jazz pianist Xia Jia, with his trio, will present a special jazz concert providing the score to a screening of Charlie Chaplin’s last silent movie City Lights. With the black-and-white movie and jazz music, the audience will be transported back to 1930s America.
While many young people complain it is difficult for them to understand folk music, the festival will provide interactive shows to foster greater appreciation. The country’s famous pipa player Wu Yuxia, who will appear with her students on the stage on July 30, says she will make her concert like a lecture.
“I will play some famous pipa pieces, and teach the audience how to enjoy them,” Wu says.
The guqin maestro Li Xiangting will play requests in his concert on Aug 6.
