Beijing Music Festival Beijing Music Festival

The Beijing Music Festival is an annual music festival held in Beijing, China. Founded in 1998 by the Chinese government, the festival is held from mid-October to mid-November. The festival features mainly classical music and jazz music, including opera, orchestral music, chamber music, classical jazz concerts, solo recitals, and choral concerts. Notable performers that have appeared at the festival include Martha Argerich, Kathleen Battle, Jose Carreras, Sarah Chang, Augustin Dumay, Valery Gergiev, Mo Hualun, Lo King-man, Mischa Maisky, Liao Naixiong, Krizysztof Penderecki, Issac Stern, Melvyn Tan, Fou Ts'ong, the Kodaly Quartet, and the New London Consort.

Approved by the Ministry of Culture of China and the Beijing Municipal Government, the Beijing Music Festival was initiated in 1998. The festival is held in Beijing annually.

By inviting distinguished musicians and music groups from home and abroad, the Beijing Music Festival has become one of the well-known events in the world. The festival offers a wide variety of music performances, including opera, symphonic, solo concert, chamber music concert, classical jazz concert, song and dance drama, and vocal concert. It has attracted artists and audience form all over the world. The Beijing Music Festival Association is a non-profit organization, and its members comprise experienced artists and excellent managers. Under the guidance of leaders of the Beijing Municipal Government, they provide high-level performances to music lovers by utilizing their expertise and broad connection with international cultural and art professionals.

The annual Beijing Music Festival lasts about one month from mid-October to mid-November, and presents about 30 performances. Till 2002, the festival had been held five times. During the past five years, such world-renowned artists as male tenor Jose Carreras, female tenor Kathleen Battle, pianists Martha Argerich, Fou Ts'ong, and Melvyn Tan, violinists Issac Stern, Sarah Chang and Augustin Dumay, conductor Valery Gergiev and composer and conductor Krizysztof Penderecki were invited to the festival.

The Beijing Music Festival also puts great emphasis on music education and public welfare. Each year's festival offers free children's concert and students' concert. The festival holds Master Classes each year in the Central Conservatory and about 6,000 students, teachers and music lovers have taken advice from well-known Chinese and foreign artists such as Issac Stern, Mischa Maisky, Fou Ts'ong, Mo Hualun, Melvyn Tan, Lo King-man, Liao Naixiong, Kodaly Quartet.

The Beijing Music Festival has achieved great success and won high praises from people from all walks of life. It is regarded not only as a driving force of music and cultural development, but also as one of Beijing's symbolic activities. As an international music gala, the festival will certainly continue to make great contribution to the worldwide cultural exchange and prosperity.