The XMUM Yanan Chinese Orchestra Club had their first outdoor “Music Odyssey” at the D6 cafeteria of the university on 6 July this year. In this first ever outdoor music concert, members treated staff and students to a compelling rendition of five songs which hit chords and hearts.
The songs reflected the diverse communities on campus and the opening number “Rain in River South” performed by the flute group consisting of Lim Yi Zheng and Ang Zhao Min transported the audience to Jiangnan, and it stirred memories. Playing along the themes of nostalgia and cultural heritage, Lu Yan performed the next song entitled “The Spring of the Snow Mountain” on the guzheng. The song expressed the Tibetans’ love for their hometown and their longing for a happy life.
Besides taking students and staff through the alleys of cherished memories and historic places, the members displayed creativity when Gok Xie Yuen, Liau Rou Fan and Tan Li Tung improvised their own version of “Canon in D”. Zhang Hanzhe played a song called “Mongolian Pastoral Song” on his flute, illustrating the idyllic prairie of Mongolia.
The finale was anchored by the song “Horse Racing” performed by Koh Xin Qian and Liau Rou Fan using the Chinese instruments - erhu and pipa, Instantly, within that few minutes, the horse racing scene was enacted and the magical performance kept audience in sync with the beat and rhythm of horse racing.
Undoubtedly, the stellar concert, being XMUM’s very first, shows promise of more masterpieces and stunning performances by a team intensely passionate about sharing music and reliving emotions and places through traditional Chinese instruments.
Surely, the spirit of music lies in its ability to charm, delight and unite, and as Shakespeare said, “If music be the food of love, play on.” Perhaps, it is the odyssey of love.
The songs reflected the diverse communities on campus and the opening number “Rain in River South” performed by the flute group consisting of Lim Yi Zheng and Ang Zhao Min transported the audience to Jiangnan, and it stirred memories. Playing along the themes of nostalgia and cultural heritage, Lu Yan performed the next song entitled “The Spring of the Snow Mountain” on the guzheng. The song expressed the Tibetans’ love for their hometown and their longing for a happy life.
Besides taking students and staff through the alleys of cherished memories and historic places, the members displayed creativity when Gok Xie Yuen, Liau Rou Fan and Tan Li Tung improvised their own version of “Canon in D”. Zhang Hanzhe played a song called “Mongolian Pastoral Song” on his flute, illustrating the idyllic prairie of Mongolia.
The finale was anchored by the song “Horse Racing” performed by Koh Xin Qian and Liau Rou Fan using the Chinese instruments - erhu and pipa, Instantly, within that few minutes, the horse racing scene was enacted and the magical performance kept audience in sync with the beat and rhythm of horse racing.
Undoubtedly, the stellar concert, being XMUM’s very first, shows promise of more masterpieces and stunning performances by a team intensely passionate about sharing music and reliving emotions and places through traditional Chinese instruments.
Surely, the spirit of music lies in its ability to charm, delight and unite, and as Shakespeare said, “If music be the food of love, play on.” Perhaps, it is the odyssey of love.
