Music education gets new voice

Robert Zollitsch, known in China as Lao Luo, speaks at the concert.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Gong has also been utilizing various media platforms to maximize the effect of her music education program. She published audio courses entitled Learn Singing with Gong Linna, and the Tracing Roots concert was broadcast live via Yangyin Zaixian (CCOM Live), the online education platform of the Central Conservatory of Music.

"This concert is my first time cooperating with middle schools. I was only lecturing, but never actually practiced choruses in schools," Gong says.

The students are from seven affiliated high schools of Peking University from Beijing and Tianjin, for Gong believes that the popularization of Chinese music should rely on primary and secondary schools rather than music academies.

The children's passion for music and their outstanding performance amazed Gong, "when singing, they are completely immersed in the music. Music brings light and richness to one's spiritual world. So, learning to sing is never about passing examinations, but about enjoying the music."

Lu Yueming, instructor of the school's art center, says, "the children worked really hard and kept in mind Gong's instructions. Seeing their performance, I know that they truly fell in love with traditional Chinese music."

Although drawing from traditional Chinese literature and folk music, the songs are contemporary in style. Most of the songs are written or arranged by composer of Chinese New Art Music and Gong's husband, Robert Zollitsch, known in China as Lao Luo.

"With an international vision, he worked out how to make today's youngsters fall in love with China," Gong says, "Lao Luo will continue to write group songs based on Chinese folk music or ancient poems."

"Seeing the children perform my pieces, I realized I should write more songs for them," Lao Luo says, proudly. "It's a great encouragement for me to see how much they like the songs, and they really need content related to Chinese culture."

Speaking about her future plans, Gong says she would like to further popularize her teaching methods and Chinese music. "We need to promote the teaching methods to some rural areas. Right now, there are children who have been left behind, whose parents cannot keep them company, so I hope that music could give them warmth.

"Children should learn about the beauty of Chinese music. Only when you know about your own sounds, can you have cultural confidence," she concludes.