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A Chinese folk songs seminar successfully presented by
Professor Huicheng Yu, vocal artist of Wuhan
Conservatory of Music, at the University of Saskatchewan
On February 15, Professor Huicheng Yu, the Department Head of Wuhan
Conservatory of Music, held a “Chinese folk songs” seminar in the Convocation Hall at
the University of Saskatchewan. The College of Arts and Science, the Confucius Institute
at the University of Saskatchewan and the Federation of Saskatoon Chinese Canadian
Organizations (FSCCO) had jointly organized this seminar.
Full house
The theme of this seminar was Chinese folk songs. Professor Huicheng Yu
introduced the five regions of China, the east, south, west, north and central, by
performing the representative folk songs of each region for comparison. The
relationship between difference dialects of each region and its style was demonstrated.
According to Professor Huicheng Yu, Chinese folk songs are a vocal performance based
on Chinese languages. In order to demonstrate the artistic manner of Chinese folk songs,
which are based on regional characteristics and various vocal styles, it is crucial to
showcase singing techniques and the Chinese language, as well as to perfectly combine
the tone of local dialects. This way, the aesthetic requirement of singing with emotions
can be achieved.
Professor Huicheng Yu performed the Chinese folk song, “Climbers’ Song” (xin tian you);
Dr. Kathy Gable, Professor of the Department of Music at the University of
Saskatchewan, played the piano
Professor Yu at the seminar
Professor Yu has extensive knowledge and experience of folk songs singing. Her
lecture was popular and fabulous. She has demonstrated high levels of Chinese songs
singing techniques and her artistic charm. Her performance was highly praised by the
audience. On behalf of the University of Saskatchewan, Dr. David Parkinson, Vice-Dean
of Humanities and Fine Arts, awarded Professor Yu a letter of appointment for her
visiting professor position at the Department of Music after the lecture.
Dr. David Parkinson, Vice-Dean of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of
Saskatchewan, awarded Professor Yu a letter of appointment for her visiting professor
position at the Department of Music
After the appointment, Professor Yu specifically guided the Canadian students from
the Department of Music to sing Chinese folk songs. It was a lively lecture that was full
of laughers and applauses.
Katya, a student from the Department of Music majoring vocal performance, learned to
sing the “Love Song of Kangding” (kang ding qing ge); Dr. Kathy Gable, Professor of the
Department of Music, played the piano
Professor Yu guided Katya, a student from the Department of Music majoring vocal
performance, to sing Chinese folk songs
A profile of Professor Huicheng Yu, Chinese soprano
Huicheng Yu, Masters of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education, is a
productive and highly respected Chinese scholar and soprano vocalist in China.
Currently, she is the Chair and professor of the Voice Department at Wuhan
Conservatory of Music. She was also a visiting scholar at the music institute of Carnegie
Mellon University between 2014 and 2015, the Vice Chairman of the Vocal Music
Association of China, the Vice President of the National Vocality and Art Institution of
China, the Executive Director of the Chinese Musicians Association of Hubei province
and Vice President of the Professional Committee of Vocal Opera.
She has received the Teaching Excellence Award at the Wuhan Conservatory of
Music (2000-2013), Mentor Excellence Award from the Ministry of Culture of the
People’s Republic of China (2011), and Award of Outstanding Musician of Hubei
Province (2012).
She has been a performing soprano for solo and opera since 1979. She entered
the Wuhan Conservatory of Music in 1983, studied at Shanghai Conservatory of Music in
1985 and began teaching at Wuhan Conservatory of Music in 1986. Among the
professional groups, she won the second prize at the first year “Chinese Undergraduate
Students’ Talent Show” in 1996.
She has received many awards and prizes for her performance and excellence in
teaching, including the silver cup at the “Peacock Awards National Ethnic Arts
Competition of Voice” (1997), first place at the “Cherry Blossom Awards Competition of
Voice” (1998) and first prize at the “National New Artists Competition” in Hubei Division
(1998).
She has aired a thematic music television show, "Small farm houses" (MTV),
released the "Teaching ethnic vocal performance” album tracks (I) and (II)" (CD) and
"Huicheng Yu 2009 solo concert live" (DVD). She has published academic articles in
several national core journals, including articles titled the “Academic construction and
curriculums in folk songs singing for Masters of Arts in ethnic vocal performance” and
“Basic approaches and contents for ethnic vocal performance design”…etc. She has also
edited a number of professional teaching materials for ethnic vocal performance, such
as the “Selected songs for teaching Hubei ethnic vocal performance”. Her publication
has received the “Spring of Yangtze River Award” (first prize) and Hubei Province
Outstanding Literary Thesis (second prize).
Professor Yu has been active in stage performance. She has held solo concerts in
Wuhan in both 1998 and 2009. She has performed solo concerts, gave lectures and held
seminars on ethnic vocal performance in several professional schools and colleges,
including University of Saskatchewan, Shenyang Conservatory of Music, Tianjin
Conservatory of Music, Xi’an Conservatory of Music and Guangxi Arts Institute. She has
also performed and taught in Beijing, Hubei, Henan, Hunan, Jiangxi and
Guangdong…etc.
Professor Yu has performed in France, the United States, Canada, Singapore,
Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. She has served as an adjudicator in numerous vocal
music competitions both nationally and internationally. Her students continue to win
prizes and awards and have made successful careers in some of the leading music
conservatories, opera houses, and performing venues.