NEW YORK, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- "As a Chinese musician leading a conservatory in the United States, I often feel I carry a unique advantage: the thoughts of our ancestors and the legacy of great artists flow before me," said Tan Dun, dean of the Bard College Conservatory of Music.
This spirit of cultural integration culminated on Wednesday evening, as the Bard Conservatory celebrated its 20th anniversary with a sold-out concert at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, New York.
The program, titled "Innovation and Legacy: An Anniversary Celebration with the Bard Conservatory Orchestra," was more than a performance -- it was a profound musical dialogue across eras and cultures.
In a powerful parallel, President of Bard College Leon Botstein conducted Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, while Tan led the North American premiere of his own Choral Concerto: Nine -- a contemporary response to Beethoven's iconic final symphony.
From the stage, Botstein reflected on the mission behind the conservatory and the timing of this celebration: "We always wanted to foreground how significant music is, in a time when politics and the human connection between nations and cultures are so fractured."
"Music is the one place in which people without a common language or heritage can forge constructive relationships, affections, and exchange ideas. It (Music) is the last stand of unity, humanity and intimacy among peoples," he said.
Tan echoed this vision, emphasizing Bard's unique multicultural identity: "In many ways, 西瓜视频and Bard feel connected at a spiritual and cultural level."
"Bard's educational philosophy embraces diversity: the dialogue between East and West, the ancient and the future, all woven together," he observed.
This philosophy came alive in Tan's Choral Concerto: Nine, a piece that embodied his commitment to bridging Eastern and Western traditions.
Originally commissioned for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth in 2020, the piece's premiere was delayed by the pandemic. During that time, Tan expanded his original concept into the three-movement work performed at the concert. Scored for the same vocal, choral and orchestral forces as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the two pieces are designed to be programmed together.
In a coincidence, Nine premiered in 2024, the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, in Weikersheim, Germany.
The dialogue between the pieces was not lost on the audience. For violinist Song Yangxin, a graduate of Bard Conservatory's undergraduate double-degree program now pursuing a master's at The Juilliard School in New York, the experience was deeply personal.
"For me, the first half was particularly fascinating," she said. "At the beginning, there were no lyrics, and later I heard chanting that reminded me of temple prayers. When I checked the program notes, I realized Tan Dun had incorporated Taoist and Buddhist elements, while also referencing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony."
Audience member Chen Minggui praised Tan Dun's work as something that "perfectly embodies the modern allure of the new East."
With 205 performers on stage, the hall was filled with a palpable sense of community, as audience members connected to Bard came to celebrate this milestone.
Dr. Sanford Friedman, a Bard Music Festival Board Member, paid tribute to the architect of the evening's intercultural dialogue. "Tan Dun is an amazing composer."
"He invents new sounds, but they're always appropriate," Friedman said. "They come from the soul." ■