Central and Eastern Europe composers find inspiration in China

In June, 29 composers from 16 Central and Eastern European countries traveled to experience Chinese musical culture, from the Yangtze River Delta Region to the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The three-week field trip, sponsored by the Department for External Cultural Relations of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, is designed to give visiting composers a taste of different musical styles in Southeast and Northwest China.

"The past three weeks were really a life-changing experience, [which] will leave a strong imprint on our future creativity," Macedonian composer Jana Andreevska said during a press conference in Beijing on June 20. "I admire what the country is doing to keep the musical heritage alive."

UNESCO intangible cultural heritages, such as the Mongolian long song and Khoomei, left a deep impression on musicians' minds.

"It's not only that we are discovering China and its different cultures and traditions, but we are also discovering each other. And this is something wonderful," Estonian composer Helena Tulve said.