12 Girls Band: Innovating Traditional Chinese Music

By+staff+reporter+MA+HUIYUAN

ON October 17， 2014， the 12 Girls Band performed successfully at the Oriental Theater in Changchun， capital of northeast Chinas Jilin Province. Their show was a feast for the eyes and ears： 12 exquisitely dressed beauties performed classical pieces， such as Liberty and Radetzky March on traditional Chinese instruments like the yangqin （hammered dulcimer）， pipa （four-string Chinese lute）， erhu （a two-string violin）， bamboo flute， xiao （a vertical bamboo flute）， hulusi （cucurbit flute） and the duxianqin（a single-string instrument）. The performance also boasted high-tech elements， with a modern stage and an advanced light and sound system. The Chinese music was spiced with elements of jazz， Latin， and rock and roll. Inside the packed theater， the performers received wild applause for their innovative folk music.

The Wonder

Founded in June 2001， the 12 Girls Band is a popular art troupe that combines classical Chinese instruments with modern popular music. The players come from prestigious Chinese art academies， such as the Central Conservatory of Music and the China Conservatory. Studying under the great masters of traditional music， they are experts in instrumental music.

The first concert of the 12 Girls Band， Charm， was held in Beijings 21st Century Theater in 2001， and immediately became a sensation in musical circles. In 2003， the band began to perform abroad. Their album was first introduced in Japan， with first-day sales exceeding 10，000 records and outnumbering one million within two months. The band was more famous in Japan than in China. In 2004， the band toured Southeast Asia， including Singapore， Malaysia， Thailand， and Indonesia. Later that year， its album Eastern Energy was launched in North America and reached 62nd place in the Billboard 200 in its first week， becoming the highest ranking Chinese music in the North American market. Based on this album， the 12 Girls Band was nominated for the Best New Artist and Best World Music Album at the 47th Grammy Awards. They also created a resurgence of classical Chinese music during their two tours of North America.

“Although traditional Chinese folk music is not predominant at home or abroad， it has a tremendous market space. Foreigners are curious about ex- otic music， and gradually come to enjoy it，” said Yang Yi， the bands agent， explaining the popular interest in Chinese folk music in an interview with China Today.endprint

“Beautiful and talented， traditional and trendy， outgoing and indigenous，” is how the band hopes to be seen. “We are pioneers of this kind of performance，”Yang Yi said. “We have been criticized for the way we interpret traditional Chinese music， and have been accused of trivializing Chinese traditional folk music with pop. But I think these controversies prove our popularity. Every culture requires diversity. Our success stems from the transformation of Chinese folk music and its originality. More importantly， we present the spiritual outlook of Chinese youth on the world stage.”

Innovation

The popularity of the 12 Girls Band represents a true renaissance of traditional Chinese music. New folk music is characterized by a mixture of Chinese instruments， style and rhythms with Western music. The band has revitalized folk music through innovations in audiovisual effects and high technology.

Most people consider traditional Chinese folk music monotonous. Solo instrumental performance is an important component of Chinese music. Traditional performances are associated with social events like weddings， funerals and religious rites. Works of the 12 Girls Band subtly combine diverse types of traditional instruments to create many-layered sounds. The orchestration and arrangements are most suitable for stage performance， and the varied melodies suit public tastes.

With modern techniques， new folk music manages to make the most of its strengths and overcome its weaknesses. Much progress has been made in amplifying volume， unifying tones and improving timbre. At the same time， the introduction of electro-acoustic accompaniment enriches their expressiveness. The 12 Girls Band has made successful innovations， as embodied in works like Miracle.

The band is also remarkable for stage design and costume. The 12 elegant Chinese girls are a splendid spectacle in their own right. But， breaking from the tradition of seated performances， the girls perform in well-arranged standing or seated positions. By virtue of modern stage design and fashion， the band subtly changes its style： sometimes classic and elegant， while at others modern and vivacious. Known as “visual music，” they have achieved a major innovation in traditional music and visual appeal.

According to Yang Yi， the works and performances of the 12 Girls Band are specially adapted to contemporary tastes， facilitating the popularization of traditional folk music. In Yangs view， to carry forward traditional Chinese folk music， the first step is to popularize the music form， and then cultivate popular interest. By integrating with Western popular music， the 12 Girls Band has won the hearts of Chinese youth.endprint

Controversy and Difficulty

The 12 Girls Band is not the first to innovate classical music. Their works provide food for thought on how to renew traditional music while maintaining its spirit and independence. “Development is a crucial factor of classical music. All members of our band participate in recreating music. In other words， we constantly strive for a better interpretation of the music through our instruments and technique. Our musical forms not only preserve the traditional culture， but also integrate with modern popular elements， which is how we distinguish ourselves.”

The 12 Girls Band has carried forward Chinese traditional music culture and contributed to the guidance， enlightenment and popularization of folk music education. However， the band has also received criticism. Some said that their works are not sufficiently developed， lack traditional color， or are too commercial. To these complaints， Yang Yi replied： “We should consider this phenomenon from a wider perspective. The first step in the revival of traditional music is to make it known to everyone. This is not possible without innovation. The rapid development of modern pop music is beyond imagination. As a private cultural enterprise， our business is our only source of development. Our band receives no government support. Fortunately， our music has been accepted by the majority. The enthusiasm of our fans proves that we are on the right track.”

“The music of a nation is part of the worlds music. We need to popularize traditional Chinese music in China before we advance in the wider world. Then classical music will return and find its own charm，” said erhu player Xu Hui， a former member of the band.

Currently， the bands main headache is protecting its intellectual property rights. “At least 80 copycat bands have performed throughout the country. These groups play our music and lipsynch without our consent. This is a real threat to our development， “said Yang Yi.“However， we will make great efforts to expand the domestic market. Fortunately， at present no other bands can copy our unique style of performance.”endprint