The 4th Beijing Traditional Music Festival and 7th Beijing Park Festival Arena Contest opened in the Temple of Heaven on October 3, 2012. On this occasion, the OUC co-sponsored the “2012 China Community Music Education Summit” together with China Conservatory and Community Education College of Chaoyang District.

The summit thoroughly explored innovative models of community music education under the theme “Bringing Traditional Music Back to Contemporary Life”. Zhang Shaogang, Vice Secretary of the OUC Party Committee, delivered a keynote speech entitled “i-Experiment: Community Education Model Innovation”.

Xie Jiaxing, head of the China Conservatory Music Research Institute and Executive Director of Arts for the Beijing Traditional Music Festival, chaired the opening ceremony of the festival. Director Li Song of the Ministry of Culture Ethnic and Folk Art Development Center and President Zhao Talimu of China Conservatory both made speeches explaining the significance of the 4th Beijing Traditional Music Festival and arena contest. Vice Secretary Zhang Shaogang cut the ribbon for the opening ceremony along with other distinguished guests including Yang Xiaodong, Director of the Temple of Heaven Park in Beijing, and Qiao Jianzhong, Vice Director of the Art Committee of Beijing Traditional Music Festival and former head of the Music Research Institute of China Academy of Arts. The arena contest lasted four days from October 3-6, and attracted many of Beijing's folk art lovers with its seven competitions, including original folk songs, folk musical instruments, folk dancing, operas and quyi music. Winners of the competitions were honored to attend the award concert held at the China Conservatory on October 20.

By Song Wenyi, Ministry of Education Community Education Training Center