City aims to intertwine music with sports for Hangzhou 2022

Music producers and cultural figures from around the world gathered in Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang province, from Nov 20 to 22, seeking musical inspiration for Hangzhou 2022.

They traveled to many of Hangzhou's landmarks, including the main stadium for the Hangzhou Asian Games, the Hangzhou International Expo Center, the Archeological Ruins Park of Liangzhu Culture and the Grand Canal to learn about Hangzhou's historical and cultural development, natural landscapes, and preparatory work for the Games.

The guests also discussed their experiences in composing musical works for large-scale sporting events while brainstorming the integration of the Games with Hangzhou's local culture. They made suggestions to the Hangzhou Asian Games Organising Committee on putting together a world-class soundtrack for the sporting event.

Hangzhou native Zhu Hai, a famous TV program planner as well as lyricist, poet and playwright, said the elegancy of Hangzhou's urban landscape should be one of the most eye-catching aspirations for musical inspiration.

"Hangzhou has not only made many achievements in sports construction, but also boasts a rich landscape and garden culture. The music composed for the Hangzhou Asian Games should reflect those features, which coincide with the exquisite character of the city," Zhu said.

Hangzhou is a perfect place to connect the north and the south, bringing together the best of both sides.

It allows songwriters from both areas to express their ideas and produce a number of excellent musical works, said Tian Di, a famous poet, lyricist and writer.

"Hangzhou boasts thousands of years of culture," Tian said.

"We musicians need to combine the graceful posture of Hangzhou with the elegance of sportsmanship to create a unique image of the city."

"Asian Games musical works need to resonate so that more people sing the songs," said Chen Weidong, a famous young poet and member of the Chinese Music Literature Association.

Chen wrote the lyrics for a song named Listening to the Rain by the West Lake, which features Hangzhou as its main topic.

"There is a sentence in The Spirit of Asia, the anthem of the Beijing Asian Games: 'in our Asia, trees are linked in roots,'" Chen said.

"It showcases the solidarity of all the countries in Asia in the most straightforward manner. And so will our Hangzhou Asian Games musical works."

Famous songwriter and music producer Lao Zai, who once lived in Hangzhou, said the Hangzhou Asian Games songs should be rooted in the city itself. He said Hangzhou was hailed as a paradise on earth by Italian explorer Marco Polo.

As the city has now been equipped with the "wings" of the internet, his song will reflect its charm both in ancient and modern times.

On International Olympic Day on June 23, HAGOC initiated a campaign to solicit musical works for the sporting event from around the world.

The call, set to last two years, is open to both ordinary people and professional musicians, according to the organizing committee.

The first phase of the collection is expected to wrap up by the end of this year. About 1,400 musical works have been submitted so far.