CHINA-ARTS: Change, Change on Arts Front Leaves Some Behind

By IPS Correspondents Reprint | | Print |

Zhou Meiyue

BEIJING, Nov 26 1996 (IPS) - One year after graduating from the Central Music Conservatory, 23-year-old Fan Wei got a job. Not just any job: Fan was appointed acting first clarinettist in the newly founded China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO).

“This would have been impossible even last year,” says Fan. Up to then, CNSO’s functions were being carried out by the Central Philharmonic Society (CPS). Things were different then on the Chinese arts scene, and particularly in the area of classical music.

“Both second and third clarinettists are much more senior musicians than me. The second, Ho, is in his 50s. His student was my teacher in high school,” says Fan.

In the changes now underway, seniority is being downplayed in favour of artistic attainment judged through auditions.

Fan won his seat in the CNSO after he impressed the discerning ears of a panel of leading artists. In the “may-the-best-person- win” selection procedure now employed, candidate-musicians play anonymously behind screens and outside the panel’s view. This is designed to ensure that the best person is selected and connections do not play a role in the process.

Eighty-two musicians (average age 33) were eventually hired by the new CNSO. Rather then being given jobs for life, each signed two-year contracts.

“CNSO grew out of CPS,” says Zuo Yin, deputy general manager of the orchestra. “About 60 percent of the CNSO players used to work for CPS.”

Their artistic director and conductor, Chen Zuohuang, once worked as musical director and conductor at the Wichita Symphony Orchestra and Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra in the United States.

Similar reforms have been completed in 12 other artistic ensembles and troupes under the Ministry of Culture. The 13 troupes or ensembles was reduced to 10 and the total number of employees declined from 5,000 to 2,800.

“Gone are the days when the life tenure system strangled many talented artists’ creativity, reducing them to idle away their time and waste the government’s money,” says Liu Zhongjun of the Reforms Office of the ministry.

Liu stresses that it is not simply a matter of downsizing. The process is part of a strategy to rationalise art development and ensure the evolution of each troupe.

As part of the reforms, Central Opera Theatre and Central Ballet Troupe have been combined into China Opera and Ballet Theatre. Both use Western styles in their performances. The two had been joined but were separated in the 1950s. In the early 1960s they cooperated to perform classic operas such as ‘Red Detachment of Women.’

The Central Song and Dance Ensemble and China Light Music Society were also merged, into the China Song and Dance Ensemble. And the Yongjin Pingju Opera Troupe was disbanded because pingju — a local opera from north and northeast China — was considered to have little nationwide appeal and the troupe was poorly managed.

Seven other ensembles were reorganised as part of the sweeping changes. These included the China Beijing Opera Theatre, Oriental Song and Dance Ensemble, China Opera and Dance Drama Theatre, Central Nationalities Orchestra, Central Experimental Modern Drama Theatre, Chinese Youth Art Theatre, and China Children’s Art Theatre.

“For years we wanted to slim down these groups,” says Liu, “but the problem was our responsibilioty for thousands of elderly artists who needed support — they were generally against us changing things.”

At the beginning of the year more than half those employed in the 13 troupes were over 40 years of age.

Critics said while the previous system provided a cushion for aging artists, it dampened the creativity of capable ones. And irrational accounting and ticketing practices ensured the more a group performed the greater its losses. As a result, the 13 troupes limited the number of their performances and artists took on second jobs.

Social security arrangements were put in place for artists displaced as part of the reform process. Two centres were set up in February 1996 to find new talent to replace those dismissed. One would provide for those who failed auditions and thus lost their jobs, the other for retirees.

“We called it ‘digging a ditch before drawing off water’,” Lie says. “For, generally speaking, any new selection system couldn’t be launched until social provisions to cover unemployment, health care and old age were in place. The centres were established to do just those things.”

“Only after opening the two centres did we start conducting auditions,” Lie says.

Staged over 40 days, the auditions were taken seriously by entrants — jobs were on the line. Many artists practiced playing, singing or dancing well into the small hours of the morning. When residents in the vicinity of some troupes complained to the ministry about night noise the ministry put up neighbourhood notices asking locals to be understanding.

More than 1,400 artists entered the auditions. The oldest was 59, the youngest 16.

“A number of less-talented people were rooted out,” Liu says, “but it was sad to see some gifted artists failing after having neglected their talents in recent years. And a few good artists didnt enter for one reaon or another.”

A total of 1,328 artists passed including many unknowns who for the first time had the opportunity to get noticed. Fan Wei, the clarinettest, was among them.

But the process also left many artists looking for work. The Talent Centre of Culture and Art has offered to help. Early retirement is being offered to those who qualify. They will receive social support from the Service Centre of Retired Artists.

Zhao Jichang, a veteran musician himself, has taken on the job of Talent Centre director. “More than 140 people have registered here,” he says. “I’m a kind of match-mater, helping them to find new jobs.”

Zhao keeps those registered aware of suitable job openings in Beijing and other parts of the country. While organising activities for those displaced, the centre offers medical service to retired artists who are paid an average of 84 US dollars per month in pension. The ministry also issues a bonus activity fee of 120 dollars.

CNSO’s inaugural concert season from early September 1996 to the end of May 1997 will comprise symphony concerts, popular concerts, chamber music and special concerts for Asian musicians.

Initial feedback from audiences and the music business alike has been encouraging. Manfred Neuman, conductor and horn player from Germany, who came to Beijing at Chen Zuohuang’s invitation to help CNSO with rehearsals for their first concerts, gave the new orchestra high praise.

“CNSO’s string section is the number one in Asia,” he said.

Polygram, the giant recording comapny, has offered the orchestra a contract to produce CDs. “PolyGram is known for signing up the best orchestras in the world. CNSO is obviously regarded as fairly promising,” says Sun Zhaoshen, assistant general manager of the orchestra.

CNSO made its debut concert on Sep. 6, 1996 at Beijing’s 21st Century Theatre. “My wish has fainally come true,” Li Delun, a senior conductor who used to work with CPS, said after the final curtain. “Our hope of catching up with other orchestras in the world is no longer a dream, but a probability.”