Global music celebration opens in Taixing for World Music Day

Young performers play the violin at a World Music Day celebration in Huangqiao town, Taixing. [Photo/Taizhou Daily]

Musicians, artists and music lovers from China and abroad gathered in Huangqiao, Taixing, on June 21 to celebrate World Music Day.

Performance stages were set up throughout the venue, where ensembles from across the country showcased a wide range of instruments, including the violin, piano and erhu, through solo, duet and ensemble performances.

International guests also immersed themselves in local culture during the event. A visitor from Cameroon experienced the traditional craft of copper rubbing art and took pictures of Chinese and Western instruments being performed side by side. A girl from Indonesia learned basic erhu playing techniques and explored the unique charm of traditional Chinese folk music.

"This is my first time attending World Music Day events," said an international student from Indonesia studying at Jiangsu Agri-animal Husbandry Vocational College. "The music was wonderful, and the young performers were incredibly talented. I was especially impressed by one child who could play several different instruments."

Originating in France in 1982, World Music Day is now celebrated in more than 130 countries and regions. The China Musical Instrument Association introduced the event to China in 2016, and Huangqiao has served as the country's main venue every year since 2017. In 2023, the town was officially designated the permanent host city for the China celebrations.

Over the past decade, the event has staged more than 500 performances, attracted over 35,000 performers and reached an audience of 280,000.

The celebration also highlighted Huangqiao's status as one of China's leading musical instrument manufacturing hubs. After nearly six decades, the town is home to more than 220 enterprises producing violins, guitars, pianos and related components. Its violin production accounts for more than 70 percent of China's total output and nearly 40 percent of the global market, with products exported to more than 90 countries and regions.