Tuned in, toned up

American Augusta Read Thomas' Harvest Drum celebrates an ethnic group in Guizhou.

On his first day in Beijing, Aho was impressed by a traditional Chinese orchestra concert at the NCPA. The percussion group in the orchestra inspired him to begin his piece, Gejia, with a solo for three percussionists, two Chinese gongs and a small Chinese opera drum.

In Gejia village, the composers listened to young women singing folk songs. Aho used the melancholic melodies to ground his composition.

Before his trip to China, Currier had often been asked how China is different from the United States. Implicit in the question is that it is indeed very different, he says, and of course in many ways it is, but there are similarities, too.

"Sure, when one visits the treasures of the past like the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven, one encounters differences. But that is to travel far back in time. The more modern the context, the more similar we seem," Currier says.

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The grid structure of cities, the materials used for roads, the design of traffic lights, the modern architectural elements, all have close parallels in the US. But there is one thing, totally ubiquitous, that does remind him of the difference - and that is written Chinese. "A Westerner is immediately struck both by its aesthetic beauty and its total incomprehensibility. The piece I wrote, Quanta, starts from this observation."

Augusta Read Thomas was fascinated by the drums, legends and mythologies of the Miao ethnic group in Guizhou.

"Drums reflect many of the unique social and historical patterns that evolve throughout a culture. The rich array of artistic expressions of Chinese drum culture - sacrifice, worshiping and farming - give full expression to the vitality of the Chinese nation," she says.

China has hundreds of so-called cultural communication events and projects every year. But what is real communication? Meeting, getting to know each other, making friends and even clashing.

These five musical works are a response to China and a medium for Chinese to rethink their diverse culture.

Contact the writer at chenjie@chinadaily.com.cn.