Mecca or mirage?

Educational programs will be a lynchpin of this year's Beijing Music Festival. Master classes by big-name virtuosos, such as violinist Pinchas Zukerman, are open to the public. Photos by Jiang Dong

Beijing Music Festival, running from Oct 10-30, will feature world-renowned conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy.

When Sir Simon Rattle conducted the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's performance at the Beijing Music Festival in November 2005, he said: "A lot of the future of music is here (China)."

And when the New York Philharmonic performed in Beijing, before its heralded visit to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in February 2008, conductor Lorin Maazel said: "Facing dwindling popularity in the West, classical music could find its savior among China's large population, which is increasingly interested in other cultures."

Rattle and Maazel are just two of many Western musicians, administrators and critics who have visited China in recent years and agreed that the country is a beacon of hope for the waning genre.

They have been inspired by such big-name virtuosos and composers as Lang Lang, Li Yundi and Tan Dun, who have conquered all of the world's prestigious concert halls; by the millions of children studying piano or violin; and by the growing number of outstanding Chinese music students flooding European and American academies.

But all of this might prove superficial. Many serious Chinese musicians reject the notion that China might prove classical music's Promised Land.

Yu Long, founder and artistic director of Beijing Music Festival, says: "Western musicians visited China to find more young audiences at concert halls than in their countries, or they know some talented Chinese soloists, so they conclude classical music is popular in China. But it's not true."

Speaking from his experience as music director of three leading Chinese orchestras - China Philharmonic Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra - the 45-year-old argues classical music lacks a broad Chinese fan base.

"The fact that millions of kids learn piano or violin does not mean millions of people can really appreciate Mozart or Beethoven. Many students apply to the conservatory for reasons other than because they are interested in music," he says.

"Parents send kids to study these instruments for various reasons, and music appreciation is a small part of it. The biggest reason is that the students who demonstrate musical gifts are more competitive in school, and some can get additional points on the national college entrance exam."

Over the past 11 years, the Beijing Music Festival has invited numerous world-famous musicians to perform in Beijing and commissioned many new works. It not only provides opportunities for hardcore fans in Beijing but also enhances the image China as a Mecca for classical music.

In its first few years, the festival focused on luring big-name musicians and orchestras.

"But gradually, I realized the festival should open up to a wider base, instead of hundreds of diehard regulars and insiders," Yu says. "A broader and more solid public base is needed for a real boom in classical music."

So the festival has increasingly focused on outreach through educational programs, concerts, master classes, pre-show talks and free lectures.

Educational programs will be a lynchpin of this year's festival, which will run from Oct 10 to 30.

Tseng Sun-man, Dean of the Arts Management Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, will lecture on how the genre can survive the economic crisis. Theater director Li Liuyi will discuss contemporary music and cultural diversity. David Cahill will introduce Verdi's opera based on Shakespeare's drama Macbeth.

And music critic Liu Xuefeng will talk about Haydn's oratorio and masses, while critic Wang Jiyan will discuss soloists' personalities and the charm of their performance.

These master classes aren't reserved for music students but rather are open for anyone interested in attending. Every concert ticket provides free entrance to one of the courses.

Masters who will teach classes include violinist Cho-Liang Lin; pianist Jon Kimura Parker; violinist Pinchas Zukerman; the multifaceted band Bang on a Can; violinist Midori; and pianist Gary Graffman, who has headed the Curtis Institute of Music since 1995 and mentored many of today's top pianists, including Lang Lang and Wang Yuja.

Children younger than 14 who attend Zukerman's master class can receive one-on-one guidance from the maestro by downloading his video performances from www.bmf.org.cn.

Normally, the masters will select students for one-to-one instruction at the conservatory or upon the recommendation of the school.

"This is the first time for us to open the opportunity to all children online," says Yu.

"By attending a master class, one care share in the learning of both the student performer and the guru," says violinist Midori, who visited Beijing recently to promote her concert and master class.

"Every student is different, and there is no formulaic way to handle children or students that would solve all problems.

"Moreover, teaching should not be simplified into just correcting what is wrong and it should also include the process of discovery."

Other maestros to perform at this year's festival include conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy and violinist Sarah Chang, who will give talks before their concerts. And Jari Hamalainen, conductor of Finland Savonlinna Opera Festival, will introduce Verdi's opera Macbeth, the opening show of this year's festival.