A grand concert featuring performances of China's Three Tenors, pianist Bao Huiqiao and more was held at UIC's University Hall on the evening of 3 October, bringing the Fifth Huitong Arts Festival to a successful end.
The festival staged an art carnival integrating fine arts, music, drama, exhibition and others in Huitong village and UIC, to promote the integration and development of the university town.
On 1 October, officiating guests marked the official launch of the Huitong Arts Festival, including Vice Mayor of Zhuhai Yan Wu, Secretary of the CPC Committee of Zhuhai Hi-tech Zone Su Hu, President of UIC Prof Tang Tao, Executive Vice Director of the Publicity Department of the Municipal CPC Committee Min Yuntong, Deputy Director of the Management Committee of Zhuhai Hi-tech Zone Wang Zhuo, and General Manager of Zhuhai Jiuzhou Holding Group Jin Tao.
Officiating guests mark the official launch the Huitong Arts Festival
Citizens attending Huitong Arts Festival
At the Grand Finale Concert, famous pianist Bao Huiqiao, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and Zhuhai citizens presented wonderful performances to the audience. Moreover, the three Chinese top tenors, Warren Mok, Dai Yuqiang and Wei Song performed several famous Chinese and international songs, bringing the festival to a climax.
Bao Huiqiao playing the Piano Concerto of the Third Movement of “Yellow River”
Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra bringing performances to the audience
The closing gala filled with highlights
The evening culminates in the performance of China's three top tenors
Audience immersed in the performance
Not only did the three tenors introduced famous Chinese songs to the world, but also bringing excellent international songs back to China, demonstrating a Chinese-and-Western-combined but harmonious singing style, while reflecting the core of people from the University Town - carrying both feelings of the nation and international vision.
Group photo of performers and guests
Musicians gathered at UIC supporting liberal arts education
The musicians participating in this festival have had stories with Zhuhai and UIC. Dai Yuqiang became an Honorary Fellow of UIC in 2016, while Warren Mok, whose ancestral home is Huitong, Zhuhai, is an honorary fellow of Hong Kong Baptist University. He participated in the Huitong Arts Festival Grand Finale Concert in 2018 at the University Hall of UIC, and this is the first time that the three tenors made their collective appearance in the University Town. The famous pianist Bao Huiqiao is also from Zhuhai and her origin is Xiangshan (now Zhuhai Shanchang).
Before the Grand Finale Concert, accompanied by Assistant to President of UIC and director of the Huitong Arts Festival Lilian Li, the three tenors visited the campus and went to the cultural and creative studio ‘Memory’ to meet the UIC students of the Music Performance Programme and Minor Programme in Music. The students communicated and exchanged ideas with the singers about their confusion in learning vocals.
The three tenors with UIC staff and students
Dai Yuqiang mentioned that vocal music learning cannot be accomplished in just one move, but to be practised hard. He encouraged students to learn to control and use the muscles, train their breathing, and persists in the practice, while Wei Song suggested that when singing, one needs to understand the idea of “less is more”. Additionally, students could seek for one-on-one coaching in leaning vocal music, since they may have different problems and teachers' timely correction would be conducive to more complete music expression.
The three tenors then communicated with the Vice Chairman of Zhuhai CPPCC Pan Ming, President of UIC Prof Tang Tao, Vice President Prof Mao Yaqing, and Dean of Division of Culture and Creativity Prof Holger Briel, to discuss the development of and cooperation possibilities with UIC.
(From left) Prof Holger Briel, Prof Mao Yaqing, Mr Dai Yuqiang, Mr Warren Mok, Mr Wei Song, Prof Tang Tao, Mr Pan Ming and Ms Lilian Li
President Tang Tao explained that UIC trains students in well-handling subjects from both liberal arts and sciences, avoiding limited to a sole field; while highlighting that humanities and social sciences along with art are essential components of UIC’s liberal art education.
Warren Mok believes that Zhuhai could introduce world-class cultural projects and develop more local original works. Huitong Village and UIC have the foundation of an ancient university town, which is expected to uncover musical talents.
On the morning of 4 October, pianist Bao Huiqiao provided UIC students with a lecture on how to improve the efficiency of piano practice and further communicated with teachers and students majoring in Music Performance.
Ms Bao Huiqiao (in the middle of the front row) with UIC staff and students
From MPRO
Editors: Samuel Burgess, Deen He, Xia Meng
