Wong Sze Hang (L, front), first violinist of Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, and Juliette Kang (R, front), first associate concertmaster of the Philadelphia Orchestra, perform during the Chinese New Year Concert co-hosted by the Philadelphia Orchestra and Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra in Philadelphia, the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, Jan. 29, 2019. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
by Xinhua writers Pan Lijun, Zhou Saang, Wang Ying
NEW YORK, March 16 (Xinhua) -- "Ping-Pong Diplomacy" is a well-known term in the history of U.S.-China ties. But few may be aware that music also played a not to be underestimated part in thawing ties between the two countries.
Although it is commonplace today for artists from the United States and China to share a stage, it definitely wasn't before the 1970s.
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a forerunner on this front, making history with a pioneering trip to China in 1973.
Founded in 1900, the orchestra has a long and distinguished history of touring the world. Its lasting ties with China mark a significant chapter in the orchestra's century-old history.
As cultural ties and people-to-people exchanges between the two sides are flourishing, the Philadelphia Orchestra is continuing to cultivate its ties with China that are rooted in the 1970s as it is preparing for its May visit to China to celebrate the 40th anniversary of U.S.-China diplomatic relations.
HISTORIC TRIP
In 1973, at the invitation of then U.S. President Richard Nixon, the Philadelphia Orchestra became the first American orchestra to visit the People's Republic of China -- a trip considered a key part of Washington's rapprochement with Beijing in the 1970s.
The trip came at a time when "the intensity of the curiosity between the two peoples was easy to see," said Nicholas Platt, a former U.S. ambassador, who was on hand to coordinate the event.
"We were just fascinated by the interest that the peoples in both countries expressed in each other ... And the results were a lot of wonderful exchanges which continue to this day," the veteran diplomat, who is also the orchestra's senior adviser, told Xinhua when recounting the historic visit to China.
It took place in September, only a few months after the U.S. Liaison Office in Beijing was opened, "but it was one of the big highlights of that year," he added.
If Ping-Pong Diplomacy is what paved the way for Nixon's visit to Beijing in 1972 to re-establish official ties with China, the visit by the Philadelphia Orchestra is believed to be one that helped cement it.
Platt said that it was a "smart move" for both sides to initiate people-to-people exchanges even before the official relationship.
That trip was significant "on several different levels: historically, musically, probably most importantly, diplomatically," said Davyd Booth, one of the four musicians from the first tour who is still with the orchestra today.
It was made possible by enormous joint efforts by Nixon, the renowned diplomatic figures Henry Kissinger and Platt, and Eugene Ormandy, the orchestra's music director, Booth recalled.
EYE-OPENING EXPERIENCE
More than 45 years after his first trip to China, Booth, 69, still clearly remembered his feeling at the time.
"It was almost like we were going to a different planet," said the violinist and second keyboard player.
Calling the 1973 trip to China "two weeks of discovery," Booth remembered almost every "surprise" and "interesting moment," such as being introduced to traditional Chinese instruments and tasting Chinese cuisine.
Moreover, "there were already quite a few people at that time that spoke English in China," while "there was nobody in our orchestra who spoke Chinese."
The gifted musician made his professional debut at the age of 13, but he couldn't help marveling at the artistic accomplishments displayed by the Chinese musicians in his interactions with them during that trip.
"China, even at that point, had a very strong connection with Western classical music, and the caliber the musicians had was already really phenomenally high," said Booth, calling the Yellow River Piano Concerto performed by the Chinese artists back then as "fabulous."
"Chinese musicians are on an incredibly high level. Each generation builds on the last generation," he said about his experience collaborating with different generations of Chinese artists over the past 46 years of his tenure in the orchestra.
Renard Edwards, a viola player, remembered the first China trip as helping in "broadening the horizon."
Edwards said he "was amazed that so many people were riding bicycles" on Beijing's streets.
It was mind-blowing to experience the famed Chinese scenic spots described in books, such as the Great Wall, the Forbidden City and the Ming Tombs.
"I am very much interested in the fine arts, painting, sculpture drawings, and to see what had been created for the royal court," said Edwards, while recounting his visit to the Forbidden City on the sidelines of the 1973 performance in China.
LASTING FRIENDSHIP
Twenty years after its first visit, the full orchestra returned to China in 1993, and has been expanding its collaboration with its Chinese counterparts.
The orchestra enjoys a long-standing partnership with the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing and the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. In addition, it has worked with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra since 2016 in advancing cultural exchanges between the United States and China.
"Our relationship with China has been one of our strongest and one of the most continuous and one of the longest," said Booth, who has participated in about a dozen performances in China.
"It's a living relationship to enjoy," he added, while stressing the importance of people of different cultures communicating and interacting with each other through the universal language of music.
The Philadelphia Orchestra announced in late January that this year it will visit China on May 16-28 -- the orchestra's 12th tour to China -- to mark the four-decade milestone in U.S.-China diplomatic relations.
"The relationship between the Philadelphia Orchestra and the audiences in China predates diplomatic relations ... So, we have a responsibility to continue to build on those connections and to make them stronger," said Matias Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra. He added that his orchestra is "always looking for the next chance for greater collaboration" with China.
The orchestra's 2019 tour will begin and end with 40th anniversary concerts and residency activities in Beijing and Shanghai.
It will also include performances in China's northern city of Tianjin, Philadelphia's sister city, before performing in Hangzhou and making its debut in Nanjing.
"The orchestra's 40-plus years of trusted partnership with China is helping to keep the two peoples together," said Platt.
The former U.S. ambassador used an unusual comparison to describe the U.S.-China relationship, saying it "sort of resembles an iceberg" consisting of "a huge part that's below the water, which keeps the whole thing stable."
