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.

something special: Hulusi duet by two American girls
In the video above, the two girls playing hulusi duet are sisters from California, USA. Meilin and Sulin Gray’s mother is a Chinese. When Meilin was 13, she made a bold decision herself to come to China and learn Chinese and Chinese culture.

Grown up an active Californian girl, Meilin is gifted in performance art. She can sing both English and Chinese songs; she can play both western and Chinese instruments; she can sing both Peking opera and Shaoxing opera … Overall, she is …

Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon
In 1932, Ren Guang, a great Chinese musician, was the director of programme department of  record company EMI (Shanghai). At that time, together with another famous Chinese musician Nie Er, he wrote a number of Chinese orchestral music for an album by EMI Chinese orchestra. “Colorful clouds chasing the moon” is one of them, composed in 1935.