Professor Nick from University of London is showing sound sensors to the people in Tongdao Dong Autonomous County

Students from University of London and Hunan University are doing research

Professors and scholars from the University of London and Hunan University (HNU) gathered in Pingtan Township of Tongdao Dong Autonomous County on July 15, researching on digital creation of the Dong music.

The research team is constituted by 8 professors and postgraduates from the Digital Music Center of the University of London and 12 from HNU. The research is planned to last 15 days, during which the scholars will visit Dong villages to experience daily life of the Dong people, communicate with the Dong musicians to know about Dong music, and make Dong musical instruments Lusheng (a reed-pipe wind instrument) and Pipa. They will create Dong music works with Dong features, but keeping with international taste. The research results will be displayed in a concert when the program ends.

Pingtan Township is located in the hinterlands of the long corridor of the Dong culture. With six typical ancient Dong villages and 16 items of intangible culture heritage, it has become a must-go to study the Dong music, architecture and culture. In 2009, HNU set a research base here for its New Tongdao Program, collaborating with local government to develop Dong brocades which were showcased at Milano Expo 2015. The base will begin researching Dong music later.