Art in concert

A scene from the  Chinese folk orchestra concert, Dwelling in the Fu-chun Mountains, premiered at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on March 6. [Photo by Zou Hong/China Daily]

A Chinese folk orchestra concert, Dwelling in the Fu-chun Mountains, premiered at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing on March 6.

Performed by the folk orchestra of Zhejiang Song and Dance Theater, the concert kicked off a national tour.

The 45-minute concert contains five musical chapters, which is like the traditional Chinese ink painting: smooth yet powerful.

Young composer Jiang Ying joined the project two years ago.

Jiang, who rose to fame for her award-winning composition, Silk Road, in 2008, contributed to two chapters of the concert, which portrays the scenery of the Fuchun Mountains and the emotion of the painter.

The painting, about 7 meters long, was burnt into two parts. One part is now in Zhejiang Provincial Museum in Hangzhou and the other part in Taipei.

In 2011, the first section of the painting was loaned to the National Palace Museum in Taipei, where the two pieces were reunited in June and July 2012 for the first time since their separation more than 350 years ago.

"Though the painting looks old, I was amazed by its greatness," Jiang says, describing her feelings when she saw the painting in Taipei.

She also went to the Fuchun Mountains to visit the former residence of Huang in July 2012 and read stories about the painter.

"It rained a lot during my trip to the mountain, which reminded me of the feeling portrayed in the painting," she recalls.

The young composer has always wanted to add contemporary musical elements into traditional folk music, which may help audiences, especially the young generation, understand and enjoy folk music.

When she composed for Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, she included her own vision and mood.

"Living in mountains is very different compared to my life in big cities. I felt the clouds, fog and wind. The place itself is a painting," she adds.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn.