Military bands of China, France stage joint music performance

The Orchestra of the Republican Guard and the Military Band of the Chinese People's Liberation Army gave a joint performance in Beijing on Sunday, one day before the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Sino-French diplomatic relations.

"It is the first time that I have worked with Chinese musicians. ... It's very exciting to play with musicians who are so different," said veteran conductor Francois Boulanger, one of more than 60 visiting musicians from the French military orchestra.

This is the first time that the two countries' military bands have performed together.

"I don't think there has been a mix like this before with two orchestras," Boulanger said. "It is an exchange of arts and sincerity."

During the 90-minute concert, the bands played music that included Carmen by the French composer Georges Bizet, and Good News from Beijing Reaches Border Villages by Chinese composers Zheng Lu and Ma Hongye.

Zou Rui, head of the PLA military band, said the concert was a prelude to a series of activities to mark the historic moment on Jan 27, 1964, when France became the first Western country to establish full diplomatic relations with China.

"We wish to give you our tradition, and we hope you learn more about us and have more contacts with France," Boulanger said, calling for more Chinese musicians to play in France.

The Chinese and French militaries have maintained high-level and regular exchanges, and seen fruitful achievements in fields such as staff training, according to a news release from the Chinese military on Sunday.

The joint concert will further promote the two militaries' mutual understanding and respect, it said.

Isabelle Boureau-Post, the administrator of the Orchestra of the Republican Guard, said the language barrier made it difficult for the two countries' musicians to communicate, but didn't affect the music. "It's important for our countries and our armies" to have a good relationship, Boureau-Post said.

France is politically important for China, said Wu Baiyi, a researcher on European studies with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

"France plays a very important role in Europe, China-France ties and cooperation can contribute as an example for China's relations with other European countries," he said.

The French orchestra will perform again in Beijing on Monday, and then travel to Shanghai for a another show on Tuesday, said Sylvine Santin, assistant communication-production of the French orchestra

Contact the writer at zhaoshengnan@chinadaily.com.cn