99 year old Cao Peng returns to the stage and swings his stick, using music to "hug" autistic children

2024-04-02

On March 31st, the "Love in Spring - Symphony Concert of Grandpa Cao Peng and His Children" was held at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Towards the end, 99 year old famous Chinese conductor Cao Peng stepped onto the podium, lifting his hand and waving his stick like flowing clouds, completing the wonderful performances of "The Trumpet's Holiday", "The Fran ç ora Dance", and "Tequila". Cao Peng has long been renowned in the international music scene. His commanding style is grand and meticulous, and his performances reveal a profound understanding of life; For decades, he devoted himself day by day to the popularization of elegant music at the grassroots level, allowing symphonies to enter the hearts of the masses; In his later years, he harbored great love and devoted himself to using music to "embrace" autistic children and open a "window of the soul" for them. Before the performance began on that day, Cao Peng, with the help of his daughter Cao Xiaoxia, slowly sat on the conductor's chair; As soon as he picked up the baton, he immediately became energetic, skillfully flipping the sheet with his left hand and swinging the baton with his right hand, occasionally communicating with the children playing with his eyes. Most of the children playing this concert are from the Shanghai Urban Youth Symphony Orchestra, and they all love Grandpa Cao very much. In 2010, the symphony orchestra was established and recruited elementary to high school students with a certain level of proficiency throughout the city. Cao Peng, who was in his 80s at the time, personally took charge and served as the music director. Grandpa Cao, who is always with the children, seems to be full of energy. He himself also sighs, "Although my childhood is far away, it still retains a childlike innocence." There are also some autistic children from the "Angel Companion Salon.". In 2008, Shanghai Cao Peng Music Center and Shanghai Charity Foundation jointly founded the "Angel Companion Salon" charity service project, aiming to make music a link for children with autism to communicate with the outside world. On May 10, 2021, at the age of 96, Cao Peng was awarded the "Special Honor Award" at the 37th Shanghai Spring International Music Festival. When asked about his feelings about the award backstage, he expressed his hope that in the future, "Shanghai Spring" can provide a stage for children with autism. Two years later, Cao Peng fulfilled this wish in the 38th Shanghai Spring. This year, he took his autistic children to the "Shanghai Spring" for the second time. After a two-hour concert that day, the reporter met Mr. Cao in the dressing room. In front of the huge makeup mirror, Cao Lao held a cane and sat quietly in a wheelchair, pondering. There were several bouquets of flowers on the dressing table. He sighed to the reporter, "These children are really not easy!" "Collaborating with these children again at the age of 99 will be unforgettable for me in my life. I hope I can still hold a concert with them at the age of 100." Cao continued, "We don't want them (autistic children) to become musicians, but to open their hearts and help them integrate into society like ordinary people. This is my biggest wish."

Edit:Liangyongqing    Responsible editor:Liyi

Source:Chinanews.cn

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