Music creation injects new vitality into cultural exchanges and cooperation along the Belt and Road Initiative

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As a Chinese composer, musician, and international cultural exchange ambassador living in the United States, I wrote this article to explore how performing arts and music creation can combine traditional and modern elements under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative to inject new vitality into cross-cultural exchanges and cooperation. Through the analysis of specific cases and empirical research, this article deeply explores the practice and innovation of performing arts and music creation in countries along the Belt and Road, focusing on how they can integrate traditional and modern music elements to promote the sustainable process of cultural exchange and development.

The Belt and Road Initiative aims to promote economic cooperation and cultural exchanges among countries along the route. Performing arts and music, as one of the important forms of cultural exchange, provide new impetus for the sustainable development of the Belt and Road Initiative by combining traditional and modern elements. This article will explore in depth how performing arts and music creation can combine traditional and modern music elements to promote the practice and innovation of cultural exchange and cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative.

A. Inheritance and innovation of traditional music:

1. Select representative traditional music forms: Select representative traditional music forms in countries along the Belt and Road as research objects. For example, you can choose Chinese Peking Opera music, Indian Karnataka music, Turkish music in Turkey, etc. as specific research objects.

Countries along the Belt and Road have a long history and cultural traditions, and their traditional music forms reflect the rich and colorful cultural heritage of these countries. We selected some representative countries, such as China, India, Turkey, Egypt, etc., and then selected a traditional music form for each country for research and discussion.

Taking China as an example, we can choose traditional Chinese music forms such as Peking Opera, folk music, and Cantonese opera. These music forms carry thousands of years of Chinese cultural history and play an important role in cultural exchange in the Belt and Road Initiative. We can explore the origin, development process, performance characteristics, repertoire types, etc. of these music forms, as well as their inheritance and development in the contemporary era.

For India, we can choose Indian classical music (North Indian music and South Indian music), Indian folk music, etc. Indian music is well-known for its complex music system and rich music style. In the Belt and Road Initiative, Indian music is also an important part of cultural exchange. We can study the scale system, rhythm pattern, traditional performance form, etc. of Indian music, as well as their influence and inheritance in modern music.

2. Preservation of Traditional Music:- Preserving Traditional Elements: In contemporary music creation, many artists strive to preserve the core elements of traditional music, such as specific instruments, melodic patterns, rhythms, and lyrical themes.

- Respect cultural roots: The inheritance of traditional music means respecting and protecting cultural roots. Many musicians express their respect for their own culture and ancestors by preserving and passing on traditional music.

- Education and inheritance: The inheritance of traditional music requires the continuous efforts of musicians and cultural inheritors. Many organizations are committed to promoting the inheritance of traditional music through educational projects and traditional music festivals.

3. Innovation in contemporary music creation:

- Fusion style: Contemporary music creators often combine traditional music elements with modern styles and genres to create new and unique musical works. This fusion can cross the boundaries of culture and musical style and produce a brand new musical experience.

- Exploring New Technologies: Contemporary music creators are actively exploring new technologies, such as electronic music production software and digital audio tools, to create more avant-garde and creative musical works.

- Expanding themes and content: While retaining traditional elements, contemporary music creators also tend to explore new themes and content to reflect the issues and emotions of modern society. This innovation can make traditional music more contemporary and modern.

4. Balance between tradition and innovation:

- Respect for tradition: Although innovation is important, respect for traditional music is still crucial. Maintaining awe and respect for tradition during the creative process can help creators find a balance between tradition and innovation.

- Creative practice: Inheriting traditional music does not mean completely copying past works, but creatively practicing and developing them on the basis of tradition. This practice can provide music creators with a broader creative space and make their music works more unique and innovative.

The inheritance and innovation of traditional music in contemporary music creation is a process of continuous evolution. It is both a respect for the cultural heritage of the past and an exploration and development of the future development of music. Through the inheritance and innovation of traditional music, we can witness the richness and diversity of music culture and its continuous progress.

B. Analyze the characteristics of instruments, melodies and rhythms in traditional music: Conduct an in-depth analysis of the instruments, melodies and rhythms in the selected traditional music forms. For example, analyze the performance characteristics of instruments such as the pipa and jinghu in Chinese Peking Opera music, and the characteristics of the ragada and Indian rhythm system in Indian Karnataka music.

