Once the list was published, the Central Conservatory of Music was commissioned to collect information for later text, sound publication. Then the first published plan was on the “People’s Daily” overseas edition. On June 5 1993 in Beijing, the official awarding ceremony was held at the Great Hall of the People. Representative works from Mainland China, Hongkong, Taiwan were performed at the opening ceremony.

In previous sections, we have covered Songs, Choir and Operas. You probably had difficulty in enjoying them since they are all vocal music in Chinese language. Since today, the other sections are going to be mainly instrumental music. Hopefully it will be easier for you to enjoy them.

But the organizers made a fatal mistake to use the “classic” word. “Classic” has the meaning of artistic value. “Classics” are naturally formed. It is obvious that to generate “classics” by ballot would be impractical. Who votes? What criteria? In what way? there are endless questions. If we only selected “the most representative works of each era”, perhaps we can have a more objective identification criteria.

Today Chinese music lovers are able to recite complete scores from Bach to Brahms’s; Books such as “Guide to Western Classics”, “300 Western Classical Music” fill the music section of bookstores and personal bookshelves. When it comes to Chinese music, most people would look at each other, without much to talk about.

Chinese lack of awareness of their own music as a whole because that Chinese music had never been in a systematic order, which needs a prerequisite for a broad knowledge of understanding.

Chinese contemporary music started in early 20th century. In July 1992, when the end of 20th century was approaching, then-fresh-established non-government organization Chinese Culture Promotion Society (CCPS) initiated an exceptional “Chinese Music Classics of 20th Century” Award, covering global Chinese community.

This award is aiming to summarize the achievement of Chinese music in the 20th century. The results of 124 award winners were released in November 1992.