Pipes call the tune at celebrated wind
Fanfares of pipe tunes loudly echoed across the Huangpu River during the past week as the Shanghai Spring International Wind Music Festival got in the swing from April 28 to May 4.
Hosted by Yangpu District, the musical feast attracted 177 wind bands from both home and abroad. And the gala announced itself in majestic style at the opening ceremony when 173 wind bands from across the country got together at the Fudan Chia Tai Stadium last Sunday night to perform the Chinese national anthem, “March of the Volunteers.” The gathering also set a Guinness China record for the most domestic wind bands to perform the Chinese national anthem at the same time.
Conducted by Yu Hai, president of the wind music society of the Chinese Musicians Association, “March of the Volunteers,” performed by 3,500 musicians, was a salute to the proposition of the national anthem law a year ago.
After that, 10 bands, such as the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy band, the Guardian band of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force, the Golden Sail band of High School Affiliated to BIT, as well as their peers from Poland, Lithuania, Japan and Thailand presented the songs including “Strong Wind Big Sea,” “the March of the Chinese People's Liberation Army,” “I love you China” and music from Queen, Rihanna and Michael Jackson, among others.
The warmest applause of the night was reserved for the Jasmine band from Yangzhou Special Education School. Although all of its members are blind, people could feel their infinite love for life and their vision for a better future.
A full play of “Walk Toward Rejuvenation” and “Ode to Joy” by all of the bands at the scene brought down the curtain on the first day of celebration.
The musicians’ excellent performances, pictorial formation, colorful uniforms and fascinating rhythms clearly displayed the best of pipe music.
The Shanghai Spring International Wind Music Festival was inaugurated in 2008 and has been held every year since then. The intentions of the gala are to popularize wind musical knowledge, support musicians, cultivate the market, offer foreign and domestic artists a stage and promote the development of wind music.
It has become a cultural icon of the city and a platform for Yangpu to demonstrate its urban spirit. The previous activities have won wide praise, mainstream media coverage and the enthusiastic participation from the broad masses of its citizens.
More than 50,000 musicians from 842 domestic and foreign bands have performed at the festivals since its inception a decade ago.
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