Cultural and artistic exchanges

Winter brews time, and the years pass peacefully. To expand the school's international cooperation channels, promote international art exchanges, enhance the capabilities of art teachers, and open up new paths for professional development, Dr. Dong Rongcan, President of the Sino-US Cultural and Artistic Exchange Association and a Chinese American, and his delegation recently visited the school and gathered with our teachers and students at the Steinway Concert Hall to hold a piano salon event entitled "Using Art to Compose Life".

Dr. Dong Rongcan shared his life experiences on his musical journey: His family was poor during his childhood, but his musical dream remained deep in his heart. The joy he felt upon first seeing a piano as an adult became the seed for his later musical achievements. He graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1981, studying under the renowned Chinese composer Professor Chen Gang (composer of the violin piece "Butterfly Lovers"). In 1985, he went abroad alone to study, earning both a Master's and a Doctoral degree in Music. He was the first Chinese musician to hold a solo concert of his works at Carnegie Hall in New York. On his musical path, he earned opportunities through diligence, and after achieving success, he repaid his country with love. From working at a nursing home in Pudong New Area to donating to the Wenchuan earthquake relief efforts, and then to promoting ethnic music culture, his sincere patriotism deeply moved the teachers and students present.

Full text from the official WeChat account of "Qingdao Preschool Teachers College" >>

On the occasion of International Children's Day 2023, on the morning of June 1st, the "Voice of the Rivers - Hearts and Love Go Hand in Hand" piano music salon by Dr. Dong Rongcan, a Chinese American, was held in the activity hall on the second floor of Bole Piano Store in Zhenjiang. The event was hosted by the Zhenjiang Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and the Zhenjiang Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and organized by the Zhenjiang Musicians Association and the US-China Cultural and Artistic Exchange Association. This is another musical feast presented to returned overseas Chinese, their relatives and compatriots in Zhenjiang, and music masters in Zhenjiang, following the "Voice of the Rivers" Zhenjiang Overseas Chinese New Year Concert in 2022.

It is understood that Dong Rongcan has long been engaged in higher education, music creation, and Sino-US cultural and artistic exchanges. He has held 12 solo concerts in Shanghai, Sichuan, New York, Salt Lake City, Los Angeles and other places. He has authored and produced a large number of musical works and videos, and has organized Sino-US campus cultural interactions many times, building a rainbow of friendship and love for cultural and artistic exchanges between China and the United States.

Full text on Kingsoft.com >>

On May 30th, Mr. Dong Rongcan, a renowned composer, pianist, and president of the US-China Cultural and Artistic Exchange Association, was a guest speaker at the School of Management's Aesthetic Education Forum, where he shared his legendary musical journey. Nearly 70 faculty and students from the School of Management attended the lecture, which was hosted by Wang Limin, Secretary of the Party Committee of the School of Management.

Accompanied by a beautiful piano melody, Dong Rongcan shared her story of pursuing her musical dreams, expressing her longing for her homeland and a profound homesickness. Drawing on her personal learning and work experiences, Dong Rongcan introduced her eventful yet fulfilling artistic journey, imbued with deep patriotism, gratitude for her parents' upbringing, and appreciation and respect for her teachers' guidance and support. Dong Rongcan encouraged the young students to be filled with "belief," "hope," and "passion," hoping they would persevere and reach the other side of their dreams. After the presentation, Dong Rongcan engaged in a lively interaction with the audience, prompting the students to reflect on their lives and future aspirations.

Full text of the Jiangsu University School of Management website >>

The Idaho International Dance and Music Festival, originally named the Idaho International Folk Dance Festival, is a collaborative event between the Rexburgh Chamber of Commerce and Brigham Young University. Founded in 1985, it has hosted over 300 groups from around the world and attracts more than 80,000 visitors annually, earning it the title of the sixth largest arts festival in the United States. Every summer, the entire city mobilizes, opening its doors to families and welcoming artistic groups from around the globe.

Since its inception, the festival has maintained a long-term cooperative relationship with the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC). CFLAC has sent more than ten groups to participate, including the Shaanxi Provincial Song and Dance Troupe, the Shanxi Provincial Song and Dance Troupe, the Shenzhen Modern Dance Company, the Beijing Dance Academy, and the China Coal Mine Art Troupe. In 2007, the festival's 20-year contract with CFLAC ended, and it signed an exclusive partnership agreement with the US-China Cultural and Artistic Exchange Association.