1. China

- Musical instruments: Common instruments in traditional Chinese music include guqin, erhu, pipa, flute, yangqin, etc. Among them, guqin is famous for its unique timbre and playing skills, erhu has a melodious melody and flexible playing method, and pipa has a delicate timbre and rich expressiveness.

- Melody: The melodies of traditional Chinese music are often inspired by Chinese classical literature, historical stories and folk tales, and have profound cultural connotations. The melodies are mostly based on the pentatonic scale, showing elegant, lyrical or majestic characteristics.

- Rhythm: The rhythm of traditional Chinese music is diverse. Some music is dominated by a steady beat, such as Peking Opera music, while others are characterized by a free and flexible rhythm, such as some local folk music.

2. India

- Musical instruments: Common instruments in traditional Indian music include Sitar, Tabla, Sarangi, Bansuri, etc. Among them, Sitar is famous for its unique resonance box and rich timbre, while Tabla is the main percussion instrument in Indian music.

- Melody: The melodies of traditional Indian music are based on ragas, each of which has its own unique scale, timbre and emotional expression. These melodies usually undergo a series of developments and changes when played, showing rich connotations and emotions.

- Rhythm: Indian music has a very complex rhythmic system, using a variety of percussion instruments and special beat patterns. For example, the Tambura is often used to express complex rhythmic patterns, while the Konnakol, a nut dance in Indian classical music, uses beatboxing to play precise rhythmic patterns.

Iran and Egypt are important countries along the Belt and Road. They both have rich and unique traditional music cultures. The following is an analysis of the instruments, melodies and rhythmic characteristics of their traditional music:

Characteristics of Iranian (Persian) traditional music:

# Instruments:

1. Tar: It is a plucked string instrument, usually with six strings. It is one of the most important instruments in Iranian traditional music, used for both accompaniment and solo performance.

2. Daf: A hand drum, usually made of animal hide and a wooden frame. In traditional Iranian music, the drum is often used for rhythm and accompaniment.

# Melody:

1. The melodies of traditional Iranian music are known for their unique modes and scales, such as Jalq, Shustar, Zambir and Dastar. These modes give Iranian music its unique sound and emotional color.

2. Iranian music is known for its smooth, emotional melodies, often played on instruments such as the tar.

# Rhythm:

1. The rhythm of traditional Iranian music is often complex and rich in layers, with the diversity of rhythms achieved through different drum instruments (such as Daf) and hand clapping.

2. Traditional Iranian music is often rhythmic and dynamic, reflecting the region's rich culture and history.

Characteristics of Egyptian traditional music:

# Instruments:

Musical instruments play an important role in Egyptian traditional music. Among them, the Darbuka and Oud are among the most representative instruments. The Oud is a stringed instrument, usually with 11 or 13 strings, used to play melodious melodies, while the Darbuka is used to provide strong rhythmic support.

# Melody:

The melodies of traditional Egyptian music are often powerful and full of soothing melodic lines, often influenced by the Arabic musical tradition, while also incorporating a unique Egyptian style and sensibility.

# Rhythm:

Traditional Egyptian music is often complex and dynamic, with Arabic drums and other percussion instruments playing a key role in Egyptian music. These rhythms can lead listeners to dance or immerse themselves in them.

The traditional music of Iran and Egypt both have unique instrumental, melodic and rhythmic characteristics. Iranian music is known for its complex patterns and emotional melodies, represented by instruments such as the tar and drums, while Egyptian music is known for its dynamic rhythms and melodious melodies, represented by instruments such as the ukari and Arabic drums. These musical traditions reflect the rich cultural history and traditions of these regions.

C. Explore the inspiration and influence of traditional music on modern music creation:

Analyze the cultural value and emotional connotation contained in traditional music, as well as its influence on the artistic pursuit and creative style of modern music creators. Traditional music has a profound inspiration and influence on modern music creation:

1. Creative inspiration:

- Melody and harmony: The melodies and harmonies in traditional music often have unique emotions and charms that can deeply attract modern music creators. These traditional melodies and harmonic structures can provide rich creative inspiration for modern works.

- Rhythm and rhythm: The rhythm and rhythm of traditional music are varied and dynamic, and often inspire modern music composers. These traditional rhythmic patterns can add a unique sense of movement and rhythm to modern music.

