On November 15, 2021, the “Polaris String Quartet” of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra came to Shanghai United International School, Qingpu Campus and gave a wonderful concert to the first-grade children. With classical music as the medium of communication, the four performers wandered in the world of music, and brought us an auditory feast.
The concert began with the first movement “Serenade for Strings in G major, K525” and brought the children into the wonderful world of music. “Serenade”, “Blue Tango”, “Gone with the Bullets”… One after another familiar music echoed in their ears. The majestic, stirring, cheerful, gentle, and beautiful melodies were very powerful. The performers of “Polaris String Quartet” concentrated on their performance, and the children enjoyed it.
During the intermission, the performers of the “Polaris String Quartet” introduced the different functions and characteristics of the violin family, as well as some knowledge of classical music and symphony appreciation. The violin is the smallest in the stringed instrument group and has the highest range. Its expressive force is particularly rich and diverse, and it is also the most flexible in the whole orchestra, suitable for playing music of any speed and form. The viola has a thicker, warmer, and fuller timbre than the violin. The Cello is rich in tone, good at playing lyrical melody, expressing deep and complex feelings, and shares the bass part of harmony with the double bass. The fun and popular explanation made the children not only appreciate the music, but also understand the classical music and its knowledge, which sprinkled the seeds of appreciation for classical music into the hearts of children.
Finally, to echo the African carnival activities, the performers had specially prepared the theme from the Lion King “Can you feel the love tonight”, the magnificent symphony with a unique native African music melody and rhythm permeated everyone with tender feelings from the majestic music, led the children to the African savanna to appreciate the charm of Africa.
The activity of the “Polaris String Quartet” of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra set up a platform for children to get close and feel the artistic nature of the orchestra and it played a positive role in creating the campus art atmosphere and improved the artistic cultivation of teachers and students.
Program
1. Mozart: Serenade for Strings in G Major, K525 (Mvt.1)
2. Bach: Air on the G String
3. Haydn: Serenade for Strings
4. Piazzolla: Libertango
5. Thomas Newman: Por Una Cabeza, selected from the theme song of the film Scent of a Woman
6.Anderson: The Syncopated Clock
7.Anderson: Blue Tango
8. Elton John: Can u feel the love tonight, selected from the theme song of the film The Lion King
Shanghai Symphony Orchestra
As one of the oldest symphony orchestras in China and even Asia, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1879. Originally, it was known as the Shanghai Public Band, which was later renamed as the Shanghai Municipal Council Symphony Orchestra. Importantly, it was once renowned as the “Greatest Orchestra in the Far East”. In 1919, Mario Paci, the famous Italian pianist, took over command, which initiated the Orchestra’s cooperation with famous musicians in Europe and around the world with high prestige. The Orchestra was officially named as Shanghai Symphony Orchestra in 1956 and gradually developed into a “city card of culture” of Shanghai. The Orchestra implements a system with the head as its core. Yu Long, the current Music Director, is the first Chinese conductor invited to direct one of the five major symphony orchestras in the United States – Philadelphia Orchestra. Besides, he is also known as the Chinese conductor who cooperates most with the world’s top symphony orchestras.
“Map Chamber Music”
As a art education brand for public welfare built by Shanghai Symphony Orchestra over many years, “Map Chamber Music” includes three blocks: “Map into Campus”, “Map into Enterprise” and “Map into Community”. It comprehensively radiates the audience from all walks of life, spreads the popularity of classical music, promotes the development of classical music, and is committed to bringing rich art resources to the broad masses of the people. As a sub brand, “Map Chamber Music – into the campus” focuses more on the campus part, guiding teenagers to enjoy classical music in a relaxing and active atmosphere by combining description, performance and exhibition, so as to improve their cognition and appreciation of classical music. The “Map Chamber Music” is helpful to improve students’ aesthetic education, which means the cultivation of students’ ability to understand, experience, love and create beauty. In doing so, students can fully realize the significance of art education and social aesthetic education.
Introduction to Polaris Quartet
Polaris Quartet was founded in 2012 led by Huang Beixing, the chief cellist of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. The name Polaris Quartet came from the high relevance of Polaris to Chinese phonetic alphabet – Beixing. Its members also include three outstanding young performers of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, violinists Su Ting and Wu Aolie, and violist Yu Haifeng. As we all know, “Polaris” is also called “the brightest star in the night sky”. The four performers have a deep love for music. Their ideal of music is as firm and persistent as “Polaris” while their performance is sincere and full of vitality, restrained and full of deep feelings. The works performed range from masterpieces by Haydn and Mozart of the classical school in the 18th century to Beethoven of the classical school, from Mendelssohn, one of the representatives of early Romanticism in the 19th century, to Brahms in the late 19th century. Then covering Dvorak and Bartok of the national music school, works also involved that by Debussy and Ravel of Impressionism. In August 2019, in order to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the founding of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, performers accompanied the Orchestra on a world tour. In the embassies in Washington, USA and London, UK, Polaris brought local dignitaries and ambassadors traditional music with local characteristics as well as traditional Chinese music. Their performance also spread all over major concert halls, colleges and universities, troops, and hospitals in Shanghai. Apart from that, they have held chamber music concerts in the concert hall of Shanghai Symphony Orchestra for many times, which has been warmly welcomed by music lovers.
Sponsor: Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Shanghai United International School, Qingpu Campus
Acknowledgment: Shanghai Municipal Education Commission