Beating their own drums

When we think of music, our minds are often filled with the melodies and harmonies produced by various instruments. One category of instrument that stands out for its unique and captivating sounds is percussion. From drums to cymbals, tambourines to marimbas, percussion instruments span a wide range of forms and sizes.

In 2010, percussionist-conductor Li Biao, along with the National Centre for the Performing Arts, had a bold idea to launch the first NCPA Percussion Festival, hoping to highlight and popularize these instruments. Over nine days, percussionists from around the world staged various shows at the NCPA, allowing every corner of the grand venue to be immersed with rhythmic beats.

Now, 14 years later, the festival, which is held every two years, returns. On Aug 29, Li announced that the 2024 NCPA Percussion Festival is bringing an exciting celebration of rhythm from Saturday to Oct 7.

Under the theme "Dragon Soars Across the Seas", the festival will showcase diverse percussion performances from artists and ensembles from around the world, including 11 from China, Brazil, Germany, and Denmark.

This year, the festival opens with a concert by the China National Traditional Orchestra on Saturday, with musicians displaying the charm of traditional Chinese percussion instruments, such as the folk gongs and drums of Jiangzhou, Shanxi province, and Xi'an Guyue, a type of music integrating drums and wind instruments, which has been played in China's ancient capital of Xi'an, Shaanxi province.

"If you've always been captivated by the rhythm and energy of percussion instruments, then you're in the right place, whether it's the primal beat of the drums or the intricate sounds of the xylophone," said Li at the NCPA in Beijing on Aug 29, adding that he still recalls the exciting moments when the first festival was launched. "If you hope to discover something new about percussion instruments that you may have never experienced before, then you are in the right place too.

"I didn't expect the warm feedback from the audience since, for many people, percussion instruments can only be seen in orchestras, rather than being staged as a solo instrument," he says. "We explored different types of percussion, highlighting their unique characteristics and roles in various music genres. People kept coming back to the festival. Some have been with us from little kids to young adults, which is a very rewarding experience for me."

Li started out as a xylophone player at the age of 5, when he lived in Nanjing, the capital of East China's Jiangsu province. At 12, his talent and sense of rhythm convinced his teachers and parents to send him to the middle school of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. In 1988, he became one of the first Chinese students of percussion instruments to study abroad on a government scholarship in Moscow.

Li immersed himself in Europe's rich musical history and culture, learning Western classical percussion instruments and modern music with jazz musicians and symphony orchestras. In 2003, he joined as faculty of the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin, and two years later, returned to Beijing to establish a percussion instruments' department at the Central Conservatory of Music and launched his band — Li Biao Percussion Band.

On Oct 4, the Li Biao Percussion Band will stage a concert at the outdoor space of the Beijing Performing Arts Centre — a newly launched venue of the NCPA — featuring young Chinese percussionists led by Bai Weiqi, a student of Li, now teaching at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing.

"In the beginning, we launched the band only hoping to keep the students busy during the summer vacations. As more and more students joined in, we started to perform around the country and even abroad," says Li, noting that many percussion instruments are well-suited for group playing, fostering teamwork and collaboration in ensemble settings. The energetic and often loud nature of percussion can be exciting and motivating for young learners, encouraging continued interest in music.

"When a percussionist strikes a drum or a cymbal, they transfer energy to the instrument, causing it to vibrate. It is magical," says Bai, adding that the concert will feature contemporary music pieces, displaying the versatility of percussion instruments. "We will offer a mix of solo, ensemble, and experimental performances to keep the audience engaged with different styles and sounds.

"There will be opportunities for audience to participate, such as drumming workshops and interactive performances, making the experience more engaging," Bai adds.

On Aug 29, Bai also led the audience to experience the simplest percussion by letting people clap their hands to beats. With physical activity, the music-making experience is dynamic and engaging.

On Sept 24 and 25, two concerts will be staged featuring music pieces composed or adapted by Liu Heng, principal percussionist of the China NCPA Orchestra, with chamber music ensembles of various sizes. One of the original music pieces composed by Liu is titled Vermilion Bird, for solo marimba, inspired by the mythical creature of heaven in ancient Chinese mythology. Liu will also perform his composition, Face to Face, which is a music piece for two performers. Liu's wife, percussionist Ni Ranran, will join the performance. With percussion instruments, including a standard drum set and bongo drums (a pair of small single-headed Afro-Cuban drums), the music piece portrays the scene when two people meet, argue and compromise.

One of Li's longtime friends, Danish percussionist Gert Mortensen, will join the festival. During the closing concert on Oct 7 at the NCPA, he will perform I Ching (The Book of Changes), a four-movement piece for solo percussion, which, inspired by the classic ancient Chinese book of divination, was written in 1982 by Danish composer Per Norgard.

Other highlights of the percussion festival will be concerts by classical guitarist Yang Xuefei and percussionist Zheng Yu, and China National Peking Opera Company, presenting excerpts from classic Peking Opera that showcase rhythmic percussion instruments, like the bangu (a small drum for beating time) or daluo (big gong). The highly stylized performance art, which is about 200 years old, incorporates singing, acting and martial arts. Percussion instruments are widely used in Peking Opera performances.