China is invading the West not by investing its money in Defence but by strengthening its cultural base. Consevatories are touching the skies everywhere and the facilities are lavished with almost no regard of cost. “The young generation deserves the best”. That’s the attitude of the elders of the tribe.

Yale has 300 Chinese students and 296 scholars. “ China is the center piece of our music studies”, says the administrator. And a young cellist, Jian Wang, is slated to take over as director of Cello studies at Yale. His concerts and recordings send critics looking for superlatives. The soul in his playing is an experience. Chuanyun Li won the first prize at the age of 11 at the fifth Wieniawski International Youth Violin Competition by a unanimous vote of 20 judges from 11 countries on a cheap violin. Rave reviews cling to him like a second skin. His performances are breathtaking. And Lang Lang has hit the very top with his cd’s and dvd’s always ranking within the top twenty and also taking the first position in the charts. His sold out concerts are in high demand all over the world.

What has brought about this successful focus on music and what can we learn from it?

They all started poor with limited resources. Yet they have scaled the heights.

During the Cultural Revolution the people of China were cut off from Western music and Literature. They all walked in the groove ploughed in a cultural desert. Has the deprivation brought about a new determination? The Chinese people after the seventies were really eager to know what is going on in the West. Most of the enthusiastic parents did not have a cultural background. The teachers inculcated discipline and technical mastery but as Lang Lang says “They know nothing about Beethoven or Mozart. For them, piano is going to make music”. The determination of the students to study hard is impressive. They practice day and night, even in a shop window if necessary. China is not only the fastest growing economy in the world but has the largest number of ambitious students studying music. There are over 20 million students studying the piano, the number one instrument in China. The interest in traditional Chinese instruments trails behind.

Lang Lang’s return acquired the status of a hero’s welcome. The airport lobby was thronged by fans mainly kids, their intense voices reaching out with “Lang Lang , I love you”, “Welcome home , brother”, hands thrusting cd’s for autographs. Not copies but originals. He is a symbol of the China’s cultural conquest of the West. For Land Lang, it was “a recharging of batteries”, coming into contact with his roots and growing. Tomorrow’s super power acknowledges its sons and they like to repay the debt.

People of all ages waited all night outside the Shenyang Conservatory in -20 0 C to attend his master class. Not everybody can squeeze in but for those who did not get in, there was an icy seat by the window, eagerly grabbed. Nobody wants to miss out. They are all lit up, excitement burning in their hearts, leaning forward, keen to absorb everything. The rapture on their faces brought tears to my eyes. This is what music is all about. A commitment, a surrendering of self, a love. Do we have it in Goa? What’s the attendance at master classes? Why do we study music? One wonders.

Seeing the youngsters play Chopin or Liszt made me sit bolt upright. The technical prowess was stunning. The music was in their fingers faultlessly. The Chinese don’t need to be told to practice. Their curiosity shapes their perfection. Do we strive for at least that level? Or are we cosy with our mediocrity? I have sat through so many inadequately prepared performances here in Goa.

Lang Lang wants to stretch them beyond this accomplishment, commenting: “But they were lacking in imagination”…“they need to discover how to connect with the music personally.” “Being a musician, you cannot be lazy with your mind. You are the key person. You must live, feel the music. It must be a part of you”. The suggestions are eagerly taken on board. The striving for excellence is exemplary. In Goa , one cannot venture a suggestion for improvement without a questioning challenge.

“Teachers must be friends sharing, inspiring you to find your connectivity with the music”, Lang Lang persists. “It’s not enough asking for more passion in your playing. They must explain how and why.” Avid listening to music takes top priority. Do our students make time to listen to performances not only of the set pieces but of all music pushing their love beyond the narrow confines of examinations and their instrument?

Yes, we have much to admire and learn from the Chinese explosion on the musical firmament. From total lack, have they risen to stardom. We have talent, the musical environment. We need the resources, an awareness and involvement of organizations including the Government. But most of all we need the nurturing hand of schools, teachers, parents and the fully focused love of our young talent. Can we not emulate the Chinese who have climbed to the top despite poverty, cheap or makeshift instruments and absence of a Western cultural background?