This week, students from the China Conservatory of Music and the Michigan State University College of Music will perform “The Savage Land” and “Bernstein Sings America” to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the MSU/China Vocal Arts Collaboration.
Performances will be March 23 and March 25-27 at the Fairchild Theatre, with David Rayl, director of choral programs and associate dean, and MSU alumnus Youqing Yang, a professional conductor from China, leading the Symphony Orchestra.
A mix of classical music and Chinese folk music, “A Savage Land” (sung in Chinese), by Jin Xiang, is set in northern China in the 1920s and centers on a wrongfully imprisoned man who wreaks vengeance on those responsible for his fate. Next, a rollicking revue of the music of Leonard Bernstein follows, featuring pieces from “On the Town,” “Wonderful Town,” “West Side Story” and “Trouble in Tahiti.”
Tickets are on sale now and may be purchased through the College of Music website.
Since 2005, the MSU-China Vocal Collaboration has enabled voice students from the United States and China to spend time together in both countries performing and learning about each other’s music and cultures.
Last month, the 26 students also performed in China at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.
