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Combining East and West, singing Chinese stories with songs

Combining East and West, singing Chinese stories with songs
Combining East and West, singing Chinese stories with songs

The body is petite, but the body contains a lot of energy. Since childhood, the "little man" Wu Bixia has been doing "experiments" with herself, through years of systematic vocal training and the study of a large number of vocal works, and at the same time mastered two different styles of singing methods of Chinese vocal works and foreign vocal works, becoming the first singer in China to integrate Chinese national singing and Western bel canto singing, and won the highest international award.

Her success is known as the "Wu Bixia phenomenon" in the industry, and at the same time, the international vocal music community has also given Wu Bixia the title of "The Nightingale of Chinese and Western Combinations".

After graduating from graduate school, Wu Bixia took over the baton from her mentor and became a person who "held an umbrella for students", and became the director of the Department of Vocal Music and Opera of the China Conservatory of Music after more than 20 years of training. While teaching and educating people, Wu Bixia did not forget to help poor students in her hometown, held a solo concert of "Helping the Poor and Helping Students", raised 2.1 million yuan, and funded 500 poor students to go to college.

Wu Bixia

Lyrical soprano singer, director of the Department of Vocal Music and Opera of the China Conservatory of Music, dean, professor and doctoral supervisor of the China Academy of Vocal Arts, young Changjiang Scholar of the Ministry of Education, national outstanding model teacher, expert enjoying special allowance of the State Council, "four batches of talents" of the Central Propaganda Department, national "Virtue and Art Shuangxin" literary and artistic worker, Beijing "Virtue and Art Shuangxin" literary and artistic worker, New Century Outstanding Talent of the Ministry of Education, vice chairman of the China Literature and Art Volunteer Association, director of the China Music Association, and director of the China Opera Research Association. He is a deputy to the 11th and 12th National People's Congress, a member of the 13th and 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a member of the Education, Science, Health and Sports Committee of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and a member of the Standing Committee of the 15th Central Committee for Promoting Democracy. He has won the first prize of national singing method in the 1996 "National Vocal Music Competition", the first prize of the first "China International Vocal Music Competition", the first prize of the 8th "Bilbao International Vocal Competition of Spain", the second prize of the 4th "Manyuško International Vocal Competition of Poland", and the second prize of the 12th "Tchaikovsky International Vocal Competition". A large number of vocal works have become the singing demonstration materials for teachers and students of national higher professional music colleges, written a number of vocal music papers, and served as a judge for major international and domestic competitions, art funds and talent projects for many times.

At the age of 12, "Hunan Girl" emerged and became a local child star

In the summer of 1975, Wu Bixia was born in Changde, Hunan, the beautiful land of fish and rice. Wu Bixia has listened to her father sing flower drum opera since she was a child. At the age of 3, Wu Bixia began to learn flower drum opera, and at the age of 6, she learned to pedal organ, and learning day after day made her more passionate about music.

"When I was a kid, I always couldn't leave my words." Wu Bixia has never felt bored learning music, "I just think that singing is my greatest joy." At the age of 12, with her love for music, Wu Bixia, with the encouragement of her mother, appeared on the "Cool Evening" held by Changde TV. Wu Bixia, who was on TV for the first time, was not stage frightened at all, "All along, my parents have taught me to sing well and seriously." ”

This performance made Wu Bixia famous in the local area overnight. In the same year, at the "Chongyang Cup" singer competition in Hunan Province, Wu Bixia won the championship of the children's group with a song "A Beautiful Legend" and became a well-known child star in the local area. In 1988, at the "Golden Hibiscus Cup" Singer Grand Prix in Hunan Province, Wu Bixia won the second prize. The two awards pushed the young Wu Bixia to a bigger stage. When participating in the International Children's Day performance in Beijing, Wu Bixia won 12 applause from the audience with a song "The Legend of Muyushi". "I was so happy, laughing, I forgot I was on stage."

In 1990, Wu Bixia won the first place in the country in both professional and cultural examinations and was admitted to the High School Affiliated to the China Conservatory of Music. During her studies at the High School, Wu Bixia scored above 95 points in all courses, ranking first in the school. In 1992, Wu Bixia stood on the stage of the "Wuzhou Cup" National Young Singer TV Grand Prix and won the Outstanding Singer Award in the national group.

"Wu Bixia Phenomenon" Achieves "The Nightingale of East and West"

In 1993, Wu Bixia, a "top student", was sent to the China Conservatory of Music for undergraduate study with the first place in all subjects.