2. Instruments and sounds:

- Instrument selection: The instruments used in traditional music often have special timbre and expressiveness, such as ukari, tar, erhu, etc. Modern music creators can draw on these traditional instruments and combine them with modern audio technology to create new sound effects.

- Sound processing: The development of modern sound technology has made the music production process more diverse and flexible. The sound characteristics of traditional music can be innovated and transformed through sound processing and post-production technology to create novel and unique music effects.

3. Cultural themes and emotional expression:

- Cultural heritage: Traditional music often carries rich cultural traditions and historical connotations, which can inspire modern music creators to explore and express cultural themes. By drawing on cultural elements in traditional music, modern music can convey deeper cultural connotations and emotional expressions.

- Emotional expression: Traditional music often has strong emotional colors and can deeply touch the emotional resonance of the audience. Modern music creators can learn from the emotional expression methods in traditional music and incorporate their own emotions and experiences into music creation to make the works more real and touching.

4. Cross-cultural communication and integration:

- Cross-cultural communication: Traditional music is an important carrier of communication and integration between different cultures, and can promote cross-cultural communication and understanding. Modern music creators can create works that integrate multiple cultural styles by drawing on elements of traditional music from different cultures, enriching the diversity and inclusiveness of music.

- Cultural innovation: The inspiration and influence of traditional music make modern music creators more open and innovative, and constantly explore the possibility of cross-cultural integration. This cultural innovation can bring new vitality and impetus to the development of music and promote the continuous progress and evolution of music culture.

In summary, traditional music has inspired and influenced modern music creation in many aspects, including creative inspiration, musical instruments and sounds, cultural themes and emotional expression, as well as cross-cultural communication and integration. As a precious cultural heritage, traditional music provides rich resources and unlimited creative possibilities for modern music creation, and promotes the inheritance, innovation and development of music culture.

C. Cross-cultural integration of modern music:

Study the modern music styles and creative characteristics of countries along the Belt and Road, and analyze their role in cross-cultural communication and integration. Focus on the practice of integrating traditional elements into modern music works, and explore their impact on cultural exchange and development.

1. Case analysis of cross-cultural cooperation projects: Select some representative music creation projects or cooperation cases and analyze their practice and impact in countries along the Belt and Road. For example, we can analyze cross-cultural cooperation performances at some international music festivals and explore how musicians from different cultural backgrounds can jointly create music works that combine tradition and modernity. Through the analysis of specific cases, we can gain a deeper understanding of the actual role of music creation in promoting cultural exchange and cooperation.

2. Cultural exchange and creative collision: Explore the cultural exchange and creative collision that may occur in the process of cross-cultural music creation. For example, how musicians from different cultural backgrounds learn from each other, draw on each other's musical elements and creative skills in the process of collaborative creation, so as to create unique and charming music works. By analyzing the process of cultural exchange and creative collision, we can reveal how music creation has become an important means to promote cultural diversity and communication and interaction.

3. Expression of cultural symbols and meanings: Explore how music, as a way of expressing cultural symbols and meanings, plays a role in cross-cultural music creation. For example, how some musical works with national characteristics use musical language and forms of expression to show the local cultural traditions and values to the world. By analyzing the expression of cultural symbols and meanings, we can gain a deeper understanding of how music creation has become an important medium for spreading culture and promoting cultural identity.

4. Cultural Industry and Economic Development: Analyze the role of music creation in promoting cultural industry and economic development. For example, how some successful cross-cultural music cooperation projects drive the development of the local music industry, promote employment growth and economic vitality. By analyzing the relationship between cultural industry and economic development, it can be revealed how music creation has become an important force to promote economic growth and sustainable development.

As a form of cultural expression, performing arts and music creation, which integrates traditional and modern elements, has injected new vitality into the cultural exchanges and cooperation of the Belt and Road Initiative. Through in-depth research and practical exploration, we can better explore the points of convergence between tradition and modernity in performing arts and music creation, and make greater contributions to the sustainable development of the Belt and Road Initiative. As a composer, I am willing to work with the US-China Cultural and Art Exchange Association to contribute to the promotion of China's cultural soft power and the strategic plan of the Belt and Road Initiative!