December 27th, the fabulous annual New Year's Concert of Nankai University was held at Tianjiabing Concert Hall. Merry songs and beautiful melodies welcomed 2017. Students Symphony Orchestra, Students Choir, and Faculty Choir presented the concert, and also invited the Mongolian Faculty Choir from Xilinhot City (Inner Mongolia) to perform. The New Year's Concert was broadcasted live on television and through the internet from Jinnan Campus.

The show began with the folk song Mulan, which combines the Henan opera with the northeast song-and-dance duet and Chinese martial arts. The harmonious combination of songs and performances represented the historical, great and profound features of Chinese culture.

The audience highly appreciated the ethnic flavor of the concert, especially the melodious tones of the songs TheGypsies, Going to a Beautiful Place (performed by the Mixed Chorus), Love for Grassland, and Eight Horses. The Mongolian Faculty Choir from Xilinhot City performed Eclogue and Footstep. Their music reflected Mongols’ work and everyday life.

Jangar is a traditional epic poem of the Oirat people, one of the three greatest epic poems in China. The Mongolian Faculty Choir played and sang The Prologue of Jangar, integrating many different forms of art, including khoomei (sound of the throat), morin khuur (Mongol stringed instrument), and Mongolian long-tone folk songs. The singers recreated a magnificent picture of the brave hero.

This year marks the 80th Anniversary of the victory of the Long March. The symphony orchestra Long March Song Cyclereproduced the glorious victories of the Red Army: the end of the blockade, Zunyi Meeting, the  historical campaign of crossing Chishui River four times, Dadu River, Snow Mountains and grasslands, and the final victory. What a spectacular performance!

Chancellor Wei Dapeng, President Gong Ke, Vice President and Vice Chancellor Yang Kexin, Vice Chancellor Li Yidan, and Vice President Yan Chunhua attended the concert. At the end of the concert, professors, students, and alumni sang Nankai University’s school anthem together. Moreover, President Gong delivered a New Year’s message to wish all Nankai people a happy new year. He hoped that Nankai people could carry on the spirit of the Long March, promoting the development of the country. Together, Nankai people can build a global university and a great socialist country, and promote the development of mankind.

Source: Nankai News

Reported by Nie Jici

Photo by Ren Yonghua, Nie Jici

Translated by Kong Yankun

Proofread by Letizia Vallini