Music man hears the sounds from two continents

Suspense fills the theater, explosions burst onto the screen, and gunfire rings out during a five-minute car chase. What few moviegoers will pay attention to, though, is the music during the dramatic scenes.

And that's how it should be, says Derek Zhao, a 23-year-old American who dreams of writing, recording and mixing his own music for a Hollywood blockbuster.

For now, Zhao is splitting his time between what he calls the "two entertainment capitals of the world", Beijing and Los Angeles, trying to make a living in the music industry. To tap into both markets, he makes the 12-hour flight about every two months.

It is physically and emotionally exhausting, he says, "but mentally, time flies a lot faster. And before I know it, I am gone again."

In Los Angeles he drums up business as a freelance composer and producer, and then flies overseas to work in his part-time job as a composer at the Beijing Dance Drama and Opera. Recently he has been polishing and revising music for a new dance production called Nuwa, which will premiere this year.

He was offered the job in China when he and his family were on a tour of his birthplace. He was born in Sichuan province, Southwest China, but spent only a year there before moving to Texas with his family. He was worried about accepting the job. Worried about not having any friends, not knowing enough Mandarin and not being interested in the Chinese entertainment industry.

But moving halfway across the world has changed his perspective.

"I love it; it was silly to be fretting," Zhao says. Not only has he brushed up on his language skills, explored the Middle Kingdom - on his own and with newfound friends - but he has also expanded his musical repertoire to include Asian-inspired sounds.

Despite a year of being in transit, Zhao still has not decided where he wants to live full time. He finds China alluring, especially after the government's recent commitment to cultural development. The authorities decided at an annual policy meeting in October that the country will shift its focus to its rich culture.

In November an official from the Ministry of Culture told Xinhua News Agency that the government plans to create a special fund this year to support various art forms, ranging from opera to ballet.

Tao Cheng, vice-head of the arts department under the Ministry of Culture, said the government and private investors would infuse an initial capital of 200 million yuan ($31.7 million, 24.8 million euros), but the fund would gradually expand to 800 million yuan over the years.

Despite the government's dedication to build its "soft power", Zhao says the United States will remain a huge exporter of pop and mainstream culture. Yet a report from the accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP says China is where the money is.

China's entertainment and media industry posted strong numbers in 2010 with a growth rate of 13.9 percent, especially when compared with a 4.6 percent growth rate in the US, the accounting firm says. It predicts China will be one of the faster-growing countries through 2015, forecasting a 11.6 percent compound annual increase. Even though other countries, such as Pakistan at 23.7 percent, are expected to have higher growth rates. China ranks higher than many, including Germany, 3.4 percent; Britain, 3.7 percent; France, 4 percent; and the US, 4.6 percent.

This is yet another reason why Zhao continues to cross the Pacific every two months. He said he hopes, with the government's help, modern Chinese art and culture will gain prominence and attention worldwide.

"China is a giant melting pot that hasn't melted yet," he says, later commenting that he just wants to be in the right place at the right time.

When he is in Los Angeles, he touches base with the contacts he made when he was at college, at the University of Southern California. His resume runs long with favors for student projects citing 40-50 scores during his time at USC, where he graduated a year early with a bachelor of fine arts degree with an emphasis in recording and composing.

His experience includes a yearlong mentorship with Oscar, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning composer, singer and songwriter Randy Newman. During that time, they usually met once a month at Newman's house.

"They were more like therapy sessions. We would talk about mutual experiences and he would offer advice," Zhao says.

Instead of the high-tech devices he was used to at school, Zhao learned the "old school" way of scoring a film, with pencil and paper.

"He is just enough curmudgeonly to be loveable," Zhao says, referring to him as the loveable grandfather.

In an e-mail with China Daily, Newman describes his former mentee as a very talented musician with a lot of potential.

"Every time he's played something for me, it's been better than what he played the time before," Newman says. He has only fond words of the wandering musician. "I have worked with other students. Derek is as good as or better than any of them. In addition to that, he's a very good guy. My family loves him, as do I."

The feeling is mutual for Zhao. He regularly stays in touch with Newman, even helping create demos of the music Newman was writing for Toy Story 3 and The Princess and the Frog.

"My hope is that he would call if he does another film," Zhao says.

For now, though, he is busy wrapping up work for a TV pilot and a documentary in Los Angeles and will then pack his bags to return to his other home, in Beijing.