Tan Dun: on the Energy and Passion of Olympic Beijing

Tan Dun, Noted Composer and Conductor

As a conceptual and multifaceted composer/conductor, Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the worldís music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical, multimedia, eastern and western musical systems. A winner of todayís most prestigious honoursóthe Grawemeyer Award for his opera Marco Polo, Grammy Award and an Academy Award (Oscar) for the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Musical Americaís Composer of The Year.

 

Tan Dunís recent composition highlights include opera The First Emperor for the Metropolitan Opera of New York; Secret Land for the Berlin Philharmonic; Paper, a concerto for the Los Angeles Philharmonic; The Map, a concerto for cello, video and orchestra for Yoyo Ma and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

 

Based in New York, born in China, the Hunan-native Tan Dun composed music for the 2008 Olympic Bid Film and has been nominated as the musical planner for the Opening Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

 

Beijing 2008: We heard that you created a musical piece for the Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Chinese Chan (Zen in Japanese) Buddhism, and that it was praised by Jacques Rogge. Is this true?

Tan Dun: Yes. We all feel excited. This proves China’s martial arts and traditional culture are popular in the world. Since creating the music for Oscar-winning film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, I have been trying to present the Chinese martial arts in an artistic way. I hope the Beijing Olympic Games can exhibit the great charm of sports.

You’ve said that you hope all the orchestras in the world will perform your musical pieces to help spread the Chinese culture. Is this an important part of your dreams?

Right! I always try to keep in tune with the world’s development, which is challenging for my music creations. So I need to do my best to bring in novelty. For example, I just created a new musical named Tea, in which people indulge in fragrant Chinese tea in a desert in New Mexico in the United States.

In my opinion, spreading the Chinese culture to the world requires the effort of domestic and international organizations. Novel ideas can help promote its spread.

You said the Chinese culture is the source and soul of your creations. Can this also be regarded as the main reason why you are so successful around the world?

The better I do, the more gratitude I have for the Chinese culture. It is the rich Chinese culture that endows me with a magical power to perform at the Metropolitan Opera of New York, the Golden Hall in Vienna, and to perform with first-class orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic. I believe the rich Chinese culture can also lead to the success of the Beijing Olympics.

In your opinion, what role will the Beijing Olympics play in promoting the Chinese culture around the globe?

The Olympic Games will be a rare opportunity to promote the Chinese culture. We should never forget to explore it, learn from it and keep it for future generations. This is one of the most decisive reasons why Beijing won its bid to host an Olympic Games. And the Chinese culture will continue to be a major attraction for foreigners during and after the Games.

Beijing is soliciting Olympic songs. Is there any one that impresses you? Do you have any suggestions about how to create an impressive Olympic song?

First, it should embody one’s passions. I think this is the basic requirement for creating an Olympic song. Second, there should be novelty in the tunes and lyrics, vividly depicting people’s emotions about the Olympics. Third, it should combine international tastes with national characteristics.

Do you have any plans to create a theme song or other Olympic songs for the 2008 Games?

Yes. We have visited many sacred sites of Chinese culture, and we have our aspirations. The Olympic songs we create will reflect this.

What kinds of activities have you’ve taken part in that involved the Beijing Games?

I took part in creating the 2008 Olympic Bid Film that was shown at Moscow in 2001. I felt great excitement and honour at that very moment. I’m happy to do whatever I can to make contributions to the Beijing Olympics.

I have been invited by BOCOG (the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad) to be the music planner for the Opening Ceremony of the 2008 Games. I have sought inspiration from both the eastern and western cultures, and from my friends in different parts of the world. Besides creating a candidate theme song, I’m also working on music for the victory ceremonies. I’m not alone; we have a team doing this.

I’m a candidate to be an Olympic volunteer, and I am eager to do my best to make some contributions.

Have you felt any change in Beijing brought by the coming Games? What do you think of the changes?

I noticed changes have been made in the city’s environment. We can take this opportunity to improve the environment, which will be beneficial to our descendants.

Could you imagine what Beijing will look like during the Olympics?

There should be fresh air, clean environment and people with great passion. I guess the city will be full of energy and passion.

What kind of sports do you do in your spare time? Who are your favourite athletes?

I love swimming. I forget about time when swimming and I become inspired.

My favourite athletes are Guo Jingjing [diver], Yao Ming and Liu Xiang [hurdler], as I have sensed musical tempos in their movements. Now I have an idea to make use of the sounds I have sensed in their movements and to create some rock-and-roll music.

These are natural sounds featuring sports passion and energy, which are quite touching and astonishing.