Love-song festival allows Dali music to reach global listeners

The 2026 Dali Love Song Festival was held between Cangshan Mountain and Erhai Lake in west Yunnan's Dali Bai autonomous prefecture from October 26 to 28.

At the lakeside of Erhai, the East-West Ensemble performed a concert blending Chinese and Western instrumental music. The performance featured works by composer Zhang Shuai, along with specially arranged versions of the Dali classic folk songs "Midu Mountain Song" and "A Running Brook".

Several works were also presented jointly by outstanding musicians from the China Central Conservatory of Music, with a rich instrumentation including percussion, bandoneon, saxophone, and double bass. The concert created a soundscape of resonance between Eastern and Western instruments.

According to Zhang Shuai, principal of the Middle School Affiliated to the China Central Conservatory of Music and professor of the Composition Department, they created more than ten symphonic versions of Yunnan folk songs and completed global digital distribution, releasing the songs on music platforms overseas.

"This year's Dali Love Song Festival showcases the creative achievements the team has accumulated in Dali in recent years, building a stage for local singers and top artists to have exchanges on the same platform," Zhang Shuai said.

It is the third year that Dali Prefecture and the Central Conservatory of Music have jointly held the Love Song Festival. The Dali Love Song Festival is making the folk music of Dali, Yunnan heard by listeners across the world.

Reporting by Zhang Yong (Guangming Daily); Video by Wang Jingzhong