10th Anniversary of TCG Nordica
10th Anniversary of TCG Nordica
In the year of 2000, on May the 13th, spirits were high in Kunming. TV-stations were there, radio reporters were in place, journalists from the daily papers were flocking – and hundreds of guests from Kunming and other parts of the world attended when the first Scandinavian culture café and gallery in China opened: T Café/Gallery.
A Swedish artist, Janeric Johansson, Malmö, was first to exhibit his works in the Scandinavian-Chinese gallery.
Many assumed that the “T” in T Café/Gallery alluded to “tea”. Certainly, steaming fresh tea was served, but the actual embedded meaning was another: T as in Tomas Tranströmer – the world famous Swedish poet who’s works have been translated into some 50 languages.
Tomas Tranströmer was not able to attend the inauguration, but did come a year later, in April 2001. At that time, T Café/Gallery had the privilege of hosting a Swedish-Chinese culture event with Tomas Tranströmer, his translator Li Li and the artist Jan Persson. In one week, a highly intensive program, including seminars, poetry readings, trips together with artists and poets, and an exhibition by Jan Persson on the theme of Runmarö –Tranströmer’s childhood island home and where he today spends most of his summers – was presented.
Soon enough, T Café/Gallery outgrew it’s premises. On April the 6th 2002, the artist community of Chuang Ku, LOFT, invited us to move there.
T Café/Gallery became the culture center TCG Nordica; a transition full of challenges as well as opportunities.
Since then, TCG Nordica has worked together with ArtsNordica International to arrange and take part in numerous culture exchange projects that have included hundreds of artists, musicians, dancers and students from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and China.
Swedish radio’s (SR) China correspondent, Hanna Sahlberg, described in an article in 2005 how two of the founders – Anna Mellergård from Sweden and Wu Yuerong from Kunming – embodied the culture centre’s purpose and theme, namely cultural meeting.
Today, as TCG Nordica celebrates its 10th anniversary, it is easy to see how their working community and common goal of establishing and developing this international meeting place has created rings on the water. The friendship bands and the cooperative projects are countless, and the number keeps growing through the Scandinavian network ArtsNordica and through all of TCG Nordica’s friends from different parts of the world.
From all of us to all of you, we wish you a happy new decade – filled with culture meetings and challenges, and exciting art projects!
The TCG Nordica Team
2010. March
Read more about 10th Anniversary Party
Beneath the surface
March 30, 2010 by LF
Filed under Gallery Events
Exhibition name: Beneath the surface
Artist: Annica Marie Olsson, Sweden
Opening time: 2010/4/2, 16:00
TCG Nordica UP-Gallery
Introduction
My name is Annica Marie Olsson. I was born on the west coast of Sweden in 1986. My interest in arts has been the one consistent thing throughout my life. As a child all kinds of art forms constantly captured my interest. If I wasn’t painting and drawing I was composing songs by the piano, selling homemade jewelry at the town market or renovating an old piece of furniture. My hands have always been my most beloved body parts since through them my soul, thoughts and feelings can reveal themselves before others.
I work a lot with symbolism but my art is often spontaneous. As I have just finished a painting I usually find that it has more to tell me about myself and my purposes than I knew when I first started. As a result my own art is feeding me all the inspiration I need to get on with the next project. I think that if my paint work was to be a book it would definitely be a biography. So my hope is that you will look upon my art with your eyes and mind wide open, for as doing so you will also be able to see into me.
This exhibition is a salute to everything that is going on beneath the surface of one’s personality. Feelings, thoughts, memories and hope are differently displayed in 5 works. Although I have done several exhibitions in Sweden this is my first solo and I am very happy to share this moment with all of you here at TCG Nordica.
Annica Marie Olsson
Kunming, April 2010
Website: annicaolsson.com (will be finished shortly!!!)
photo by Luo Fei
Give Music as a Gift–Reto Reichenbach
An Interview with Pianist Reto Reichenbach (Switzerland)
Pianist Reto Reichenbach played “Chopin – A Musical Legacy” piano recital at the Kunming Theater on March 27. We had a chance to discuss with him about his musical life and thoughts.
How did you become interested in playing the piano?
As my older sister was playing already, I was strongly drawn to the piano and played pieces I knew by ear. So my parents thought it right to enroll me for piano in the local music school as well. They seem to have been right…
Who are your favorite composers whom you like playing the most and why?
Johannes Brahms, for the passion and longing that I feel in his music; Frédéric Chopin, for the inexhaustible imagination in his melodies and harmonies and for the pianistic elegance; Franz Schubert, for his intimacy and sincerity; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, for the awesome beauty; Johann Sebastian Bach, for the perfect balance of structure and emotionality; Olivier Messiaen, for the rich colors.
This year we commemorate the Polish composer Chopin’s 200th anniversary. In the Kunming Theater piano recital you played an extensive selection of Chopin’s pieces. What are some of the challenges and secrets for playing Chopin well?
Good musical taste is very important to playing Chopin. One can easily fall either by just focusing on the virtuosity or by playing overly sentimental.
The technical difficulties (which in some works are great!) need to be mastered, so that the performance can be free and spontaneous.
You work as a free-lance musician giving piano concerts and teaching students. What are some of the words of wisdom and encouragement you would like to give to young musicians interested in a career in music?
