From February 8th to 11th, under the leadership of the school's Party Secretary Cao Haixiang, the Tsinghua University High School Jinfan Folk Orchestra traveled to France to perform in the "Montargis French-Chinese Campus Art Festival Marking the 60th Anniversary of the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between France & China".
Scene of Montargis French-Chinese Campus Art Festival Marking the 60th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between France & China
During the festival, Secretary Cao Haixiang and his delegation were invited to visit Mr. Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France and a long-time friend of the Chinese people, for a friendly exchange. The Dragon Dance Team of the Jinfan Folk Orchestra also celebrated the festival together with the French youth with dragon and lion dances.
Secretary Cao Haixiang and his delegation were invited to visit Mr. Raffarin, former Prime Minister of France
Chinese and French youths celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year with dragon dance
The festival's performances were held in the magnificent opera house of the Montargis City Hall, attended by Renaud, the former French Minister of Culture; Zhou Jiagui, the Education Attaché at the Chinese Embassy in France; the Vice President of the Loire Valley Provincial Council, Camaler; the representative of the President of the Central Loire Valley region, Gabelle; the Director of the Academic Region of Orleans-Tours, Alber; and Xu Bo, the President of the Association of Friends of Wu Jianmin, among others.
Speech by Renaud, Former French Minister of Culture
Education Attaché Zhou Jiagui from the Chinese Embassy in France interacting with students from Tsinghua University High School
Speech by Party Secretary Cao Haixiang of Tsinghua University High School
The first piece performed by the orchestra, "Jasmine Flower and Twinkling Stars", was specially composed by Hu Jun, the head of the Jinfan Folk Orchestra office, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France. The piece interweaves the representative Chinese folk song "Jasmine Flower" with the French folk song "Ah! Vous dirai-je Maman" (later adapted into "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star"), and combines the konghou, guzheng with the French horn, and trumpet, symbolizing the friendship between the people of China and France.
Performance of "Jasmine Flower and Twinkling Stars"
Performance of "Dance of Joy"
Performance of "Ode to the Pear Blossom"
Encore performance of "Without the Communist Party, There Would Be No New China"
Group photo after the performance
Text & Photos by: Teachers and students of the Jinfan Folk Orchestra visiting France
Reviewed by: Cao Haixiang, Zhang Jie, Yang Rui, Cen Yifei
Proofreaders: Meagan Ray, Zhao Ran, Gao Hongchao
Edited by: Administrative Management Center
