In anticipation of next Monday's International Women's Day, four top female musicians -- Zheng Xiaoying, Bao Huiqiao, Yu Lina and Min Huifen -- will appear together in the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Zhongshan Park on March 6.

All four musicians are the most prominent masters in their fields and winners of China's Golden Disc Award, the top prize in Chinese music. Zheng Xiaoying, the first female conductor in the country, won the national First Prize for conductors awarded by the Ministry of Culture as well as a medal in French literature and art. Violinist Yu Lina premiered the now-classic Butterfly Lovers, China's most famous violin concerto, and helped to make the work familiar to music lovers around the world. Pianist Bao Huiqiao is best known for her rendition of the Yellow River Cantata. Min Huifen is a leading erhu (two-string fiddle) player who moved European audiences to tears with her Flowing River Waters.

The appearance of these four brilliant artists together on stage is a rare occurrence.

Bao Huiqiao, Yu Lina and Min Huifen performed together in Beijing last year, but this is the first time they have appeared in the capital under the baton of Zheng Xiaoying. The four of them joined up for a concert at the Shanghai Grand Theatre last year.

On the program are the three classic works of the three instrumentalists: Butterfly Lovers, Yellow River Cantata and Flowing River Waters, all accompanied by symphony orchestra. They will also present Shostakovitch's Festive Overture and Yan Xiaoou's Women's Charisma March.

Bao Huiqiao is known for her emotion-laden, expressive work on the piano. She believes that musicians should not limit themselves to playing the classics, but must be innovative. However, says Bao, creativity today is more complex than it was in the past. Now, economic realities must be considered along with artistic quality, and creating a great work that is also a popular success requires much time and energy.

Blending Chinese traditional and folk music with Western classical music is an area of intense interest and sometimes heated debate. Min Huifen, who was inducted into the International Who's Who of Intellectuals for her outstanding erhu skills, holds the appearance of a traditional-instrument soloist with a symphony orchestra helps the world to be more receptive of Chinese music.

Zheng Xiaoying points out that many concertos, including a number of the best-known piano and violin concertos, were created during the development of the symphony. The experimental use of traditional Chinese instruments such as the erhu, pipa (lute) and suona (woodwind instrument) with orchestral accompaniment has resulted in numerous great works.

Zheng says that the rich, mellow sound of the orchestra adds an attractive depth to the playing of the traditional soloist, but one of the great challenges to composers, musicians and conductors alike is controlling the volume balance. Zheng's personal favorite is the combination of pipa with symphony orchestra, because the sound of the plucked instrument contrasts so sharply yet harmonizes so well with the accompaniment.

Concert Information:

Date: March 6, 7:30 PM

Venue: Forbidden City Concert Hall, Zhongshan Park, Beijing

Ticket Prices: 80 -- 500 yuan (US$10 -- 60)

Booking: 6559-8285

(China.org.cn by Chen Lin, March 5, 2004)