Beijing Modern Music Festival 2009 will be open at May 20th. The festival will based on the opening and creative mind, and high international standard to organize a series of concerts, lectures, and other academic activities, which will bring the audiences many pioneer and classical compositions of modern music. 

The opening concert of this festival will be held solemnly at Beijing Concert Hall on the evening of May 20, 2009. The program includes Evening Prayer (2008), by Robert Beaser and Flos Campi, by Ralph Vaughan Williams, for cherishing the memory of Wen Chuan Earthquake of 2008; Starry Sky Piano Concerto, the commission composition by the organization committee of 29th Olympic Games, composed by Professor Ye Xiaogang and young composer Zou Hang, the piano soloist is Tan Xiaotang, the young teacher of piano department of CCOM; Pipa Concerto, a Chinese traditional instrument composition composed by Professor Ye Xiaogang in 2001, which shows the orientation of Beijing Modern Music Festival to promote the national music. Other young composers' new compositions will also be performed at the opening concert, which include Dram of Peony Garden for Kunqu vocalist and orchestra, composed by Chen Musheng, young teacher of Shanghai Conservatory of Music; and Phenomenon-the Mysterious and Unexplained for orchestra, composed by new talent Tai composer Narong Prangcharoen¡£

The other highlights of this festival are "Songs on the Horizon-Speical Concert for Chamber Music by Qin Wenchen" holding at Beijing Concert Hall at 7:30pm of May 21, 2009; and "Pink Floyd-Contemporary Music and Ballet" holding at Tianqiao Theatre in the evening of May 25, 2009.

Qin Wenchen is one of the leading Chinese composers who attracted numerous attentions from worldwide. He develops his own style with his unique music language in the contemporary music circles in China. In recent years, he received many commissions from different international music institutions. His music has been played by many music troupes at home and abroad, and is published by renowned German music publisher Sikorski Musikverlag and Beijing Jingwen records. In the concert of May 21, all the compositions are his recent chamber music works, including Pipa Words, Shadow of the Sun II & III, Songs on the Horizon, etc., which present composer's unique artistic thoughts on composition. Professor Ensemble of CCOM will be the performer of this concert. It is also the first special concert of works by one Chinese composer since Beijing Modern Music Festival has been run at 2003. 

The "Contemporary Music and Ballet" will present a high quality performance combining modern music with modern ballet together for the audiences. It is the first cooperation between the organization committee of BMM festival and the National Ballet of China (NBC). The concert includes three compositions: The Firebird, Last Paradise, and Pink Floyd. The Firebird is a new version that world-renowned master choreographer Maurice Bejart choreographed for NBC; the music of Last Paradise from the same title violin concerto by Professor Ye Xiaogang, and choreographed by master choreographer Roland Petit; and the highlight of this concert is rock ballet Pink Floyd. Roland Petit choreographed the ballet for Le Ballet National De Marseille founded by Petit himself. Pink Floyd had been performed all over the Europe and was highly commended by the audiences and critics. As the leading ballet troupe in China, some of the best dancers of NBC will present this dance work, with the music interpretation of Symphony Orchestra of NBC conducted by Zhang Yi.   

It is worth mentioning that, besides regular events of BMM festival, Beijing Modern Music Festival 2009 also designs "China Varsity Debate of Compose Students" for improving the study and composing enthusiasm of youth student composers from all over the country. The Debate is another kind of highlight during this festival. The purposes are to provide a platform for the young composers to present their positive moral attitude and assist them to explore new composition directions and inspirations through their mind communications. The Debate will be held from May 21 to May 26 at CCOM. The topics involve many aspects, such as modern music creation and dissemination, the talent cultivation, campus life, the relationship between study and employment, etc. The participants would come from the undergraduate students majoring in composition of all the music and artistic conservatories and colleges in China. The Debate sets up the first, second, third prizes and several merit prizes, with generous awards.