Andersen's fairy tales meet Guilin: Cultural exchange through music

A group photo of the event. [Photo provided to guangxi.chinadaily.com.cn/guilin]

On Oct 13, a music and cultural exchange event named "Hans Christian Andersen's Call - Guilin Appointment" was held in Guilin, bringing together artists from Guilin and Denmark. The event offered a harmonious blend of music from diverse cultural perspectives, creating an unforgettable sensory experience covering both sound and sight.

Martin Cholewa, a horn player from the Royal Danish Orchestra, expressed that despite linguistic differences, music has forged a profound connection among them. He mentioned that the while the awe-inspiring scenery of Guilin left a lasting impression, it was the genuine warmth and benevolence of the locals that evoked parallels to the characters found in Andersen's fairy tales.

Qin Bin, a guqin player, noted that the event featured a meaningful dialogue between Western classical music and Chinese traditional music, including the guqin, an instrument with over 3,000 years of history. "Hosting such an exchange in Guilin, a city renowned for its natural beauty, rich culture, and international recognition, holds great significance."

This event demonstrated the ability of music to transcend language barriers, highlighting the cultural connection between East and West in one of China's most iconic cities.

Martin Cholewa is a horn player from the Royal Danish Orchestra. [Photo provided to guangxi.chinadaily.com.cn/guilin]