On March 18, the Second Forum on Vision and Mission of Music Education, hosted by the Qingdao Academy of Educational Sciences and organized by The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao (YMSQ), was successfully convened at our campus. This year’s forum centered on “Music Education and the Cultivation of Exceptional Talent,” featuring keynote speeches, roundtable discussions, masterclass demonstrations, and collaborative concerts. The event established an international platform for musicians and educators to exchange pioneering educational philosophies, share innovative teaching methodologies, and demonstrate talent development outcomes through Sino-foreign cultural dialogues.
The forum attracted nearly 300 participants, including musicians and educators from prestigious institutions such as The Hotchkiss School (USA), Mozarteum University Salzburg (Austria), and Qingdao University, alongside distinguished principals, teachers, and orchestra directors from primary and secondary schools throughout Qingdao. Officials from the Qingdao Municipal Education Bureau and the Education and Sports Development Center of Qingdao West Coast New Area also attended the forum's activities.
President Lu Siqing declared the forum open and delivered a welcome speech, noting that since the inaugural forum, many of its outcomes have been successfully incorporated into the school's teaching practices. He emphasized the school's commitment to sharing quality resources more widely as a public service, benefiting more schools and students and contributing to the development of the “Island of Music.” Moving forward, YMSQ will collaborate with a broader range of domestic and international partners, deeply opening the school's educational resources through a series of innovative approaches to continuously advance music education for young people.
The forum featured a series of keynote addresses by leading experts. Fan Tingliang, Music Researcher at the Qingdao Academy of Educational Sciences, delivered a speech on “The Mission and Challenges of Basic Music Education in Nurturing Exceptional Talent.” Professor Fabio Witkowski, Head of the Visual and Performing Arts Department, Director of the Student Orchestra at The Hotchkiss School, discussed “The Value Objectives and Practical Effectiveness of Music Education in Top American High Schools.” Sun Rui, Party Secretary of Qingdao No. 9 High School and distinguished Qilu Principal, presented on “Aesthetic Education in Chinese High Schools: Best Practices and Perspectives.” Professor Thomas Rosenkranz, Music Director of Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, spoke on “Redefining Music Education: Inspiring Innovation and Expression.” These presentations offered diverse perspectives on the value and objectives of youth music education, innovative talent cultivation methods, and successful practices. During the forum's roundtable discussion, Professor Gisele Witkowski from The Hotchkiss School (USA), Professor Xu Fei, Head of the Keyboard Department at The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, Professor Andrea De Vitis of Classical Guitar from Mozarteum University Salzburg (Austria), and Xin Weiguo, Party Secretary of Chengyang Experimental Middle School and distinguished Qilu Principal, focused on practical issues in music education and cultivating top innovative talents. They shared their experience and wisdom with participating teachers and explored innovative approaches.
In addition to these discussions, the forum hosted seven specialized masterclasses covering violin, piano, cello, classical guitar, brass, woodwinds, and chamber music, along with three open courses on conducting, composition, and harmony. Attendees had the opportunity to observe and engage with 15 internationally renowned music educators, exploring cutting-edge pedagogical techniques.
Participants praised the forum for its academic depth, wealth of information, and high-level discourse, highlighting the new perspectives and innovative teaching methodologies it introduced. In particular, the specialized masterclasses showcased the world-class faculty, advanced pedagogical approaches, and extensive international collaborations of The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao, leaving a lasting impression on attendees.
The closing concert, held in the Menuhin Hall, gathered all participants for a spectacular musical celebration. Faculty and students from the school performed alongside musicians from the Qingdao Teachers’ Wind Orchestra and Choir, piano faculty and student representatives from The Hotchkiss School, and a mandolin virtuoso from Italy. The program featured a diverse selection of classical repertoire for strings, piano, wind instruments, and chamber ensembles, blending academic excellence with artistic brilliance. A special highlight of the evening was a stunning performance of “Seven Spanish Folk Songs” by President Lu Siqing and Associate Professor of Classical Guitar Wang You, which captivated the audience and brought the concert to a thrilling climax.
The event received extensive media coverage from Qingdao Television, Dazhong Net, iQingdao, New Yellow River, and Peninsula Metropolis Daily, among others. Reports praised the forum’s high academic caliber, diverse content, and forward-thinking impact, noting its role in Qingdao’s continued development as a “Island of Music.” The Yehudi Menuhin School Qingdao’s efforts in pioneering youth music education were widely recognized as a model for holistic education and artistic excellence.