From the high school attached to the university to the university, Wu Bixia has been learning ethnic singing with Professor Zou Wenqin. "Ms. Zou is one of the teachers who has had the most profound influence on me, and she helped me lay the foundation of vocal music little by little." Wu Bixia said that when she was young, every time she went to a competition, her teacher would accompany her. "When I participated in the Youth Song Contest in 1992, Mr. Zou was more nervous than myself. During the 1996 National Vocal Competition, Mr. Zou was not in good health, so he insisted on accompanying me to the competition with an oxygen cylinder. Wu Bixia said movingly, "In the past, when I was alone in Beijing, Ms. Zou often took me back to her house for dinner, and improved my food, just like my mother." ”

"In 1996, when I participated in the first 'Wenhua Award' competition, Professor Geng Shenglian let me live at home and gave me the best and largest room in the house in order to let me feel at ease when I didn't have money to live in a hotel. Wu Bixia said that she can only study hard and repay the teacher's efforts with excellent results.

In 1999, Wu Bixia was escorted to the Graduate School of the China Conservatory of Music to study for a master's degree, under the tutelage of Professor Jin Tielin and Professor Guo Shuzhen, and simultaneously learned folk singing and bel canto singing. The fusion of Eastern and Western singing is a great challenge. Under the guidance of her mentor and her own efforts, Wu Bixia successfully integrated national singing and bel canto singing, became the first graduate student with dual major tutors in the Chinese vocal music industry, and won four international competition awards in two years. Her success is known as the "Wu Bixia phenomenon" in the industry, and at the same time, the international vocal music community has also given Wu Bixia the title of "The Nightingale of Chinese and Western Combinations".

Love can replicate her as the one who holds an umbrella for students

In 2001, after graduating from graduate school, Wu Bixia stayed in school to become a teacher, and after becoming a teacher, she focused on her own progress while also focusing more on teaching and educating people, she passed on what she learned to her students, and also gave her the love and care that teachers have given her for so many years.

In teaching, Wu Bixia hopes that students can understand it thoroughly, "There is no kind of voice that is only suitable for a certain way of singing." Wu Bixia often said to her students that it is not that if your voice is not sharp enough, you can't sing ethnic groups, and if you are not burly enough, you can't sing bel canto, she said to students, "To find the type you like and the works you can compete, this is the most important thing." In addition, she also told students not to set limits for themselves in the learning stage, to show themselves on the stage to develop their strengths and avoid weaknesses, and then gradually make up for their shortcomings through their usual learning, and try to be as comprehensive as possible.

Wu Bixia also encourages students to learn about the culture of their hometown, especially local opera, opera, folk songs, and intangible cultural heritage items. Wu Bixia said, "I am a person who likes to try, and I often use myself to do experiments, and my teachers encourage me to be myself, so that I can discover a different self again and again, and go to success one after another." Now, like the teachers, I encourage my students to constantly surpass themselves. Under the influence of Wu Bixia, one of her graduate students delved into the national intangible cultural heritage of her hometown, the Dongkeng Muyu Song, and created a new Muyu Song based on the elements of the Muyu Song. Because of this student, the intangible cultural heritage project of "Dongkeng Muyu Song" has also been better protected and inherited.

In addition to teaching, Wu Bixia also replicated the teachers' love for her to her students, "Our major is different from others, and the mentor-apprentice relationship is lifelong. Back then, my teachers treated me like their own child, and now I treat my students like their own. Wu Bixia said that when she was pregnant, she once ran for the future of a student with a pregnant belly, "This is how my teacher held an umbrella for me back then, and now I have the ability to hold this umbrella for my students." Wu Bixia feels that love can be replicated and passed on, and she is very fortunate to be a part of it, passing on the academic achievements and love of the older generation to the next generation.

Use music as a medium to sing Chinese stories with singing

After more than 30 years in the industry, Wu Bixia began to try more and more to spread traditional culture through music. From the combination of Chinese and Western singing methods when he was young, to the "Dream of Red Mansions" concert that has been performed in the professional field in recent years, and even the attempt to cross-border integration with other art disciplines, these attempts are all aimed at spreading music with Chinese characteristics.

In 2020, Wu Bixia received an invitation to adapt and sing the game song "Guanghan Palace". When I first heard this song, Wu Bixia liked it, and in the adaptation process, Wu Bixia integrated drama and flower cavity into pop music elements, which enhanced the tension of the song and made the timbre change of this song richer. After the song was broadcast, Wu Bixia found that young people like this kind of music very much.

