High school bands rock
By Fei Lai |
July 27, 2012, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
HIGH school in China is a time for relentless study and any spare "musical" time is typically devoted to the piano, violin or a traditional Chinese instrument - skills that will look good on their university applications.
Rock music isn't on the agenda and many traditional parents still consider rock and roll to be incomprehensible noise and rockers to be rebellious and headed down the wrong road in life. Ergo, not for their kids.
Fortunately, there are exceptions and rock enthusiasts of all ages will be able to attend a free rock concert by high school bands on July 30 at Shanghai Tongji University. It's the second annual BRR (for Brian, Robbie and Regina, the three founders) Shanghai High School Music Festival. Seven bands will perform varieties of rock, punk and heavy metal over two hours. Last year around 1,000 fans showed up.
The show aims to provide a platform for high school rockers, where they can showcase their talent, connect and network with others, cooperate and maybe link up to form new bands.
It's organized by the BRR Shanghai High School Music League, a nonprofit student organization established by BRR in 2010 when they graduated from Southwest Weiyu Middle School in Shanghai. All the three founders were members of the NeverLand local band during their middle school days.
It was right after a farewell performance for their graduation that Robbie, or Xu Qifei, decided to form a league to help high school rockers around Shanghai find a home where they could perform and share music with their peers. He was joined by Brian (Xu Xiaoxiu) and Regina (Yu Xiaomi).
"Sometimes, the league can even play a matchmaking role, helping young rockers with the same musical interests to form a band," Xu tells Shanghai Daily.
"It's a big problem for many young rockers to find peers playing the same kind of music at their own school. The league will help them connect," he adds.
Exchange platform
The league has attracted more than 200 high school rockers in Shanghai and encompasses around 20 bands. It provides a platform where young musicians can perform, exchange ideas and learn, and where new talent can be discovered and encouraged.
Concerts are always free. Xu says going commercial is a violation of the young rocker spirit.
After founding the league in 2010, Xu graduated and went directly to Washington University in the United States. He studies environmental science and is back in Shanghai for the summer.
Since he had planned overseas study, he wasn't pressured to pass China's grueling National College Entrance Examination. That gave him more time for music and for founding his organization. But those who must take the exam and score well are under pressure throughout high school years, giving them less time for music.
Xu says many young rock enthusiasts are excellent students who get high scores. "They haven't lost their direction in rock music. On the contrary, music is a way for them to release pressure, express themselves and focus on dreams," Xu says.
Expanding the league
At Washington University, Xu formed a band called Chief-A Chief-A.
Xu hopes to find a Chinese high school student who can lead and expand the league.
Songwriter Huang Boyang, 21, was among the first to join the league and calls himself the eldest. He's a junior majoring in the hospitality industry at Purdue University in the US state of Indiana.
Three years ago Huang uploaded one of his songs to the Internet and it got the attention of the league founders who approached him. At the time there were only around 20 students in the group.
"At first, I just joined it for fun. But later, I found it was a pioneering project that can help all young rockers grow together," Huang says. "It makes dreams of stage performance come true. High school is the right time to play rock. What we have is only passion."
At this time last year the BRR music festival featured famous English rock songs, and Huang remembers performing Kris Allen's "Heartless" and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours."
Huang calls the league "a big family" and says he will follow its development, even when he starts working. He hopes to launch a similar rock festival next semester at Purdue, in West Lafayette, Indiana.
"We Chinese don't get as many opportunities to learn rock as American students do. Our league inspires me to have a similar festival at my university where students from all over the world can perform and watch," Huang says.
"Young people should do what they need to do," he insists.
This year founder Xu hopes the audience will do more than just watching, as they did last year. "I hope those who really love rock can join in and have fun," he says.
Bands are rehearsing at Zuoyao Music, a practice space in Yangpu District where each practice room charges around 20 yuan (a little over US$3) per hour.
Musicians and others support the event and the league with donations.
