Being an insider
By Vivian Zhang
Photos by Yao Fan

Petra consults with Jian Ai, the first violinist. Petra is a good example whom young Chinese musicians can look up to.

佩特拉女士在荷兰一家著名乐团担纲小提琴手25年后, 获得一笔奖励. 她选择送给自己一份特殊的礼物:不远万里来到中国义务"打工", 只为感受一下在中国人的乐队里拉琴的滋味. 于是, 厦门爱乐乐团里有了第一位金发碧眼的小提琴手.

If you had been working in an entity for 25 years and then were rewarded with an extra month's salary, what would you do with the money? Out of so many tempting choices, Petra Van De Vlasakker, a violinist from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Holland, made an exceptional decision: go to China and volunteer in a Chinese orchestra. And here she is taking place as a member of the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra for two weeks.

"A gift to myself"

In 1996, Petra first visited China with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, giving concerts in Shanghai and Beijing. She was immediately taken to see Chinese paintings, silk embroideries, ancient style furniture and articles representing typical Chinese culture. Discontented with touring superficially, she wanted to probe deeper into real China and be an insider. "I consider this trip a gift given to myself. I just want to experience what it is like to work in a Chinese orchestra." Petra told the reporter from Common Talk.

Earlier this year, she learned from a newspaper source that the Dutch-Chinese conductor Qiu Jianbin had been invited to baton a few Chinese orchestras. She contacted Qiu later and was told that he was going to Xaimen to conduct the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra in December. She expressed her willingness to go with him and cover the entire cost of the trip on her own. At first Qiu thought she couldn't be serious, since Petra was an experienced violinist from an orchestra that has made more than a thousand recordings and is regarded worldwide as one of the most prestigious symphony orchestras. But she seemed to have her mind set.



"I can play at the last row"

For the first time, a foreigner sat in the band as an ordinary member of the Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra. Petra was positioned next to the second violinist, a very young-looking man. During the performance, it is supposed to be her duty to turn the pages of the music for him. Yet the veteran didn't seem to mind in the least.

"It wouldn't bother me at all if I have to sit at the last row. I didn't come to Xiamen for that." Petra said. "What counts the most is that though we don't share the same language, we share the same music without difficulty. The feeling is so wonderful."

Now Petra is an "insider", which is an identity that has enabled her to have a close look at how her Chinese counterparts are working. "It is the first time they played Mahler's pieces and they are very quick in learning. They practice so hard and it is a very good start for a really young orchestra." Petra commended. "They are amazing and wonderful people. Besides, there are really some talents in the group."



"Didn't expect to be so happy here"

Before Petra came to Xiamen, she had no idea about what her trip would be like. "I had considered the worst case scenario in which they wouldn't like me or we wouldn't be able to work together well, then I would only have to suffer two weeks and then leave." Petra recalled.

However, the adventure turned out to be a pleasant experience. "I didn't expect I would be so happy here." Petra said. Days after her arrival, she was invited on a short expedition to the round-house buildings and was overwhelmed by the marvelous architecture.

During her mornings in Xiamen, she would get up early and stroll near the Yundang lake and do Chinese exercises with local elders. She also bought some postcards with beautiful Chinese paintings printed on them and planned a shopping spree on Chinese boutiques. She even had a good time learning how to make Chinese dumplings.

"Xiamen is a wondrous place with so many wonderful people. I will definitely come back if they ask me to." Petra said.)

 

 

介绍新人Joss Stone
By 厦门音乐广播 高翔



Sunshine FM在上个礼拜播放了英国新晋女歌手Joss Stone的歌曲, 引起了大家的注意, 普遍反映她的嗓音和她的年龄不太相符, 还有听众发短信说她的唱腔有些做作, 可能不容易被中国的听众接受. 看看这位小美女的档案吧, Joss Stone , 1987年4月11日生于英国, 人种:白人, 头发颜色:金色, 目前发型:小波浪披肩长发, 星座:白羊座. 微笑灿烂而略带腼腆, 美女等级:A- (gx的标准).

New York Times(纽约时报)的评价:"她以惊人速度迅速走红大街小巷. "People人物杂志的评价:"她的R&B比任何一位歌手都更具说服力. "

她的第一张专辑"The Soul Session(片刻心灵)"被喻为可能是21世纪最好的old-school, roof-raising, 南方风情的灵魂乐作品. 很多著名的演员和音乐人也对Joss Stone评价很高.

汤姆·克鲁斯日前应邀上美国福斯电视台"艾伦脱口秀(Ellen Show)"节目, 一开场便主动向全场观众询问:"你们听过乔丝·史东吗? 那张《片刻心灵》专辑, 我最近一直在听这张! " ; 向来以提携晚辈不遗余力着称的Elton John, 在与Blue对唱过"抱歉太难", 受杂志之邀专访过Coldplay乐队主唱Chris Martin之后, 居然在一次接受《Interview》杂志专访时, 点名一定要与Joss Stone搭档一块儿受访; Sting也曾在伦敦皇家亚伯厅的演唱会上, 邀请乔丝·史东一块儿开场……

仔细听听Joss Stone的歌声, 再端详一下她清纯笑脸, 的确很难想像如此年轻的一个歌手能把灵魂音乐演绎得如此粗犷成熟, 无论如何Joss Stone绝对是一个值得你关注的歌手. 她已经获第47届格莱美奖"最佳新人"和"最佳女歌手"的提名, 我们拭目以待. Sunshine FM这几天全力推荐Joss Stone,敬请收听!

 

 

Art is universal



The opening of the international porcelain exhibition "Terra Vita Xiamen" drew a lot of participants on Dec. 17. Eidur Gudnason, Ambassador of Iceland and Michael Mavros, Second Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus came to attend the event.

Eidur Gudnason spoke highly of the fruitful work by the organizer CEAC and its director Ineke Gudmundsson. "CEAC is another Iceland embassy in China." His words aroused a round of applause. "It is hard to define which area each exhibit belongs to because people speak a universal language of art."

The show will conclude on Jan. 2, 2005.

 

 

Message Board

Xiamen Philharmonic Orchestra Concert
厦门爱乐音乐会
●Conductor:Ling Tung
指挥:董麟--世界华人指挥大师
●Soloist:Jie Lan
独奏:兰洁--国际演奏家
●Time:7:30 pm, December 24, 2004(Fri.)
时间:2004年12月24日(周五)晚7:30
●Venue: Music Island Philharmonic Hall, Wan Shou Lu at 67 Wen Yuan Lu
地点:文园路67号音乐岛·爱乐厅
●Program曲目:
⑴String Serenade Tchaikovsky
弦乐小夜曲 (俄)柴科夫斯基 曲
⑵Cello Concerto No.1 in A Minor Saint-Saens
第一大提琴协奏, a小调 (法)圣·桑 曲
⑶Variations on a Rokoko theme for Cello and Orchestra, op.33 Tchaikovsky
罗可可主题变奏曲, op.33 (俄)柴科夫斯基 曲
⑷"Rosenkavalier" Suite R. Strauss
《玫瑰骑士》组曲 (德)理查·施特劳斯 曲


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