Chu Yi-Bing Cello Ensemble makes its first visit to Xiannong Altar on the central axis

NCPA May/23/2019

On May 21^st, cellist Chu Yi-Bing paid his first visit to the Xiannong Altar on the central axis of Beijing with his own ensemble. When the cello met the century-old architecture of China, a cross-time musical dialogue entranced more than 200 spectators.

Cellist Chu Yi-Bing went to the Xiannong Altar on the central axis of Beijing with his own ensemble.
Photo by NIU Xiaobei

The farming culture has been highly esteemed and worshiped by the Chinese nation as its soul. The Xiannong Altar is located on the central axis of South Beijing. It is the highest-class and largest place of agriculture worship built in ancient China among the best-preserved ones. As the “backbone of Beijing”, the central axis boasts the essence of architecture of Beijing, witnessing the developing history and legend of this ancient capital. In order to promote construction of the national cultural centre and promote the heritage declaration work for the protection of the heritages on the central axis, the musicians walked into this simple but solemn imperial temple for the first time, vivifying this historic building in a musical manner.

Musicians of the Chu Yi-Bing Cello Ensemble performed for tourists, residents and students nearby.
Photo by NIU Xiaobei

The concert stage was set up on the most representative worship platform, where musicians of the Chu Yi-Bing Cello Ensemble performed for tourists, residents and students nearby. The cellist Chu Yi-Bing, keen on spreading classical, has spared no efforts to popularize music among average people in recent years. This time, he walked into Xiannong Altar with a popular repertoire elaborately arranged by him and the ensemble.

The concert kicked off with Bach’s Aria Sul G. Then, the Chu Yi-Bing Cello Ensemble performed pieces in different styles, including Argentinean composer Piazzolla’s Libertango and French composer Faure’s Apres un reve. When well-known songs, including the Mongolian folk song Swan Goose and Beijing Olympic theme song You and Me, were sung, the audience couldn’t help humming with the beautiful melodies.

Cellist Chu Yi-Bing
Photo by NIU Xiaobei

By then, the outreach performances planned by the NCPA were drawing to an end. In the past one month, Chinese and foreign artists, orchestras and musicians have given performances in the sub-centre of Beijing and Xiongan New Area for the Winter Olympic Organizing Committee, public interest organizations, fire brigades, grassroots communities, cultural exhibition halls and economic development zones, practising the artistic ideal of “letting chamber music flow in blood of the city” with a great passion.

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