Chinese music center comes to New York

Yu Feng (left), president of China's Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) and Ron Losby, CEO of Steinway Muscial Instruments, cut ceremonial ribbons together to open the doors of the new American Teaching Studio of Chinese Traditional Music from CCOM at Steinway Hall in New York on Thursday. This teaching studio will house artifacts and artwork of Chinese cultural significance and will be used for teaching Chinese traditional music and instruments. Hong Xiao / China Daily

The American Teaching Studio of Chinese Traditional Music from the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) opened its doors at Steinway Hall on the corner of Sixth Avenue and West 43rd St in Manhattan on Thursday night.

The teaching studio will offer courses on Chinese traditional music and instruments taught by instructors from CCOM. The space will also house musical instruments, artifacts and artwork of cultural significance.

"This marks an important starting point for our school in terms of promoting overseas dissemination of Chinese traditional music,"said CCOM President Yu Feng.

"Previously, performance tours were what we mostly did for promoting our music overseas," said Yu. "But now we have set up a teaching studio with the world's top piano maker in the heart of Manhattan. Everything is so exciting."

"I'm so excited that we'll be the first outside-China education center for traditional Chinese music and instruments," said Ron Losby, CEO of Steinway Musical Instruments. "It's just such extraordinarily beautiful music and needs to be able to exposed to the world outside of China."

Losby said some of the Chinese traditional musical instruments will be on display together with the Steinway pianos on the first floor of Steinway Hall.

"It's something unique and different, and deserves to be exposed to a wider audience," he added. "If we can have these instruments on display when we have 60,000 people walking and driving by (everyday), it will not only be good for Steinway, but it will be good for traditional Chinese music — and the central conservatory."

Losby said both sides are brimming over with new ideas.

"Maybe we will simulcast in our location here concerts that occur at CCOM and invite guests to our recital room here for breakfast (because there is a 12-hour time difference), so they can enjoy a live concert from Beijing at Steinway Hall," said Losby.

The event featured a performance by visiting musicians playing traditional Chinese instruments and a recital by pianist and Steinway Artist Yin Chengzong.

Yu was honored by Steinway for his commitment to forging an energetic and productive partnership with Steinway to advance the teaching of traditional and contemporary Chinese music in America.

The conservatory has enjoyed a long collaboration with Steinway & Sons, and the grand opening of the new Steinway Hall teaching studio marks the latest achievement in the partners' efforts to create synergy between Chinese and American piano teachers, students and performing artists.

As China's leading music school, CCOM's piano department also sets a high standard as an All-Steinway School. The conservatory's alumni include Steinway Artists Lang Lang and Wang Yujia.

"For many years, Steinway has enjoyed great synergies with Chinese pianists, and this new teaching studio, in the heart of New York City, is an important development in our company's history and in our cultural history," said Losby.

"We are looking forward to watching the studio become an important center for Chinese piano music and traditional music," said Losby.

xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com

Ron Losby(left), CEO of Steinway Muscial Instruments and Yu Feng, president of China's Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) visit the new American Teaching Studio of Chinese Traditional Music from CCOM at Steinway Hall in New York on Thursday. Hong Xiao / China Daily