Asian folk music resonates in Longgang

Musicians and artists from Asian countries, such as Indonesia, Georgia and India, put on an Asian music gala in Longgang Auditorium on Tuesday night as part of the 2019 Shenzhen Belt & Road International Music Festival.

The concert kicked off with the melody of a popular Chinese song, "Olive Tree," adapted and performed by Indonesia’s Surya Gamelan Orchestra, which was established in 2010.

Accompanied by traditional Indonesian musical instruments and the voices of Indonesian singers, the performance delivered an exotic and unique experience for the audience.

Gamelan is a type of orchestra spread widely across the Indonesian islands of Java and Bali. It consists of various sets of tuned metal instruments.

Two Bollywood singers from India, Somchanda Bhattacharya and Shubham Banerjee, staged a performance in three chapters with different themes. The romantic performance gave rise to strong reactions from the audience, which also started interacting with the artists on the stage.

A total of six singers from Geo Folk Tour of Georgia put on the final performance featuring ethnic elements. Geo Folk Tour was founded in 2011, but the singing culture in the country has a history of about 8,000 years.

A traditional shadow puppet theater from Indonesia called Wayang attracted the children the most at the music gala. Wayang was designated a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2003.

The Belt & Road international music festival will run through April 14.