Classical Music as a Bridge between Cultures

On May 28th, Interculture Classic Concert at InterCulture's new Space@Man Lap Fong was a success exceeding the already high expectations. The concert featured highly professional artists who have studied in Germany, Austria and the USA, together with an equally outstanding Polish pianist. The audience was treated with a musical feast, from Mozart to Piazzolla, from classical to contemporary music, spanning two centuries in a concert of just one hour.

Consuls General and members of the Consular Corps from Germany, Poland, Canada, South Korea and the Netherlands, as well as distinguished guests from Guangzhou's music, culture and education scene, attended the concert. His Excellency Mr. Jan Rudolf, the newly appointed Consul General of Germany in Guangzhou, made the point in his welcome address: "Music often serves as a 'bridge-builder', to connect people from different backgrounds, different paths of life and different cultures. It can help to cross cultural barriers and induce the same emotions in people, which makes us realize that we are not so different after all."

The concert opened with Mozart's Sonata for 2 Pianos in D, performed by Pianist Pauline HUANG, the principal of Schumann School in Germany, and Grotrian-Steinway artist Kary XIE. Then violinist Heidi LIAO, a graduate from Mozarteum University Salzburg, and Polish pianist Katarzyna Borek, played Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Souvenir d'un lieu cher Op.42, No.3 Melodie, Fritz Kreisler's Tambourin Chinois and John Williams' Schindler's List.

Next was duo of violinist Yuan YUAN, head of the string department at Sun Yat-Sen University of Arts, with classical guitarist Zhi LI, performing two pieces of Piazzolla's Histoire du Tango series. After Zhi LI gave a solo rendition of the flamenco-classic Asturias, the concert concluded with a virtuosic rendition of Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody by talented young piano player Evan WANG from Schumann Shenzhen Piano School.

After the concert, guests gave thunderous applause. Consuls General, the co-founders of InterCulture and head of Man Lap Fong group presented the artists with flowers and gifts from InterCulture. The German luxury skincare brand OJESH offered a gift box for each artist. Afterwards, guests indulged in snacks and wine prepared by the German chef at the bar, sharing their feelings in the inspiring mood brought about by the music and the artists.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote, "Music is the universal language of mankind." And Ludwig van Beethoven said: "Art unites all the world, and even more true artists." Classical music brings us across cultural barriers, and connects people from different countries, regions, races and social backgrounds. This is also the vision of InterCulture's commitment to cultural exchange.