BRR Shanghai High School Music Festival
Date: July 30, 6:30pm
Venue: 1129 Hall, Shanghai Tongji University, 1239 Siping Rd
Rock music isn't on the agenda and many traditional parents still consider rock and roll to be incomprehensible noise and rockers to be rebellious and headed down the wrong road in life. Ergo, not for their kids.
Fortunately, there are exceptions and rock enthusiasts of all ages will be able to attend a free rock concert by high school bands on July 30 at Shanghai Tongji University. It's the second annual BRR (for Brian, Robbie and Regina, the three founders) Shanghai High School Music Festival. Seven bands will perform varieties of rock, punk and heavy metal over two hours. Last year around 1,000 fans showed up.
The show aims to provide a platform for high school rockers, where they can showcase their talent, connect and network with others, cooperate and maybe link up to form new bands.
It's organized by the BRR Shanghai High School Music League, a nonprofit student organization established by BRR in 2010 when they graduated from Southwest Weiyu Middle School in Shanghai. All the three founders were members of the NeverLand local band during their middle school days.
It was right after a farewell performance for their graduation that Robbie, or Xu Qifei, decided to form a league to help high school rockers around Shanghai find a home where they could perform and share music with their peers. He was joined by Brian (Xu Xiaoxiu) and Regina (Yu Xiaomi).
"Sometimes, the league can even play a matchmaking role, helping young rockers with the same musical interests to form a band," Xu tells Shanghai Daily.
"It's a big problem for many young rockers to find peers playing the same kind of music at their own school. The league will help them connect," he adds.
Exchange platform
The league has attracted more than 200 high school rockers in Shanghai and encompasses around 20 bands. It provides a platform where young musicians can perform, exchange ideas and learn, and where new talent can be discovered and encouraged.
Concerts are always free. Xu says going commercial is a violation of the young rocker spirit.
After founding the league in 2010, Xu graduated and went directly to Washington University in the United States. He studies environmental science and is back in Shanghai for the summer.
Since he had planned overseas study, he wasn't pressured to pass China's grueling National College Entrance Examination. That gave him more time for music and for founding his organization. But those who must take the exam and score well are under pressure throughout high school years, giving them less time for music.
Xu says many young rock enthusiasts are excellent students who get high scores. "They haven't lost their direction in rock music. On the contrary, music is a way for them to release pressure, express themselves and focus on dreams," Xu says.
Expanding the league
At Washington University, Xu formed a band called Chief-A Chief-A.
Xu hopes to find a Chinese high school student who can lead and expand the league.
Songwriter Huang Boyang, 21, was among the first to join the league and calls himself the eldest. He's a junior majoring in the hospitality industry at Purdue University in the US state of Indiana.
Three years ago Huang uploaded one of his songs to the Internet and it got the attention of the league founders who approached him. At the time there were only around 20 students in the group.
"At first, I just joined it for fun. But later, I found it was a pioneering project that can help all young rockers grow together," Huang says. "It makes dreams of stage performance come true. High school is the right time to play rock. What we have is only passion."
At this time last year the BRR music festival featured famous English rock songs, and Huang remembers performing Kris Allen's "Heartless" and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours."
Huang calls the league "a big family" and says he will follow its development, even when he starts working. He hopes to launch a similar rock festival next semester at Purdue, in West Lafayette, Indiana.
"We Chinese don't get as many opportunities to learn rock as American students do. Our league inspires me to have a similar festival at my university where students from all over the world can perform and watch," Huang says.
"Young people should do what they need to do," he insists.
This year founder Xu hopes the audience will do more than just watching, as they did last year. "I hope those who really love rock can join in and have fun," he says.
Bands are rehearsing at Zuoyao Music, a practice space in Yangpu District where each practice room charges around 20 yuan (a little over US$3) per hour.
Musicians and others support the event and the league with donations.
BRR Shanghai High School Music Festival
Date: July 30, 6:30pm
Venue: 1129 Hall, Shanghai Tongji University, 1239 Siping Rd
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