Erhu virtuoso performs hometown tribute

Gao Bai, a faculty member and erhu (two-stringed Chinese vertical fiddle) virtuoso from the Central Conservatory of Music, held a solo recital in Jinan, Shandong province, on Sept 7, fueled by her deep attachment to her hometown.

Liu Sha, artistic director and conductor of the Shandong Song and Dance Theater's national music ensemble, conducted the performance.

The program for this concert featured Yi Zhi Hua (Flower), which has the unique timbre of the erhu to evoke the boldness and tenderness of Shandong's vast landscape. The performance was joined by yangqin (Chinese dulcimer) artist Liu Yinxuan who complemented the erhu in a dynamic interplay.

Jiang He Shui (Rivers and Waters), a folk song from Northeast China, was performed by Gao, narrating the flowing rivers with the erhu's melancholic voice. Guangming Xing (The Path to Light), by composer Ye Xiaogang, symbolized the nation's journey toward a bright future.

The second half opened with Minghu Chun Jing (Spring Scene of Ming Lake), a composition by Gao dedicated to her hometown, Jinan. This piece paints the shimmering waters and willow trees of Daming Lake in spring.

The concert's grand finale was Mengshan Yishui Qing (The Sentiments of Mengshan and Yishui), in which Gao, together with her students, performed as part of an erhu ensemble with the orchestra. This collaboration re-created the grandeur of the mountains and rivers, expressing both the emotional connection between the hometown and the nation's landscape.