Time flies, and 15 years have passed in the blink of an eye. The association has invited the Gansu Dunhuang Women's Dance Troupe, the Ordos Song and Dance Troupe, the Shanghai International Studies University Art Troupe, the Shanghai Normal University Affiliated High School Wind Orchestra, the Shanghai Xuhui High School Dance Troupe/String Orchestra, the Beijing No. 65 Middle School Golden Sail Art Troupe, the North China Electric Power University Art Troupe (visited abroad 4 times), the Beijing Second Foreign Language University Art Troupe, the Capital University of Economics and Business Folk Music Band/Dance Team, the Beijing Jiaotong University Dance Troupe, and the Hangzhou Youth Acrobatic Troupe to participate in the Idaho International Arts Festival. The five-star red flag has been raised time and again at the opening ceremony of the international arts festival.

The dance troupe is composed of outstanding singing and dancing talents from primary, high school, middle school, and elementary schools across Utah. They undergo intensive training and rehearsals at the prestigious Galaxy Dance School in Utah, with music and guidance from renowned choreographers and experts. They are working diligently to provide a high-quality and spectacular performance for the Chinese audience. The troupe includes Andres, the 2019 World Dance Competition champion who received a perfect score from judge Jennifer Lopez.

Most of our efforts pertaining to this program involve studying new approaches and developing innovative ways to implement them. We evaluate our success in this field by gathering qualitative and quantitative data, and using that information to measure shifts and changes from our baseline measurements.

Opening dance: "Active Life"Where there is life, there is hope.

From June 1st to 12th, 2018, the American Youth and College Students Art Troupe visited several Chinese universities, including the Fengxian Conference Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, Shanghai Business and Foreign Languages Vocational College, and North China Electric Power University, attracting more than 20,000 teachers and students. The entire performance was also broadcast live online, garnering over 500,000 views.

The art troupe mainly consisted of nearly one hundred members from three units: the world-renowned Brigham Young University delegation, the Utah Latin Folk Dance Troupe full of South American flair, and the energetic Utah Valley University Street Dance Troupe. With diverse artistic presentations and unconventional performance styles, they presented a magnificent feast of song and dance to Chinese teachers and students.

Part One: Discovering DISCOVERIn a child's eyes, life is bright and moving.

Among them, "Doorway" features modernly dressed men and women dancing lightly, showcasing contemporary youthful energy; "Cape Canaveral" features exotic female vocals paired with sky-clear music, and the dance of men and women presents us with a picture of a mountain landscape; "Argentina Medley" features men waving bright red capes and women holding up dark blue skirts, creating a striking contrast.

[Sanmenxia] The US-China Cultural and Arts Exchange Association, together with the University of Utah Valley Choir, conducted cultural exchanges at our college (Sanmenxia Vocational and Technical College).

Recently, Mr. Dong Rongcan, President of the Sino-US Cultural and Artistic Exchange Association, led a delegation of nearly 40 teachers and students from the University of Utah Valley, USA, on a friendly visit to our college at the invitation of Sanmenxia City. They were warmly welcomed by our faculty and students. Both sides spent an unforgettable time in a warm and friendly atmosphere, further strengthening the friendship between students from both universities and writing a significant chapter in the friendly exchanges between the two countries and schools. (The left picture shows Chinese and American students making dumplings together, experiencing Chinese culture.)

On March 18th, faculty and students from the School of Digital Arts and Media held an academic exchange activity with the University of Utah at the International Lecture Hall of the Changqing Campus of Shandong University of Arts and Design. During the event, they delivered lectures on "Digital Art and Cultural Communication" and "Music Appreciation in Animated Films." Professor Raymond Temas-Jones, Assistant Vice President and Dean of the College of Arts at the University of Utah, Editor-in-Chief Yu Tianzhu, Dr. Dong Rongcan, Dean Gu Qunye of the School of Digital Arts and Media, Vice Dean Wu Xiangyang, and over one hundred faculty and students from the Digital Media Art and Animation programs of the School of Digital Arts and Media participated in the event.

Professor Raymond pointed out that the purpose of his trip was to expand cultural and artistic exchanges with the faculty and students of Shandong University of Arts and Crafts. He highly praised the teaching facilities and museum collections of Shandong University of Arts and Crafts, and showcased the charm of the University of Utah College of Art in a short film.

Editor-in-Chief Yu Tianzhu, as a cultural and artistic communicator, shared her experiences and insights in disseminating digital art and culture. She believes that art forms can be digitized, and that digital art possesses excellent communicability and media value, enabling collaboration across various fields. She also pointed out that "culture is the soul of art." Yu Tianzhu discussed the importance of cultural soft power, illustrating her experience in using art activities for cultural dissemination, and expressed regret that much of excellent traditional culture has not been disseminated overseas.