Professor Ma Qiuhua with one of her students (below). Photos: Liu Xiao

This public education program, Classic Art Lecture Hall, launched by the Bank of China (BOC) and the NCPA allows music lovers like Yan to learn how to appreciate the vocal arts from operas to harmonizing to melodic singing, as well as understanding a musical work from the singer's perspective. 

"Before we took these classes, my husband and me often came to the NCPA to listen to some concerts and we just knew that the singing was beautiful and the melody is pleasing. And now, we started to know what they're singing and their various interpretations of it. It will be better for people like us, not professional though, to understand at the next concert," said Yan, who along with husband Wang Qiang is a member of the NCPA. Since the program launched in early January, the couple never missed a class, although they must spend two hours on a bus to get there. 

Professor Ma, who is also a renowned operatic singer mainly talked about the differences between Chinese and Western operas and explained the unique charm to the audience. "They mostly know little about vocal arts so they need to learn more when appreciating concerts and operas. Professional music education is very boring and full of music terms. So after introducing some knowledge, I get one of my students to perform a selection or two to let them have a clear idea about the differences," said Ma, who has taught many Chinese singers including Dai Yuqiang, Bai Xue, Zhang Mai and Wang Li.

When talking about Chinese operas and musical dramas, Ma said that Chinese musicians need to find their own way to interpret Chinese stories. One of her students, diva Wang Li's musical drama Erquan Yin is an adaptation of the life story of a famed Chinese blind erhu (Chinese violin) player A Bing the daughter she adopted. The work is now being staged at the NCPA.
"That's one of the best interpretations of our stories. Chinese touching story-telling alongside Western musical drama. Such work can get the public involved," she said.

Professor Ma says she hopes there will be more projects popularizing art like this at other venues like the Forbidden City Concert Hall, where the public can learn to really appreciate what they are going to see.