For those of you unfamiliar with Mandarin Chinese, say ‘Hello’ to the Shanghai University Chinese Orchestra. Bringing a global exchange of Chinese folk music to the Oxford community, the orchestra will exhibit its award-winning chapter tonight at Nutt Auditorium, beginning at 7:30. The event is free and open to the public.
The Shanghai University Chinese Orchestra is one of the premier orchestras in mainland China, according to University of Mississippi’s Global China Connection president Will Foley. Foley, who co-founded the chapter about two years ago, has been the President for about 10 months now, and before he served as the director of IT and social media marketing.
After attending the Global China Connection Annual Summit in Beijing in the summer of 2013, Foley and his co-founder, Frank Anderson, were extended the invitation to start a chapter of the non-profit company Global China Connection at Ole Miss, which usually only approves Ivy League schools and other top-tier universities around the world.
“We graciously accepted the offer because the geopolitical role of America and China’s relationship entering the imminent, uncertain period of human history is paramount in shaping the global network of International Relations going forward,” Foley said. “GCCs mission of connecting future leaders of China and America, while simultaneously focusing attention on issues critical to Sino-US relations, helps to bridge the cultural gap between Americans and Chinese, and advances the international trust necessary to facilitate a healthy relationship between two of the world’s most diverse, but equally-as-influential superpowers.”
Despite being relatively young, earlier this year the Ole Miss chapter of Global China Connection beat New York University and the University of Pennsylvania for chapter of the year at the Global China Connection World Fair at Yale.
The Shanghai University Chinese Orchestra comprises more than 40 members of the University, and was only founded in 2005.
The Orchestra has traveled as an official representative of Shanghai University around the world, performing in places such as the Boğaziçi University in Turkey, the University College Cork and Maynooth University in Ireland and the University of Kentucky. The Orchestra has also received international praise for its work; in May 2012, the Orchestra participated and received a top award in the 23rd annual Belfort International Music Festival in Belfort, France.
According to co-director of the University of Mississippi’s Chinese language flagship program, Henrietta Yang, the orchestra was picked because of UM’s partnership with Shanghai University. As part of this partnership, the University of Mississippi sends students every summer to Shanghai, China, for training in language and culture; in exchange, Shanghai University sends students to Ole Miss.
“The Shanghai University orchestra is bringing many traditional Chinese instruments that Americans have never seen,” Yang said. “This is truly a rare opportunity for faculty, staff and students at the University as well as the residents in Oxford to have an eye-opening experience.”
One example of an instrument scarcely seen in the West is the erhu, sometimes called the Chinese violin, or Chinese two-stringed fiddle. Tonight the erhu will be played by Huaqing Ren during the ‘Dunhuang’ piece of the performance, a contemporary folk tune which draws inspiration from multiple regional influences to create a distinct sound.
A few other musical pieces featured in tonights exhibition will include “A Night of Merriment,” which also features an erhu, “The Charm of Martial Arts,” a performance of Chinese long punch boxing, “Memories of Yunnan,” “The Soul of Sword,” a sword demonstration characterized by its vigorous speed and power and much more.
Yang said tonight’s event is made possible by various departments and organizations at the University of Mississippi, including the Chinese language flagship program, Global China Connection, the department of modern languages, the department of music and the Office of Global Engagement. Faculty, staff and students are trilled to host this performance and look forward to having an exciting night.
Foley, too, is excited for the performance tonight, and especially grateful for all the effort put into making the event a reality.
“Nothing we do at Global China Connection here at Ole Miss is done single-handedly,” Foley said. “Our passionate, hard-working, and willing executive board directors deserve all of the credit for our work and success.”
