The members of Qingdao Qi Cai Feng Male Chorus are 63 years old on average. The chorus often perform in communities and have a lot of playing fun.

    Besides more emphasis on clothes and speaking with chest resonance, they are just obscure men who are not young any more. But in the process of chorus, they are totally different in shape, any part and individual is both the leading character as well as supporting role, the voice goes up and down appropriately, the chorus is full of layers and variation, sometimes it has a tremendous momentum filled up with manhood as well as romance. Like the expression by Zhao Wei, the team leader, compared to other forms of vocal music, the chorus is mostly characterized by collectivity. Therefore it is not necessarily good when the volume is large or the tone is attractive. It emphasizes the entirety. Every voice part must be harmonious as one person sings it. Only this way can it become a good chorus.

    The chorus has the most leading expertise in Qingdao

    Every Wednesday evening, in the elderly activity center on the 4th floor of the Qingdao Mingzheng Mansion, a few old boys are divided into 4 groups according to different voice parts. They hold the songbook and rehearse happily in terms of musical form, structure, tonality, rhythm, and tone color. Every face is filled up with joy and gratification.

    As Zhao Wei, the team leader, is practicing middle two-part, he deals with the specific issues of the group. This private entrepreneur who was born in 1948 is very easygoing as well as inspiring. In the process of practicing chorus, every person respects each other. Mutual respect and cooperation exist between team members, voice parts, team members and commander, chorus and music instrument players. Under the leadership of Zhao Wei, old boys have learned “obedience”, which means all individuals must follow the team, members must obey the commander, and the commander must bow to music score. As a result all members can enjoy the fun and touch when the music is interpreted correctly.

    As the chorus level continues to improve, team members have more and more expectations for the commander. Yang Yong is the 4th commander. Off the stage Yang Yong looks very gentle. However his burst and control is unimaginable when he appears and hears the music on the stage. He used to be the leader of the performance group of the Shangdong provincial military region and has been engaging in music creation, art planning and chorus command since 1973. So far, he has won many honors.

    Cao Wei, the piano accompany, graduated from the major of piano of Sichuan Conservatory of Music. Tan Jisen, the vocal music director, graduated from the major of vocal music of Jilin Conservatory of Music. Without any exaggeration, Qi Cai Feng Male Chorus is the most professional in the field of chorus in Qingdao. In recent years the chorus have won the gold award in chorus three times in Beijing and Shenyang. They are also bound up in public performance and bring the charming music all over cities.

    Old boys from Qingdao can seize the music pulses

    The chorus is a collective vocal music art, which can gather the voice of many team members, broaden the voice range, and strengthen the power. Because of the individuality and uniformity, the chorus becomes more and more touching.

    Lu Qiushun looks very inconspicuous. No one can imagine that he is the master hand in singing high-pitched voice. When singing Xi Bu Fang Ge, he led the chorus to sing “Clattering Yellow River Water, Sons and Daughters of the Yellow Soil Follows the Step of the Sun”. His coloratura vibrato and extremely explosive high-pitched voice can instantly manifest the characteristics of Xin Tian You (a kind of Shanxi local melody) to the listeners. Stretching force and depression coexist and desperation is mixed with expectation. Every morning Lu Qiushun comes to the Little West Lake in Zhongshan Park to practise his voice. His voice tone is so high-pitched and ear pleasing that it can pass to very far places across the water. Passers-by often stop to listen and cannot help giving praise in their heart.

    Wang Rongquan, 51-year-old, is the youngest in the chorus. He used to work for media. Before joining the chorus, he has obtained many awards in the employee singing contests and was full of self-confidence. Once he joined the chorus, he was astounded. “Too many hidden talents in the chorus. Many people can sing when picking up the song book even though the songs are not very familiar.” Wang Rongquan starts to intentionally strengthen the control on breath, sounding, resonance and expression. Through practice and thinking, he continues to broaden the voice range and beautify his voice tone.

    If we say the solo pursues individuality, chorus seeks commonality. Chorus is an entirety art. Commonality is emphasized on the basis of individuality. Only in this way the voice in chorus can possess simultaneously depth, breadth and many dimensions and the artistic spirit of works can be manifested. People who have seen before the performance or rehearsal of Qi Cai Feng and all feel that the size, the essence, and pulse of the music so that the personality of different music works can be revealed. Finally the music is passed to the audience in the form of beauty and arouses the same feelings. Wang Zhanyun

    (1. Zhao Wei, the team leader, is easygoing as well as inspiring and elegant.

    2. Yang Yong, the commander, looks extremely agile and charming in music.)