Xian Xinghai Chinese composer Date of Birth: 13.06.1905 Country: China

1. Early Life and Education
2. Musical Talent and Education
3. Studies in Paris and Career
4. Later Life and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Xian Xinghai was born on June 13, 1905 in Macau, while his parents were natives of Panyu, Guangdong Province. His father passed away before his birth, and he and his mother frequently moved during his early childhood. At the age of 6, they relocated to Singapore, where he attended Yangzheng Primary School and took his first steps into the world of music.

Musical Talent and Education

Xian's musical talent was noticed by his teacher, and he was enrolled in the school's military band. Later, under the guidance of Lin Yao Xiang, the school's director, Xian and 19 other students were sent to Guangzhou to continue their education. In 1918, Xian began studying clarinet at the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) School at Lingnan University in Guangzhou. In 1926, he was admitted to the National Music Institute at Peking University to study music, and in 1928, he became a student at the Shanghai National Music Conservatory, where he studied violin and piano. In the same year, he published an article titled "The Universal Music."

Studies in Paris and Career

In 1929, with financial support from the Chinese government, Xian traveled to Paris, where he met Chinese violinist and composer Ma Sicong, who introduced him to many Parisian artists. In 1934, he became the first Chinese student to be admitted to the Paris Conservatory to study composition under the guidance of Paul Dukas. During this period, he composed works such as "Wind," "Song of a Wanderer," and "Violin Sonata in D Minor." Xian returned to China in 1935, during the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, and used his music as a weapon of protest against the occupation, actively participating in patriotic activities. During the Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), Xian composed vocal works. He worked at film studios until he moved to Yan'an, the center of the Communist Party and the "cradle of the revolution," where he became the dean of the music department at the Lu Xun Institute of Arts in 1938. It was during this time that he wrote his famous cantatas, "Yellow River Cantata" and "Production Cantata."

Later Life and Legacy

In 1940, Xian traveled to the Soviet Union to write music for the documentary film "Yan'an and the Eighth Route Army." Before his departure, Mao Zedong invited him to dinner. In 1941, Xian attempted to return to China through Xinjiang, but was blocked by local military leader Sheng Shicai, known for his anti-communist beliefs, and became trapped in the evacuation in Alma Ata. Here, he composed patriotic symphonies such as "Liberation of the Nation" and "Sacred War," as well as suites like "Red All Over the River" and "Chinese Rhapsody" for wind and string instruments. Unfortunately, exhaustion and malnutrition weakened his body, and Xian Xinghai fell ill with tuberculosis. After the war, the composer returned to Moscow for treatment but was unable to recover. He passed away on October 30, 1945, at the age of 40, in one of the Moscow hospitals. In honor of Xian Xinghai, a conservatory, concert hall in Guangzhou, and a street in Alma Ata were named after him. In 2005, a three-meter statue of the composer was erected in Macau to celebrate his 100th birthday.