Conductor takes residence at Shanghai International Arts Festival
Shanghai conductor Tang Muhai (center) is granted with a certificate by Wu Xiaoming (left), artistic director of Shanghai Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & Tv, and Wang Jun, president of Shanghai International Arts Festival Center, as resident conductor for the upcoming 20th Shanghai International Arts Festival.
Renowned Chinese conductor Tang Muhai was announced today as the resident conductor for the upcoming 20th Shanghai International Arts Festival that begins in October.
Tang is expected to collaborate with the festival committee broadly in commissioning new works, supporting young artists and expanding art-related public services.
It is the first time for the arts festival to host resident artists since its launch in 1999, according to Wang Jun, president of the Shanghai International Arts Festival Center.
“We hope that through the resident artist move, more art-related cooperation and communication can be achieved among accomplished artists, young talent and ordinary residents,” said Wang.
Tang was selected the first resident artist not only for his outstanding artistic attainments, but also for his successful collaboration with the festival previously.
As a conductor, Tang participated in the festival through a concert of composer Chen Qigang in 2012, Chinese opera “The River of Spring” and symphonic ballet “Beethoven No. 9” in 2014 and original choral symphony “The Revival” in 2017.
Tang, born 1949 in Shanghai, studied composition and conducting at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and furthered his studies in conducting with Hermann Michael at the Hochschule fur Musik in Munich, Germany.
He has collaborated with the world's top orchestras including London Symphony, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
Tang will conduct the Symphony Orchestra of the Inner Mongolia Bureau of National Art Troupes to present 2017 Shanghai arts festival's opening work "The Revival" on February 4 in Hohhot.
Tang Muhai conducted Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra in original choral symphony “The Revival” as the opening performance for the 19th Shanghai International Arts Festival last year.
