Session 4 (August 6) - Sheila Melvin and Jindong Cai

[Alma Ochoa]

Thank you so much professor Melvin and Cai, your lectures were fascinating and very informative.  I am a math teacher so most of this info is new and the little that is not is vaguely familiar.  It is fascinating to learn that listening to Classical was crime.   I find it perplexing that such things were at one point considered a crime.  I always want to know why that is.  What is the threat that the government sees in allowing people to listen to this music?  Is it the fear of losing their culture and roots?  It is difficult for me to understand reasons for considering such a thing as listening to a specific type of music to be a crime.  However, it’s amazing that it went from being a crime to listen to classical music to being something that is now prestigious where 18,000 students apply to study to become professional musicians and is not only widely studied now but very much supported as well as governmentally funded.  

 

Professor Melvin or Cai, my question may sound ignorant because I am not very familiar with music but do musicians still compose classical type music and therefore the reason for your statement that China may be the one to save classical music?  Do they have the majority of people who study and compose this type of genre?

 

Thank you again for your time : )

[Megan Hsiao]

This indeed is a very fascinating topic and the presentation videos are very thorough in explaining the history of the development of how classical music has been growing in China. As a classical music fan and musician, my son has been learning piano since 6 years old and then started playing violin later at third grade. He later became a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra for two year at high school. Accompanying him in his music lessons at the Cleveland Institute of Music, I have always wondered why there are so many Asian students learning classical music when I see these Asian faces in the institute. During recitals, it’s also very normal that the recital room was filled with Chinese families while others might be Korean or Japanese families. I agree with Tom that it’s interesting to realize classical music was brought into China as a tool for the Catholic missionaries to preach Catholisim but then ending up that Chinese loved the music part so much more than their original purpose. As an Asian parent, I personally think that learning to play a classical music instrument, especially piano or the string instrument, has become a socially admired culture in East Asian society. With much government funding to these well-known conservatories in China, it is true that the love for classical music is powerfully strong in China (and other countries in East Asia I believe) as stated in the article referenced from the UCLA music professor. 

[Cindy Nguyen]

I agree with you Mike.  You make a valid point about the information we are taught about China is heavily focused on it's social and political aspects and rarely does it mention about Chinese arts being influenced by Western music.  It was eye-opening to find out that Jesuits were the ones who brought Western music to China.  I never questioned why or how classical music became such an important part of Chinese culture let alone for many Asian countries.  I think it is important to emphasize in the classroom how the Silk Road brought music to China and the great legacy it left.

[Alma Ochoa]

Cheryl, totally agree with your statement music is a way to engage students.  I’ve always thought music is universal and the one thing that can bring people together.  One can listen to music from different countries and even without know the meaning of the words music can move and evoke emotions.  I love music : )  

[Jonathan Tam]

I remember talking with a friend about this years ago and exploring why there was so much mainstream Chinese appeal towards Beethoven. I think that growing up as well, there was also a high amount of fascination among my relatives towards composers like Chopin. And the conversation that my friend and I had was largely about how the chord progressions and melodies appeal. Beethoven evokes a sense of tyranny and royalty. And Chopin has this flashiness as the notes run up and down the piano. I never had family members that asked for Schubert or Tchaikovsky. But, the readings in this article on Music Education had me thinking far more about some deeper reasons why that is and I am realizing now that perhaps Chopin and Beethoven were so prominent in my childhood was because Lang Lang produced so many albums on their songs. And that Lang Lang produced so many albums because of the music education and exposure to Western Classical.

 

I enjoyed reading about how the practice. discipline and skill cultivation of music appealed to Confucian values. Seeing music as far more of a skill that needs to be practiced over and over again rather than a sound that is simply enjoyed definitely expresses why Western music was so successful in China. The 20th century for Chinese Music is perhaps the most interesting point of this lecture for me because you can hear the influence of early classical musicians, the influence of Soviet music instructors and the ongoing struggle for traditional Chinese identity.

[Alma Ochoa]

Rebecca, I so agree with you that funding really does show what people value.  People do invest in what is most important to them.  I may be totally off but in my opinion from what I’ve observed pre-covid it seems that the Americans valued sports an film as most important as that seems to be where most spend thier money on.   

[clay dube]

Here's a work that has crossed many boundaries: Farewell My Concubine. It was a well-known Beijing Opera work. Chen Kaige created a movie in 1993 that was tied to the opera and its performers. The film was widely viewed and well received in the West. Then Chinese artists created a Western-style opera based on it. In 2008, it was performed in Los Angeles. Chelsea Mason, then a USC student, wrote about it: http://uschina.usc.edu/article@usct-chinese_opera_touring_america_11197.aspx.html

[Ray Clark]

I attended a panel discussion on film censorship (and media overall) regarding China and it caused me to wonder if there is any censorship of classical music in China?  For example, under Nazi Germany, certain forms of music, such as Jazz, as well as certain authors, painters, etc., were forbidden. Even in today's world, certain societies forbid certain types of music, dance etc.  Are there any composers that are frowned upon or even forbidden in China? 