At the beginning of 2022, Wu Bixia recorded the work "Dalabun" again, and the original intention of recording this song was to promote Chinese music theory and Chinese musical instruments. "I hope to let more people understand the beauty of Chinese music in a novel way." Wu Bixia said.

In 1996, Wu Bixia won the first prize in the "National Vocal Competition" and the first prize in the first "China International Vocal Competition". In foreign countries, her unique singing style has attracted widespread attention in the 90s of the last century. She won the first place in the 8th "Bilbao International Vocal Competition in Spain", the second place in the 4th "Manyuško International Vocal Competition in Poland", and the second place in the 12th "Tchaikovsky International Vocal Competition".

A few years ago, Wu Bixia brought the cover of the 87 version of the song "Dream of Red Mansions" to foreign performances, and this time, the audience was not only shocked by the beauty of Chinese music, but also became interested in "Dream of Red Mansions" because of music. "I will find out the audience's feedback after the performance, especially when performing abroad, and I hope to be able to make better and more widely disseminated Chinese music through their feedback." Wu Bixia said that she hopes that music can become a carrier to tell Chinese stories well with singing.

This edition / reporter Wang Tianqi

Co-ordinator/Sun Huili

Character dialogue

Let people from different cultural backgrounds feel the beauty of Chinese music

Beijing Youth Daily: How do you balance your identities as an artist and a teacher?

Wu Bixia: In my opinion, to become a good vocal opera teacher, you must first become a good singer, because the stage is the art of time, and if you want to get a first-hand and accurate singing experience that keeps pace with the times, you must pass the stage experience and then teach the experience to the students.

When I go out to perform, whenever possible, I will take the students with me to practice the truth. In the past, my teachers encouraged me to perform more and compete more, and now I am the same and will create more opportunities for children to appear on stage.

Beiqing Daily: The cross-border work "Guanghan Palace" has been widely acclaimed, what do you think of this new form of artistic expression?

Wu Bixia: I'm very tolerant of art and like to experiment with myself. The purpose of singing crossover works is to try to blend the colors of tradition and modernity, West and East, to highlight the tension of music as much as possible, and to maximize the amount of information delivered to the audience.

"Guanghan Palace" is an experiment, I didn't expect so many people to like it, which made me think a new way - can we make some changes and innovations, so that traditional music can become music that is liked by more people of different ages. Later, I followed this line of thought and tried new performance methods such as cooperating with AI virtual humans to sing songs, hoping to let more people understand Chinese traditional culture and the beauty of Chinese songs from more perspectives.

Beijing Youth Daily: What impact has the Times had on the spread of local music in China?

Wu Bixia: The development of the times makes me very optimistic about the development of traditional Chinese music, and the changes of the times are also nourishing the internationalization of Chinese music. We are often thinking about how to promote the Chinese spirit, Chinese aesthetics, Chinese Chinese and Chinese stories to the world, so that more people from different cultural backgrounds can feel Chinese music and understand the beauty of Chinese music, and this is also a topic that our generation of musicians need to think about and study.

News memory

The cultural market is gradually improving, and practitioners have more opportunities to display their works

When civilization is prosperous, the nation is prosperous, and when culture is strong, the country is strong. With the deepening of reform and opening up, the construction of facilities and equipment conditions of mass cultural institutions have been significantly improved, and various cultural and artistic exhibitions, lectures, training and other activities have been held to effectively meet the diverse cultural needs of residents. In 1980, mass cultural institutions across the country organized 203,000 cultural and artistic activities, 20,000 training classes, and 24,000 exhibitions, which will increase to 2,460,000, 1,349,000, and 250,000 respectively in 2023. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the way of public cultural services has been continuously innovated, and the service efficiency has been significantly improved by building various cultural display and exchange platforms to give full play to the main position of residents in the construction of public culture.

The gradual improvement of the cultural market and the increasing demand of the people for watching performances have provided opportunities and higher requirements for artists such as Wu Bixia. "More people are willing to go to the theater to see performances, which gives us practitioners the motivation to create better works, and also gives the younger generations more opportunities to show themselves." Wu Bixia said that they hope to promote Chinese culture with wonderful performances, let the audience understand the stories behind the songs and dramas, and at the same time cultivate the audience's sentiments and enhance everyone's aesthetic taste.

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