Festival helps village tune into wider audience

A music festival, held from May 13 to 14, gathers bands hailing from Chinese ethnic groups and musicians from ASEAN countries, including Indonesian Jenny Besin and her band and the Mumian ensemble, adding a cultural allure to Guyuepo village in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.[Photo/China Daily]

After seeing the other performances at the festival, she says that she has found the folk music scene in China to be "unique, memorable and amazing", and also believes it has the power to unite people.

The local government aims to create biannual rural music gatherings, centered around the key agricultural seasons of "spring sowing" and "autumn harvest".

These events will serve as platforms for facilitating artistic exchanges between China and ASEAN countries, while promoting the development and flourishing of indigenous music culture.

As a rural vitalizing endeavor, the music gatherings also aim to elevate the cultural appeal of Guyuepo village and the greater Nanyang town area.

Chen Chaofeng, Party secretary of Nanyang, says that the town plans to drive rural vitalization through developing its cultural industry.

"Building upon the success of the spring and autumn music festivals, our goal is to expand the frequency of similar events, aiming for quarterly or monthly performances," Chen says.

Efforts will be made to attract more musicians to establish studios in Nanyang and explore the production of ethnic musical instruments there.

"We hope to explore the aesthetics of traditional music in a modern context," Chen adds.

During the festival, music and cultural exchange centers co-established in Guoyuepo village by the local government and foreign institutions from countries including Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines also conducted opening ceremonies, showcasing their commitment to fostering cross-cultural connections and long-term friendship.