[Megan Hsiao]

This is my first time to learn about the history of the development of classical music in China and the presentations are so inspiring and informative that I hope they are available for us to use in the classroom. (Will the presentation videos be available to be shown in our class?) There are several topics that I think might be very engaging when having a discussion with the students. One easy topic to start is to study the concert halls in China. As a pre-discussion activity, it will be interesting to have students do an online research to learn more about these famous concert halls in China and compare them with the top concert halls in the U.S (the Severance Hall in Cleveland is one of the best in the nation). Like the ones shown in the presentation videos, I am impressed by the modern and magnificent architect design of the concert halls/performing center in China since I’ve never been there before. The investment in music also proves how Chinese government promotes and values classical music. Meanwhile, with the growing number of Chinese musicians studying abroad and then later returning to China after graduation, this exchange has greatly enhanced the openness of China in the international world. I am wondering that will the pandemic impact China’s investment in classical music and how the Chinese musicians come up with different plans to adjust to this new normal?

[Shane Markowitz]

This was an interesting case involving multiple cycles of boundary crossing. Like Tom, I was fascinated by the limits of soft power. The introduction of classical music was, in part, an attempt at starting a conversation that could eventually lead to religious conversion but that largely failed. A question that then arises is: when can soft power, if ever, become a vehicle for deeper identity/value change?

I'm curious to see what happens to the endeavors of Chinese composers to develop music based more on Chinese musical traditions or a blend of influences. There's certainly a more nationalist and inward-looking identity perspective being promoted in the country currently. The target audience for symphonic music tends to be more elite-oriented though and I wonder if this group is as inclined as other segments of the population to buy into nationalist narratives? 

[Deborah Whetstone]

I understand why the west doesn't put more funding towards beautiful buildings (because see as a 'waste' of public funds), BUT I very much wish creative architecture was valued more here!  Those concert halls, opera halls, etc.!  Wow!  

And as I typed that, it occurred to me that - at least in the US - it seems like we generally, unknowingly adhere to Mao's idea that culture, in all of its forms, is wasteful.  Admittedly, we don't ascribe to the arts as needing to justify patriotism, but still the lack of interest in the arts, due to it not being 'useful' is definitely here.  Think of the emphasis on STEM subjects . . . although it's needed, we still don't associate the arts with science (starting to, with the admission of A for Arts creating STEAM subjects), but we are incredibly lacking in understanding how the two areas complement each other.  

I hope it is okay that I shared some of the articles with the orchestra teacher at my school.  We will absolutley be joining forces to help students understand the history in China leading to their current dominance in Classical music, from Imperialism, to the Cultural Revolution, to the One-Child per Family policy.  There were aspects of the lectures and readings I can utilize in all three of my Social Studies preps - historically, culturally, politically; specially the Guardian post.  I think it's at a level my students can engage with, to spark discussions. 

[Megan Hsiao]

Great points! I am also very interested to learn more why Chinese people love Beethoven so much. I also agree with you about the discipline and the skill cultiation of music appealed to Confucian values. I am looking forward to hearing more about this in today's discussion! 

[Maria Cardenas]

From the very beginning of reading and watching the videos I was interested about western classical music in China. The article from Huang stated that more Chinese children are learnning to play instruments like the piano or violin than western children. The article or even the video stated that parents and grandparents focused on their child learning to play an instrument because of China's one child policy. They had all of that energy and resources to focus on that one child excelling. I learned a lot about China and their history with classical music. Open Door Policy made it available for trade to happen between other countries and China. Missionaries bringing music with them made it easier for the music to spread. 

I would have thought China would have destroyed or remove western classical music from its country. Instead focus on growing their classcial music after the cultural revolution. I never really studied History of China in detailed so this bits of information I found very interesting. 

[Ray Clark]

I attended a panel discussion on film censorship (and media overall) regarding China and it caused me to wonder if there is any censorship of classical music in China?  For example, under Nazi Germany, certain forms of music, such as Jazz, as well as certain authors, painters, etc., were forbidden. Even in today's world, certain societies forbid certain types of music, dance etc.  Are there any composers that are frowned upon or even forbidden in China (besides during the Cultural Revolution)?

[Deborah Whetstone]

Great points Shane!

I think in general soft power is (obviously) much harder to observe - the change soft power might engender could be generations away - in political areas it would be part of the 'long-game', right?  (genuine question, not sarcasm)

Is the traget audience more elite-oriented?  I thought in the lectures they were saying it wasn't as much, due to the One-Child policy? 

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