First national art festival for traditional music to get underway

China's inaugural national art festival for excellent traditional music troupes will kick off on Oct 24 in Jinan, capital of Shandong province, and run through Nov 2.

Ten troupes, ranging from national-level organizations to local performers from colleges, have been selected from 47 applicants for the festival to showcase their talents in Jinan. Diverse ethnic styles will be displayed through the repertoire, as will modern themes like the Belt and Road Initiative.

Symposiums and lectures for the public on traditional Chinese music will also take place during the event.

The festival is co-organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Shandong provincial government, and the China National Traditional Orchestra.

In 2010, the ministry launched a national project aimed at reviving traditional Chinese music which covered more than 60 music genres from all across the country.

Many academic research achievements have also been attained thanks to the project. A nationwide database on traditional music is being established, and a general survey on China's traditional music genres is also set to be processed.