Despite travel restrictions and isolation, students from Vancouver and China will come together to sing in unison as a part of a collaborative virtual performance, Music in the Air, which will air tomorrow.
Co-hosted by Poly Culture North America, a Richmond-based company dedicated to introducing world-class Chinese performances to Canada, and the Vancouver Academy of Music (VAM), the online concert will feature classical works, such as Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and 'Spring' from Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, alongside a Chinese performance of Mongolian Pastoral (a Mongolian folk song).
The event will culminate with a performance of The Same Song, by the VAM Symphony Orchestra and Poly Culture’s children’s chorus. The performances were recorded separately in Vancouver and China and then edited into one show.
"We are proud to have brought this incredible feat of cross-cultural collaboration to life. Although we can't see artists' faces from screens, as they all wear masks, we believe music is the most beautiful language in the world which could bring us together and lift our spirits," said Yi Chen, CEO at Poly Culture North America.
The show is also a tribute to all frontline workers who have been working around the clock to serve the local community's needs, noted Yi, adding that they hope to facilitate more performances like this in the future.
This virtual performance is also VAM's solution to global travel restrictions. VAM was forced to postpone its musical tour through China, which was scheduled to take place in July, 2020.
"It's a piece of joy, triumph and optimism. Of all times, this is the most important time to have music like this that can almost say to us, ‘We will prevail. We will be okay, and we will storm through this and finish this in happiness’," said Ian Parker, principal conductor of VAM Symphony Orchestra, adding that they will do the musical tour in China once international travel is safe again.
The online event will be available for viewing at VAM's webpage and on the social media channels of VAM and Poly Culture at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
