In the afternoon of April 8th, the 31st Shanghai Spring International Music Festival Press Conference was given in Shanghai Music Hall. Ms. Song Yan, the Secretary of the Leading Party Group of Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Deputy Chief as well as Deputy Directors of Committee of Shanghai Spring International Music Festival. Mr. Xu Shuya, President of Shanghai Conservatory of Music as well as Deputy Director of Committee of Shanghai Spring International Music Festival. Mr. Wang Yiqun, Deputy Secretary of the Leading Party Group of Shanghai Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Secretary General(executive) as well as Chief of Staff of Committee of Shanghai Spring International Music Festival. Mr. Zhang Minquan, Secretary of Party General Branch of Shanghai East Radio Company as well as Deputy Secretary General of Committee of Shanghai Spring International Music Festival, were present at the press conference, as well as responsible persons from main sponsors and supporting units. The conference was hosted by Mr. Wang Yiqun. 　　

　　During this musical festival, there will be 57 brilliant musical and dance performances presented by musicians, dancers and groups from over dozen counties such as China, America, Russia, Germany, France, Italy, Romania, Poland, Austria, Singapore and Holland. There will be opening ceremony, closing ceremony, 9 performances from new works and new musicians. 12 performances will be from renowned groups and individuals. 11 exclusive performances from abroad performers. 3 programs of dance families ; 20 performing and exhibition programs. 5 contests. 1 forum, 2 festival of festival and 8 mass cultural activities.

　　Opening Ceremony - Shining Star of the Golden Bell

　　The grand opening of the 31st Shanghai Spring International Music Festival will be held in Shanghai Grand Theater at 19:15 on April 28th, 2014. The opening ceremony concert of ‘Shanghai Spring Festival’of year 2014, will be in cooperation with China Musician Association, and to invite young musicians who were golden prize winners of China Golden Bell Award to perform on stage. Some excellent young musicians from Shanghai, such as Zhang Qianyuan, the golden prize winner of Suo Na contest from the 7th Golden Bell Award; Zhu Hao, the golden prize winner of Piano contest from the 7th Golden Bell Award and Zhang Jinru, the golden prize winner of Violin contest from the 8th Golden Bell Award, together with other nationwide performers, such as Wu Na, the golden prize winner of Folk Singing from the 5th Golden Bell Award; Song Xinxin, the golden prize winner of Gu Zhen contest from the 6th Golden Bell Award; Yan Guowei, the golden prize winner of Er Hu contest from the 9th Golden Bell Award; Huang Xunguo, the golden prize winner of Folk Singing contest from the 9th Golden Bell Award; Wang Lida, the golden prize winner of Folk Singing contest from the 7th Golden Bell Award; Wang Hongxing, the golden prize winner of Vocal Singing contest from the 5th Golden Bell Award; Zheng Jie, the golden prize winner of Vocal Singing contest from the 8th Golden Bell Award; Wang Chunyue, the golden prize winner of Vocal Singing contest from the 9th Golden Bell Award. All above musicians will be the main performers during the opening ceremony. They will present excellent works such as‘I Love You, China’,‘A Harmonic Society’,‘Love in China’and so on, with a combination of the theme‘China Dream’. This concert had specially invited Xu Peidong as its Artistic Director, who works as Secretary of the Party Group Branch of Shanghai Musician Association, accompanied by Shanghai Symphony Orchestra. And well-known Chen Shuoyang will be the conductor. Liao Changyong, a famous baritone from Shanghai will be a special guest to perform in the concert. The opening ceremony aims to combine artistry, nationalism and nature of the epic, with coexistence of exquisite and nobility. It serves to express thoroughly the theme of the festival which is to promote new musicians and to keep up with the times. Also, it is display of the mind of an international metropolis who is willing to embrace others and to explore the world.

　　New Works from New Musicians - Gathering of Excellent Original Works

　　To promote new works and new musicians with original works has always been the theme of Shanghai Spring Festival since its first day of existence. Through the means of commissioned works and collected selections, festival of this year organized 9 performances as showcases of highest level of domestic original works and new musicians. Among which includes 5 high quality performances from Shanghai Conservatory of Music such as Concert Series of Future Musicians, Contemporary Music - the dialogue between‘South’and‘North’, the outstanding Chinese chamber musical works, and great symphonic music concerts, etc; Serial concerts of‘New Dream of the Sea’tailored by Shanghai Musician Association; Poetry Art Song of Fan Zeng, Liao Changyong Solo concert, Solo Concert of Gao Shuqin, minority singer from Yunnan province, and so on. Forms of the performances are versatile which covers domains such as Symphony, Chamber music, orchestral music, folk music, vocal music, and piano etc. The repertoire contains classical pieces of Western music, as well as unique and ever-lasting folk music of our nation.

　　Renowned Groups and Individuals - Gathering of International and Domestic Masterpieces

　　Shanghai Spring International Music Festival of this year has invited some renowned groups and individuals which enjoy fames both domestically and internationally, such as Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and Shanghai National Orchestra etc. With 12 classical programs, the concerts will be able to lead the audience to renew those classical melodies and wonderful music pieces, to present the grace of domestic guru and famous groups. with full exposure to the professionalism and high quality of this musical festival. In addition, groups and musicians from America, Russia, Germany, France, Italy, Romania, Poland, Austria, Singapore and Holland will give 12 performances. Among which there will be concert from world top symphony orchestra - Boston Symphony Orchestra, as well as concert from Europe leading contemporary music group, the New Music Ensemble of Holland. The musical concert from young Russian pianist Vitaly Pisarenko and concert from Saison, the principal harpist from Opéra Garnier of France, are reflection on the broadness of mind and good manners in Shanghai culture regarding the co-existence of diversity.

