The Full Moon Melodies: Mid-Autumn Festival Chinese Chamber Music Concert held in Sydney

SYDNEY, Sept. 12 (People’s Daily Online) – The Mid-Autumn Festival Chinese Chamber Music Concert, performed jointly by Chinese and Australian artists showcasing a traditional Chinese Mid-Autumn cultural atmosphere, was held at the China Cultural Center in Sydney on Sept. 9 and Sept. 10.

Musical Director John Huie delivers a short speech. (Photo/Hanyue Li)

The concert was choreographed and directed by the well-known Australian musical director John Huie. The concerts featured a unique selection of repertoires, conductors and performers, ranging from classical Chinese folk music and Western classical music to new works that have been rearranged with a blend of Chinese and Western musical elements, reflecting the extensive links between Australia and China in the field of music.

Piano solo by Alexander Yau. (Photo/Hanyue Li)

Chinese traditional music instruments such as the Zheng, Sheng, Pipa and Erhu and Western musical instruments such as the piano, violin, viola and cello were matched perfectly by the Chinese and Australian musicians, delivering a spectacular audio-visual feast.

Eleven Chinese and Australian musicians performed Chinese pieces such as Picking Tea and Fluttering Butterflies, Crescent Moon Over Ancient China, Love Song of Kangding, Morning Song and Chengdu, including a video presentation Mount Viewed by Monkey Meihu Opera by the Sichuan Opera Theater of Chengdu, as well as Western masterpieces such as Air from Suite No.3, BWV 1068, Moonlight Serenade and Variations on Awariguli. These 14 carefully arranged pieces brought the audience a unique kind of musical enjoyment, fully appreciating the beauty of the interplay and harmony between Chinese and Western music.

Musicians perform Crescent Moon Over Ancient China. (Photo/Hanyue Li)

The event was jointly organized by the China Cultural Centre in Sydney and Australia China Economic, Trade and Culture Association.

Xiao Xiayong, Director of the China Cultural Centre in Sydney and the China Tourism Office in Sydney, said that the Mid-Autumn Festival is an important traditional festival in China, and there is no better way to express the emotions of the Mid-Autumn Festival than through beautiful music. This joint performance by Chinese and Australian artists conveys true feelings through music and communicates with the heart through art. He hopes that such events can bring more opportunities for deepening cultural exchanges and tourism cooperation between the two countries. 

Violinist Marrianne Liu and Cellist Paul Stender. (Photo/Hanyue Li)