The ongoing 2016 Morningside Music Bridge celebrates its 20th year through July 29 in Beijing, with more than 20 recitals by alumni of the program. They include internationally celebrated Chinese pianist Wang Yujia and pianist Wang Xiaohan, who is now a professor of the Central Conservatory of Music, and Tian Bonian, principal cellist of the Gurzenich Orchestra in Cologne, Germany.

Morningside Music Bridge is a summer classical music training program for advanced violin, viola, cello, piano and clarinet students, ages 12-18. Young musicians from around the world learn from top international instructors, perform in public venues, and participate in concerto and chamber music competitions.

"Lots of Chinese alumnus of the program graduated from affiliated middle school of Central Conservatory of Music," says Yu Feng, president of the conservatory.

One of the concerts will be given by China Philharmonic Orchestra on July 11 in Beijing.

According to Li Nan, president of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, 80 percent of 127 musicians in the orchestra graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music and some of the musicians participated in the Morningside Music Bridge program.

"The one-month-long program delivers an inspirational atmosphere to encourage long-term artistic growth," says Li.

Renowned pianist and educator Zhou Guangren participated in the Morningside Music Bridge program for several years.

"The program allowed not just Chinese students to learn from Western musicians but also motivated Chinese teachers," says Zhou.

"Music has been described as the international language — it nourishes a sense of national and international community among these motivated young musicians who will make and keep classical music alive for generations to come," says program administrator Mamie Silva in Beijing.

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