　　Dance Performance- Co-dance of Classical and New Works

　　Since the 29th Shanghai Spring Musical Festival, the return of dance sector had made the festival again a feast of both music and dance. Festival of this year will present 3 dance repertoire with artistry, Ornamental value and avant-garde. From which there will be ground-laying piece of Chinese ballet‘the White-haired Girl’as well as Modern ballet session of‘Dream Back to Shanghai’, an interpretation piece of variegated downtown Shanghai. The experimental theater of Shanghai Theater Academy, with joint efforts from Dance department of Shanghai Theater Academy and Shanghai Opera House Dance Group will host the little ballet of‘My Country’, wrote and produced by Dong Jie, teacher from Dance department of Shanghai Theater Academy, as a way to actively foster Shanghai’s young dance choreographer and to hatch new original works.

　　Mass Cultural Activities - Joint Focus on Professionalism and Popularity

　　The mass cultural activity from Shanghai Spring International Musical Festival of this year is consist of festival of festival, music concerts, and contests etc. From May 1st to May 3rd , the Orchestra Festival as co-organized by Shanghai Spring International Musical Festival committee and the People’s government of Yangpu District will present Opening Parade, Orchestra Carnival, Closing Ceremony and Performances,‘China Cup’the 8th Amateur Excellent(Symphony)Orchestra Exhibition and Performance, together with other activities and a bundle of charity and non-profit performances. An estimated participants will be over 3,500 people. Worthy paying attention to is that, besides retaining the key programs, the orchestra festival of this year will construct with full focus on“Orchestra Carnival’with joint efforts from Pudong District, Xu Hui District, Huangpu District and some rural districts, in order to let more citizens be able to participate in the festivals activities. Han Tang’s non-profit performance sessions will co-operate with Musical School of Shanghai Normal University and Shanghai Conservatory of Music, to maximize the coverage and society influence of the festival, by means of non-profit performance in Shanghai Grand theater, with masters’classes and campus tours. Moreover, the 31st Shanghai Spring International Musical Festival will provide sessions of excellent musical and dance works of children and the contest, exhibition and performance activities of new works and new musicians from Shanghai Mass Cultural activities of year 2014‘Shanghai Spring’(including musical, dance,theater and opera).

　　Contest and Forum - To Stimulate Creation

　　Musical festival of this year will organize 5 contests which are Weibo/WeChat Piano Contest for Chinese Worldwide, the 3rd Digital Audio Competition, the 5th Bai Chuan Award Composition Contest, China Cup International Ballroom Tour - Shanghai Tour and the 6th East China Professional Dance Contest. Among which, Weibo/WeChat Piano Contest for Chinese Worldwide aims to take full advantage of the features of Weibo and WeChat, eg its globalization, popularity and real-time effects, to demonstrate the artistic works of Worldwide Chinese pianists in a wider, deeper and more influential way. Currently, the accumulated registers have reached over ten thousand, with participants from over dozens of countries such as China, America, Canada, France, Britain, Russian and Austria, among whom the youngest is 3 years old and the most senior is 93 years old. The final of the contest is planned to be held in Shanghai in May. The 3rd Digital Audio Competition will hold its new works’concert in Shanghai Music Hall on May 10th . This concert will invite experts and professional teams from relevant fields to joint hands and to rearrange and produce the excellent original musical pieces. Also, domestic top bands as well as top stars will be invited for live performances. The 5th Bai Chuan Award Composition Contest will take place in He Luting Concert Hall on May 10th ,and New Music Ensemble of Holland will be invited to present their brilliant interpretation and illustration on elaborate creations from young composers .‘The 6th East China Professional Dance Contest’and‘China Cup International Ballroom Tour - Shanghai Tour’, both heavy weighted contests will group the professional dance talents of East China, as well as outstanding ballroom dancers nationwide. With its fierce competition, the contests will surely provide the dance lovers a feast to enjoy.

　　The musical festival of this year will conduct also‘the Music Review and Current China Show Business Development Forum’. By inviting experts and scholars from relevant fields, industrial operators and media workers, based on current status of China musical performance, issues on the music review, market fostering, media propaganda and so on will be discussed together. Ideas and references for the development of Chinese musical performances and musical reviews market will be provide.

　　Closing Ceremony - Exquisite Ending with Italian Operas

　　The 31st Shanghai Spring International Music Festival will draw its curtain in the evening of May 18th. And the closing ceremony will be held on Shanghai Culture Square at 19:15.

　　After the simple yet solemn closing ceremony, two Italian operas‘Cavalleria Rusticana’and‘Pagliacci’will be performed with full passion from Italian Bellini Opera House. Like Teatro alla Scala in Milan and Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Bellini Opera House is viewed as Italian national level Opera House. Many famous musicians such as conductor Chino Marienus, soprano Toti dal Monte, and tenor Pavarotti had all performed on Bellini’s stage. Cavalleria Rusticana is an one-act opera, from which many wonderful aria and beautiful melodies are loved by opera fans. Pagliacci is a two-act opera, wrote and composed by Leoncavallo. The opera sets its background in south of Italy to present the daily lives of the commons. The concert will be conducted by the Artistic Director and its Principal Conductor of the opera house, Chinese conductor and pianist Xu Zhong. With the flavor of authentic Italian opera, it will add an exquisite ending for 2014 Shanghai Spring International Festival with artistic beauty from fusion of western and eastern.