The summer concert series organized by the Shanghai Musicians Association Accordion Professional Committee was successfully held in Shanghai from August 20 to 23, 2025, bringing together international artists, rising youth performers, and distinguished educators for a weekend of concerts, masterclasses, and cultural exchange.
Guided by the Shanghai Musicians Association, the event was co-hosted by the Shanghai Musicians Association Accordion Professional Committee in collaboration with the Changning District Children’s Palace, the Minhang District Youth Activity Center, and the Shanghai Xuanjing Art Center.
The series included four concerts and two masterclasses:
“Outstanding Young Accordion Talents Exchange” – Shanghai Xuanjing Art Center Special Concert
“Cheng Xi · Xu Nuo (Rachael Xu): Shanghai-Sichuan Accordion Melody” – Outstanding Young Accordion Talents Visit Minhang District Student Keyboard Orchestra Concert
“Words of Light: Xu Nuo and Jin Chengxi Accordion Exchange Concert”
“Cool Practicing Summer” Concert by Outstanding Shanghai Accordion Students.
For this series, the Shanghai Musicians Association Accordion Professional Committee specially invited two young accordionists from Chengdu to perform in three exchange concerts in Shanghai. Fifteen-year-old Rachael (Nuo) Xu, an ambassador for the “Five Music Rights” promoted by the International Music Council, an NGO of UNESCO, has won numerous international awards, including second place in the Junior Pop Group category at the Castelfidardo International Accordion Competition in Italy. Fourteen-year-old Jin Chengxi, a second-year junior high student at the Affiliated Middle School of Sichuan Conservatory of Music, has also achieved many honors, such as first place in the Junior Virtuoso Group at the American Accordionists’ Association (ATG) Accordion Festival.
Both performers are preparing to represent China at the Coupe Mondiale and PIF Castelfidardo competitions. Each concert was held at a different venue around Shanghai, providing the performers with valuable opportunities to experience diverse acoustics and engage with varied audiences across the city while performing their competition programs in the virtuoso and classical genres.
Among the featured soloists were Rachael Xu, one of the International Music Council’s Five Music Rights Champions, and Jin Chengxi (Ryan), a prize-winning accordionist and recipient of the 2024–2025 Outstanding Talent Award from the Sichuan Conservatory of Music. Both artists presented a diverse selection of solo repertoire, highlighting their competition programs
Throughout the summer of 2025, young accordion learners in Shanghai dedicated themselves to practice and actively participated in various local and national accordion events. On August 20 and 22, the Shanghai Musicians Association Accordion Professional Committee selected several outstanding young accordionists to participate in masterclasses led by international guest Grayson Masefield (New Zealand), Vice Chairman of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Music Committee.
The final concert of the series, “Cool Practicing Summer” showcased the achievements of young Shanghai accordionists who participated in national competitions and artistic activities during the summer featuring a wide variety of musical styles and performance formats, with performers ranging from kindergarten to university students.
The concert also featured special performances by Shanghai accordionists Wang Xiao, Sun Jingyi, and Ren Weitao, as well as young suona player Wang Yiyuan. Particularly noteworthy was the performance of “Sadrina Dance” by Tang Chengyu and Zhu Yueying from the Shanghai School for the Blind.
A key strength of the series was the involvement of Shanghai Normal University students, who supported every stage of the events—from organisation and stage management to preparing young performers for the concerts. This hands-on engagement reflects the reflected the foundational teaching philosophy of Shanghai-style accordion education. It highlighted the emerging “teaching-creation-performance” development model adopted by Shanghai accordion educators, which emphasises not only musical excellence but also the development of stagecraft, event organisation, pedagogy, and concert design. An “accordion+” cross-disciplinary approach to demonstrate the instrument’s potential for broader artistic integration.
The concert series received distinguished attention, with attendance by Ardi Barnhard, Consul General of New Zealand to Shanghai, alongside Qin Yan, Deputy Secretary-General of the Shanghai Musicians Association, and Wang Yuan, Director of the Music Education Department of the association.
Organisation
The entire series was organised by Crystal Wang, Director of the Accordion Professional Committee of Shanghai Musicians Association, Director of the Western Music Department of the College of Music at Shanghai Normal University, Associate Professor, and Master’s Supervisor and member of the Confédération Internationale des Accordéonistes (CIA) Music Committee. Under her guidance, the concerts succeeded in combining professional artistry, youth development, and international cooperation.
