To tell China’s story, to highlight the movement of Xinghai—Xindi Faculty Members invited to the US to deepen cultural exchange

At the invitation of the Lansum Music Foundation and Lansum International Music Festival, Professor Xindi, director of Music Education Institute of Xinghai Conservatory of Music, the founder of Xin Di Applied Piano Pedagogy, leading his faculty members attended The Fourth Xindi Cup Lansum International Music Festival in Los Angeles, USA, on August 3rd. It is the third time that Professor Xindi has been invited to conduct Sino-US culture exchange, with the last one on January 25th and February 19th.

The Fourth Xindi Cup Lansum International Music Festival, host by Xin Di Applied Piano Pedagogy Faculty Members and the Lansum Music Foundation, co-host by the El Monte Municipal Government, and organized by the Lansum International Music Festival Committee, was a grand music feast which bears the name of Professor Xindi. The nine-day activities consist of the Fourth “Xin Di Cup” Applied Piano International Competition Final, the “Xin Di Cup” Lansum International Music Festival Masters Class and the Concert of Chinese Musical Delight presented by Xindi Faculty Members, which provides a new opportunity and platform to give publicity to Xinghai Conservatory of Music.

The Xin Di Applied Piano Pedagogy was created in 2001. Through the development of 18 years, the teaching method has now developed into a holistic and productive educational system. So far, over 60 series of textbooks have been published, which covers twelve teaching modules, such as piano education for early childhood, for school children, for adults; piano foundations, piano performance, singing-playing with piano, transpositions on piano, piano composition, piano harmony, Jazz piano, piano for four hands and piano accompaniment. With the teaching philosophy that piano education should base on mass education and general education, Prof. Xindi proposed the “Eight-First & Eight-Later” Theory, namely General Education prioritizes Specific Education, Mass Education prioritizes Elite Education, Group Class prioritizes Individual Class , Applied learning prioritizes Traditional Learning, Perceptual Learning prioritizes Rational Learning; Interest prioritizes skill training; Amateur Learning prioritizes Professional Learning, and developing prioritizes success. Innovated from traditional piano teaching method, the Xin Di Applied Piano Pedagogy not only promotes the development of quality education in music, which guarantees both teachers and students to optimize their practice with piano, but also combines the highbrow music art with popular music in a way that common people love.  

The Lansum International Music Festival, established in 2011 in California, America, is one of the three famous classic music festivals in the US. Run by the Lansum Music Foundation (LMF), it is a world-renowned non-profit music organization, which has been devoted to promote global music and culture through musical activities. With the development over years, four projects have been influential, namely the Lansum Concert, the Lansum Master Class, the Lnsum Music International Piano Competition and the Lansum Teenagers Philharmonic Orchestra.

Frank Chang, the CEO of Lansum International Music Festival, and Lansum International Music Corporation, said on the press conference of The Xin Di Applied Piano Pedagogy, held on Feb.19th, 2019, to boost music and cultural exchange from different cultural backgrounds through word-renowned musical festivals is the mission of Lansum. Led by extinguished masters from the East and the West, cooperating with top music institutions in the US, the Lansum encourages performance of masters all over the world. Through deepening understanding, the Lansum Music Education has reached a consensus that the fundamentals of Xindi Music Education are in line with the development trend of Music Education and the cooperation between the Lansum and Professor Xin will have a far-reaching impact on piano education. It is worth mentioning that it is the first time that the Lansum International Music Festival is named after a Chinese musician within its development process.

As a common language accepted and understood by people all over the world, music plays a significant role in cultural exchange. This trip will further spread the influence of Chinse belief and Chinese culture, and thus contribute to strengthen our cultural confidence through telling China’s story.