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Music club set to give Shanghai a new beat
2020-12-15 
Clarinetist Andreas Ottensamer and pianist Yuja Wang perform at a Yellow Lounge event in Shanghai in November 2018.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Venue ready to benefit from city's global cultural prestige, Chen Nan reports.

Marking its 20th anniversary, Yellow Lounge, a global classical music club initiative by Deutsche Grammophon, will launch a new permanent base in Shanghai.

On Dec 20, an opening concert will be staged at the Blackstone complex, an urban site redeveloped as a musical hub.

Renowned classical guitarist Yang Xuefei will open the concert along with Lu Yiwen, a virtuoso erhu player, performing the music piece Fisherman's Song by Moonlight, adapted from a Chinese music piece for guzheng (Chinese zither). Yang will also give a solo performance of Memories of the Alhambra, a classical guitar piece composed in 1896 by Spanish composer and guitarist Francisco Tarrega and perform with singer Cai Chengyu on the song, The Light Beyond.

The show continues with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio in D minor Op 49, performed by pianist Wang Yalun, violinist Paloma So and cellist Namisa Sun. Violinist Daniel Hope and pianist Niuniu, whose real name is Zhang Shengliang, will team up with an online performance of Edward Elgar's Salut D'amour. Cellist Ouyang Nana will also perform in the opening concert and the detailed program will be announced soon.

Clarinetist Wang Tao and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra's Magnolia Quartet will close the evening with Mozart's Clarinet Quintet.

"Most of these performers are still in their teens, a fact that highlights Deutsche Grammophon's commitment to supporting the next generation of classical musicians," says Garand Wu, managing director of Universal Music China.

Wu adds that Shanghai's profile as an international city, which is open to the world and cultural exchange, makes it the ideal place to explore fresh ideas and to bring together young music talents.

According to Wu, live shows and related public events will be held at Blackstone in Shanghai, which will offer a platform for young musicians to showcase their talent and for audiences to enjoy classical music.

"I am looking forward to performing at Yellow Lounge's new base in Shanghai, which will provide a fresh experience for both musicians and audiences. It will be relaxing, intimate and fun," says classical guitarist Yang, who was born in Beijing, graduated with a bachelor's degree in classical guitar from the Central Conservatory of Music in the city. She won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2002 and has been living in London for two decades.

British violinist Daniel Hope (second from left) and Chinese clarinetist Wang Tao (center) perform with the Zurich Chamber Orchestra at a Yellow Lounge event in Beijing in September 2018.[Photo provided to China Daily]

"Usually classical music performances are staged at concert halls. For the young generation, who embrace new ideas and experiences, they would love to enjoy classical music in a club like Yellow Lounge," Yang adds. "It helps expand the fan base of classical music and promotes young music talents."

As part of Universal Music Group, Deutsche Grammophon, the world's oldest and one of the most renowned classical music labels, celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2018 with Yellow Lounge launching activities in Beijing on Sept 13 and in Shanghai on Nov 22. The activities received warm feedback from the audiences, which prepared for Yellow Lounge's permanent base in China.

"In China, you find not only a deeply-felt interest in the country's own centuries-old musical traditions, but also fantastic enthusiasm and energy for Western classical music," says Clemens Trautmann, president of Deutsche Grammophon. "We saw that clearly during the course of DG's anniversary celebrations in 2018 and 2019, with the introduction of Yellow Lounge events and a globally televised concert at the Forbidden City. Building on that success, we are happy to underline our commitment to the young generation of classical artists." He adds that the concept of Yellow Lounge, originally invented in Berlin and adopted across the globe, has lost none of its fascination in the 20 years since its introduction.

Conductor Yu Long, who is acclaimed for his work in China and on the international stage, will serve as Yellow Lounge China's ambassador and curator.

"Every musician knows how important it is to encourage the next generation of classical performers," the conductor says. "But it's also vital to create a new audience and make young people feel at home when they come to a concert. Yellow Lounge has transformed the way classical musicians connect with their audiences over the past 20 years. I am delighted to see Yellow Lounge China come to Shanghai and look forward to welcoming many more young people to our classical club nights."

In 2018, Yu and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra signed an exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon. Their first DG recording, an album of works from the Chinese and Russian repertoires, was released in 2019, marking the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra's 140th anniversary.

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