This Chinese singer is all set to perform in Mumbai this weekend!

Ma QijunPopular Chinese vocalist Ma Qijun who has performed on international stages and earned the moniker of Fancy Little Queen of Music learnt Shaoxing Opera the second most popular form from over 360 opera genres in China when she was only 11 This weekend she will perform ancient Chinese melodies under the gilded ceiling at the Royal Opera HouseHowever Qijun has also planned a surprise She will also croon two classic Hindi songs for the very first time mdash the soulful Aajao Tadapte Hai Armaan Awara 1951 and the Kishore KumarAsha Bhonsle number Yeh Raatein Yeh Mausam Dilli Ka Thug 1958 The Chinese have special love for Indian movies soaps and songs Hindi songs often make their presence felt in mobile ringtones and at Chinese functions says the musicianQijun is part of a concert titled Silk Roads IndoChina Music Festival named after the ancient network of trade routes that were integral to cultural exchange through regions of Asia It has been hosted by the nonprofit Musicians Federation of India MFI with an aim to foster cultural exchange with their Asian neighbourThe seed was sown last year when China Music Association invited our delegates to discuss the concert tours They were exposed to folk traditional and classical music genres of the country and they began to practise pieces with Chinese artistes shares Kishor Jawade general secretary of the federation The result was the first edition of the fest hosted in three cities mdash Ahmedabad Nagpur and Raipur mdash last year This event marks the second editionThe lineup features eight artistes from China who will present solo pieces on traditional Chinese instruments like the guzheng and pipa They will also collaborate with Indian musicians Ratish Tagde violin Sunil Verma flute Amit Chaubey tabla and Jawade percussion for a unique jugalbandi Along with the Indian artistes Nash Naubeart from USA an acclaimed flautist and student of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia will perform too he informs adding that the team is also planning an IndoChina folk festival by the end of the yearMeet the artistesChen FengChen Feng Invited to perform in Italy Thailand Hong Kong and Macau as part of symphony orchestras Feng plays the erhu a twostring instrument that resembles a violin but sits on an artistes lap It is played with a bow that would originally be made from bamboo and horsehair while the soundbox would be covered with snakeskinChen YuqiChen Yuqi Training since she was four Yuqi plays the pipa a fourstringed Chinese instrument with a pearshaped wooden body The artiste has performed with many Chinese orchestras and participated in several music competitionsCao YanliCao Yanli The artiste has been playing the guzheng since she was five Its a plucked instrument with over 16 strings and a history dating back to 2500 years A faculty member at the Guangdong Literature And Art Vocational College the awardwinning artiste has performed in Korea Australia Indonesia and Sri LankaZheng CeZheng Ce A winner at international competitions in Hong Kong Ce plays the dizi a Chinese transverse flute thats made of bambooChen YifeiChen Yifei A percussionist currently studying at the Guangdong Literature And Art Vocational College Yifei plays the yangqin a Chinese hammered dulcimer that is supposed to have originated from PersiaLuo ZhangchengLuo Zhangcheng A graduate of Xinghai Conservatory of Music Zhangcheng is a percussionistXie DongxiaoXie Dongxiao He plays the guqin a plucked sevenstring instrument which has been favoured from ancient times for its refined sound also connected to the betterment of mental and physical health