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Event | 2025 Third London International Chinese Music Festival (📍🇬🇧)
🎵 2025 Third London International Chinese Music Festival
📅 Date: Monday 25 – Saturday 30 August 2025
🕒 Time: Varies by session (see below)
📍 Location: SOAS, University of London, WC1H 0XG 🇬🇧
🌐 Organizers: China Arts (UK), London Youlan Qin Society, and UK Chinese Music, in partnership with SOAS University of London
🏷️ Description:
The Third London International Chinese Music Festival will take place from 25–30 August 2025 at SOAS, University of London. As the only event of its kind in Europe, the festival offers expert-led tuition, performances by internationally renowned musicians, masterclasses, workshops, and concerts celebrating traditional and contemporary Chinese music.
The week-long programme features a five-day summer school (26–30 August), public concerts in London, Oxford, and Telford, grading exams and competition (29–30 August), and a yaji gathering on 28 August.
The event includes instruction in guqin, guzheng, pipa, erhu, dizi, xiao, Chinese percussion, and opera singing, with opportunities for musicians of all levels—from beginners to advanced—to engage in classes, one-on-one training, and public performances.
🎤 Notable Artists and Tutors Include:
- Prof. Zhao Xinzhi (yangqin, Xi’an Conservatory)
- Prof. Lin Weili (guqin)
- Chen Yi-Chuan (conductor/flutes)
- Dr Cheng Yu (pipa/guqin)
- Huang Ziyang (erhu)
- Michael Skelton (percussion)
- Wang Wei (Beijing/Kunqu Opera)
- Laure Chan, Adrian Wang, Li Siqian (Western classical musicians)
- Composers: Prof. Li Xinyan, Sun Keting, Ray Lin, Zhao Jiping, and others
🎼 Festival Features:
- Summer School: 26–30 August, 10:00–17:00
- Percussion Classes: 27–29 August
- Opera Singing Classes: 26–30 August
- Chinese Music Grading Exams & Competition: 29–30 August
- Concert Series
- Guqin & Chinese Music Yaji Gathering: 28 Aug, 18:00–21:00, SOAS
- Masterclasses & Workshops: Daily, covering a range of instruments and styles
- Cultural Activities: Calligraphy, Chinese Chess (Go), traditional theatre arts
🎟️ Workshops are free for registered participants and UK community music leaders (email required). Early registration is encouraged. Places are limited.
📧 Contact: info@ukchinesemusic.com
🧾 Topics: Chinese Music, Guqin, Guzheng, Pipa, Chinese Opera, Traditional Arts, Musical Education, Cultural Exchange, Calligraphy, Chinese Percussion, Contemporary Composition