Folk feast bewitches Beijing audience

The two girls were part of a concert by the China National Traditional Orchestra Choir and its children's choir. Titled Travel With Folk Songs, the concert exemplified the orchestra's dedication to preserving China's diverse musical heritage.

It was part of the NCPA August Chorus Festival, which ran through Sunday and included 18 concerts by 10 choirs from China, the United Kingdom and Georgia.

"Mijia is a star in our village because of her musical talent. She was able to sing as soon as she could walk," says Zhang Qian, who works at Zhaoxing's cultural center and was responsible for bringing Mijia and Zixi to Beijing.

"It's the first time the two girls have left the county. Their parents can't speak Mandarin fluently, so I am traveling with them," Zhang adds. "We are members of the Dong ethnic group, which has a long tradition of singing and dancing. We have a saying that 'rice nourishes the body and songs nourish the soul'. We are also working hard to collect all our folk songs and teach our children to sing, passing on culture and knowledge through music."

According to Zhao Cong, a veteran pipa player and president of the China National Traditional Orchestra, the musicians and singers spent a week in Guizhou province in July to seek inspiration from local folk music. Xiao Shan Yang was discovered by 14-year-old songwriter Liu Xiaobai, who is a student at the middle school affiliated to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

"I listened to Mijia perform the song in her home and I was soon captivated by the melody, although I didn't know what the lyrics said," says Xiaobai, who plays piano and majors in composition and conducting. "I combined the music that I wrote during the trip to Guizhou with the song, which portrays the people of Guizhou and its beautiful natural scenery."

Zhao says: "It was one of the highlights of the concert. Mijia's innocence and beautiful voice brought the traditional folk song to life, enchanting the audience with her genuine delivery. Her performance illustrated the profound connection between folk music and cultural identity."