On December 14, 2024, composer and soloist Mao Junhao alongside the Major Ensemble presented the concert “River of Time” at the Beijing Yifang Concert Hall as part of Major Ensemble’s music season. The performance featured a blend of classical and contemporary works, offering a reflective journey through time and memory.

Composer & Accordionist Mao Junhao is a PhD candidate in accordion performance at the Central Conservatory of Music. Mao has achieved numerous accolades, including the First Prize of the Klingenthal International Accordion Competition in Germany, recognition from the China National Arts Fund, and titles such as “Top-notch Innovative Talent” from the Central Conservatory of Music and recipient of the first “Hanergy Artistic Talent Fund” as well as the “Baogang Education Fund Award”.

The evening opened with Arvo Pärt’s “Frates”, performed by Mao Junhao and violinist He Shucong, delivering a flowing and evocative melody that conveyed the depth of friendship. Saxophonist Li Pei joined Mao Junhao for C.P.E. Bach’s “Sonata in G Minor” (BWV 1020), where their dynamic interplay created a rich, classical charm.

Wen Ziyang’s “Beethoven in China,” a three-movement work performed by saxophonist Li Pei, cellist Luo Lun, pianist Liu Jiaheng, and Mao Junhao. The piece seamlessly fused traditional and modern elements, bridging Chinese and Western musical traditions.

Mao Junhao’s original composition, “Remembrance – Concerto for Accordion, Piano and String Orchestra,” was the centerpiece of the evening. Inspired by his time at the Shenzhen Art School, the piece reflected fragments of his youth through vivid harmonies and textures. Mao Junhao used specific harmonies and sounds to carefully depict fragments of his own memories: the first movement cleverly incorporates classic melodic elements from Rachmaninov’s “Vocalise” and Chopin’s “Nocturne”, which is quiet and sad, and gazes quietly in the depths of time; the second movement is filled with a strong nostalgic flavor, bringing the audience into a specific movie shot, like a dream; the third movement combines jazz rhythms with materials from Cantonese music “Step by Step” and “Colorful Clouds Chasing the Moon”. Mao Junhao said: “The music I want to express is related to time, temporality, and individual memory.”

In the second half of the concert, Liu Yuhui’s “Qian Tong – for Bayan and String Orchestra”, inspired by Ninghai Pingdiao gongs and drums, evoked the natural beauty of mountains, rivers, and streams. Astor Piazzolla’s “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” and Richard Galliano’s “Tango pour Claude” further enriched the program, with stunning performances by the accordion, saxophone, piano, and the Major Ensemble Orchestra, broadening the cultural landscape within the concert hall.

The evening concluded with Carlos Gardel’s “Por Una Cabeza”, showcasing Mao Junhao’s versatile bayan artistry and his ability to seamlessly navigate a cross-genre repertoire.