Before you start going professionally into music, think about your motivations. Being a musician can be a hard business, and you may not become rich and famous. Yet, if you have a strong passion for music, you hear from others that hearing you play touches them, you love to teach music, and you are also willing to invest much time into solitary practicing, then this is a great profession!
As this is your first time in Kunming, what do you think about the city, the people, the food…
Many people here have received me very warmly. I don’t know much about the city yet, but my first impressions have been very favorable, except for the chaotic traffic… The food is great, that alone would be worth the trip!
Reto will give master classes at the Yunnan Arts Institute (Music conservatory) during March 29-April 1. TCG Nordica master class will take place April 3-4. If you are interested in participating in the TCG Nordica master class with a program of Chopin and contemporary piano composers or come to listen to the class, please contact Jin Xiaoyun by phone (Tel. 13888931611).
Monthly Program 2010 April
March 27, 2010 by Zhu Xiaolin
Filed under Monthly Program
Hello friends! Here is the Monthly Program for April 2010.
Note:all Events will start at 20:00
Contact Tel: 0871-4114692
Friday, 2010/4/2 Swedish artist Annica Olsson’s exhibition(UP-Gallery Opening: 16:00)
Saturday-Sunday, 2010/4/3-4 Swiss musician master class
Monday, 2010/4/5 English Corner: Easter – with egg painting
Saturday, 2010/4/10 Contemporary Piano and Chamber Music Concert Swiss musician Reto Reichenbach
Monday, 2010/4/12 English Corner: Poverty
Friday-2010/4/16 Dance with Carme-Li Qi’s solo violin cocert
Saturday, 2010/4/17 Swedish artist Janeric Johansson’s solo exhibition “Light – Fight – Night”
Monday, 2010/4/19 English Corner: Loneliness
Thursday, 2010/4/22 Kunming International Academy students exhibition（Up Gallery）
Satday, 2010/4/24 Jazz Concert: Frida and Friends
Monday, 2010/4/26 English Corner: Stress
Notice: Regarding the fast development of the Internet, in the future TCG Nordica’s information will mainly be published in our website (www.tcgnordica.com) instead of in a printed Monthly Program. If you still need information on paper, you can get a simpler one from our service desk. Thanks!
The First Chinese Art Community Cultural Festival
March 24, 2010 by LF
Filed under Gallery Events
TCG Nordica was invited to “The First Chinese Art Community Cultural Festival–Daily Life: Yunnan Style” at Jinding 1919 Art Community. There are fourteen art communities and some artists come from 14 cities of China, they have started workshop for one week. TCG Nordica is going to present a contour profile of past 10 years as document on the festival. And the festival opening will be at 10:00 am, 27th of March!
Add: Kunming Jinding 1919(Jinding Beilu #24, Kunming Oxygen Installation 昆明氧气厂)
check on map
for detail planing please visit our Chinese site: http://www.tcgnordica.com/2010/03/24/chinese-art-co…tural-festival/
Ester Concert
March 22, 2010 by Sky Yang
Filed under Stage Events
Date： 2010 March 27th 8:00pm (Sat)
Add： Xi Ba Road No.101 Chuang Ku/LOFT
Price：15RMB
Tel: 4114691；4114692
This years Easter concert at TCG Nordica will be something special. At 8pm the Scandinavian students will perform a variety of numbers. There will be music, dancing and more.
After this, at 9pm the renowned violinist Hanneke Cassel will play. Her music is both playful and innovative with influences from Scotland, China and the Boston bluegrass/American scene.
Don’t miss this amazing concert!
More Information For Hanneke Cassel: www.hannekecassel.com
The Soul of Jazz–American Jazz Standards on Piano
March 22, 2010 by Sky Yang
Filed under Stage Events
Date： 2010 March 26th 8:00pm (Fri)
Add： Xi Ba Road No.101 Chuang Ku/LOFT
Price：25元/RMB
Tel: 4114691；4114692
By Zoltan Sigeti, pianist, college music teacher, film music composer Sweden
Graduated at the Bartok University of Music, western classical piano music, musicology and music theory, particularly in keyboard repertoire from the XVI and XVII centuries. Later has studied Afro-American /jazz/ music, improvisation, master class with prof. Phil Markowitz /Manhattan School of Music NY/ and prof. Joe Miller /the Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto CA/.
Special Guest: Huang shan (Plays Chinese “Er-Hu”) Sara (Dancer) Shelly(singer)
Janeric Johansson VS Tang Zhigang
Janeric Johansson VS Tang Zhigang: Culture different, individual identity and TCG Nordica’s past 10 years
Norwegian Folk Music Concert
March 15, 2010 by Sky Yang
Filed under Stage Events
Date: 2010 March 20th 8pm
Add: Xi Ba Road No.101 Chuang Ku/LOFT
Admission: 10RMB
Tel:0871-4114692
The Fjellhaug music group consists of five people. They are all from Oslo in Norway. The group will stay in China, mainly in Kunming, for two weeks. They will also hold a concert at Nordica on March 20th which will consist of Norwegian folksongs/tunes, some jazz-inspired pieces and a couple of classical pieces.
[Dance Night] Keep Running
March 8, 2010 by Sky Yang
Filed under Stage Events
Time： Sat, 13th of March 8pm
Address: TCG Nordica in Kunming LOFT
Admission:15 RMB
Running, you might get lost, you might tumbled, you might get hurt, But you will learn uphold the hope, within the hope you gain the true love, Love never end!
