IV. Attention to art practices

Holding concerts were common practices of the Soviet experts in CCOM. In 1956, invited by the General Consul of the Soviet Union of the Ministry of Culture, students of the expert class of CCOM put on a reporting performance in Beijing. Students from the Vocal Music Department staged “Onegin”, an opera, with the help from Soviet experts in their rehearsal, which was the first foreign classical opera staged in Chinese and exerted huge impact.

In 1950s, the musicians sent by the state government mainly visited the Soviet Union and East European countries and took part in International Music Festivals, which played a great role in boosting the development and prosperity of the Chinese music.

In May 1951, the delegation of Chinese musicians including Ma Sicong, Yu Yiying, Zhou Guangren and Du Mingxin went to “Prague Spring International Music Festival”. Meanwhile, Miao Tianrui delivered a speech titled “On the art of Anthony Dvorak, a Czechoslovakia Composer” on an international seminar. In July the same year, Lv Ji visited Poland with the Chinese Cultural Delegation. In the “Prague Spring International Music Festival” in subsequent years, there had been Chinese representatives present. In 1956, Tang Xuegeng together with other musicians went to the Soviet Union to study “Voice Therapy”. After his return, the first Voice Treatment Room in Chinese music academies was set up. In 1950s, many musicians from the Soviet Union and East European countries came to perform in China. Although their skills differed, it nevertheless opened a window for foreign music and art. Only in the second half of 1958, many musicians and music groups such as Sergei Shaposhnikov, a Soviet baritone, Lee Hertel, a meritorious actor and pianist, Soviet Union Red Flag Song & Dance Troupe, Czech Army Song & Dance Troupe, the Romanian Song & Dance Troupe, and the USSR State Symphony Orchestra, came to China and received a warm welcome.

Since 1950s, China had sent many players to take part in all kinds of international music competitions. They have won awards in vocal music, pipe music and piano, fully demonstrating the fruitful achievements of music talent cultivation in China during the early years of the People’s Republic of China. Moreover, Ma Sicong, a renowned Chinese scholar, had been invited as one of the judges in the 1st Tchaikovsky Piano and Violin International Competition. It shows that the renowned Chinese musicians had been acknowledged and respected in the world music arena. With their participation in world music activities, the Chinese music emissaries had played an important role in the cultural exchanges between China and the world.

Section II The devastation of music during the Cultural Revolution

In mid-1960s, thanks to the accumulation of music talents, the growing central music groups were about to showcase their accomplishments when the Cultural Revolution began. During the ten years of the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese music arena was severely devastated. Many music groups were dissolved. There was ten years of grim winter for the western music professionals, since they were prohibited in getting any contact with foreign music. The art academies were also in great desolation during the Cultural Revolution. In earlier stages, schools were closed for the campaigns. In later stages, although teaching was resumed, students majoring in western musical instruments were allowed to play foreign etudes only. All the foreign music materials were sealed up. Almost all the music exchanges were cut off during the ten years.

Many prominent musicians who had studied abroad were suppressed in different ways. Some were even persecuted to death. The Cultural Revolution was an unprecedented disaster for the Chinese music. The works of music masters, such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky, were discarded. As early as the end of 1950s after the withdrawal of the Soviet experts, importance was attached to traditional folk music. However, there was also a “left” trend of thought in the Chinese music arena. In mid-1960s, the music of Debussy became the focus of criticism. The door of music exchanges was closed and China was isolated in the world. One of the consequences of the Cultural Revolution was that a whole generation was kept far away from the music heaven belonging to the whole world. In 1972, London Symphony Orchestra led by Ormandy, a famous conductor, put on a concert in Beijing. In 1975, Philadelphia Orchestra led by Abbado, cooperating with Yin Chengzong, performed “Yellow River”, a Chinese Piano Concerto, and works of some world-class composers in Beijing. The visiting of the two world-renowned symphony orchestras was the only vitality on the Beijing stages which had been idle for a long time in an era that art had wilted.

Section III The growing music exchanges during the period of the reform and opening-up

In October 1976, the Cultural Revolution which lasted for 10 years finally came to an end. The music arena was rejuvenated and the door of art was opened to the world. Exposed to the rich world art, it dawned on us that we were far behind. To catch up was the firm resolution and action when everything was waiting to be taken up.

I. Learning from outstanding music achievements in different countries

After the ending of the Cultural Revolution, an urgent task was incumbent in the Chinese music arena: to cultivate new talents quickly. To reach the goal, CCOM, the top music academy in China, implemented an all-round, diversified and multilevel reform on the music education system. The goals were clearly put forward: to build CCOM into a first-rate Chinese music academy with Chinese characteristics which has an international influence and is one of the top world-class music education bases”. Currently, CCOM have conducted academic as well as teaching exchanges with dozens of countries, participated in school exchanges and cooperation and international music competitions, sent scholars to visit western countries, procured large numbers of western music books and materials about experts, absorbed the music accomplishments of other countries, enriched its teaching system, and fastened the cultivation of music talents.