Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Zhang Xiaomi) news: The Narat Band of Narat scenic spot, in Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture, the Mati band of Hemu Village in Altay Prefecture, and the Ili Minzutuanjie accordion band of Liuxingjie Street in Yining City, Ili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture... Xinjiang's scenic spots are home to a treasure trove of bands that bring local culture, traditional music styles, and modern musical forms together, using music as a medium to share Xinjiang with the world.

In 2024, Xinjiang is focusing on implementing the "Hometown of Song and Dance" brand development plan, nurturing a variety of new formats and scenarios such as music festivals, concerts, tourism performances, and immersive shows. The thriving bands in the scenic spots have become a highlight in this initiative.

Bands in Xinjiang’s scenic spots have gained amounts of audiences

Many people may have watched bands perform in theaters, bars and other places, but the performance of bands in Xinjiang's scenic spot impressed many tourists. On various social media platforms, bands in Xinjiang’s scenic spots have gained amounts of audiences.

Photo shows the members of the Mati band. (Photo courtesy of the Mati band)

The main performance venue of Narat band in summer is in the valley grassland of Narat scenic spot, the daily performance venue of Mati band is in the century-old house of Hemu Village, the performance venue of Ili Minzutuanjie accordion band is in the accordion museum of Liuxingjie Street in Yining City, and it often performs in the open air of Liuxingjie Street in summer... The wonderful performance venues are bonuses for these bands, and their original musics are the soul of them.

Taking photos, filming videos and asking for autographs... Visitors express their love for bands in their own ways. "Our audiences come from all over the country, and their enthusiasm and recognition give us immense emotional value," said Adilbek Tabus, the captain and lead singer of the Mati band. The band members have also become friends with many tourists. A tourist from Beijing spent a week in Hemu, listening to the band's performances every day, and eventually wrote a song with band member, Erbosen Haharman.

At the beginning of November, the band had a new member from Mongolian ethnic group, and now the band has members from the ethnic groups of Kazak, Uygur, Tatar and Mongolian, which fully implies the content of their original song “United as One Family”

When guitar meets Dombra

The ethereal, crisp music, accompanied by the resonant hum of the musicians, made a stunning opening. Musicians with guitars, bass, and Dombra gradually joined the performance, and the Narat band's show instantly captivated the audience. "We have integrated instruments and musical styles, which has been very effective, refreshing many people's perceptions of traditional instruments and ethnic music," said Wan Haitao, the band's leader.

In recent years, the band has been continuously exploring and organizing folk original ecological music, playing modern rhythm with traditional instruments. They now have nearly 20 original tracks with a fusion style, including "Home" and "Pure White Lovers."

Photo shows the members of the Ili Minzutuanjie accordion band. (Photo courtesy of the Ili Minzutuanjie accordion band)

The establishment of the Ili Minnzutuanjie accordion band have attracted many attentions from many music lovers. Last year, the band set up the Ili Minzutuanjie accordion band association, which now has more than 60 members, among whom the youngest is seven years old and the oldest is 67 years old. Members also have joined the band and perform together for visitors. Additionally, band members learn and share their skills in playing instruments and dance, and bring innovative songs that integrate multi-ethnic cultures to everyone through exchanges and integration.

The “Children of Bogda” band in Dabancheng District, Urumqi, capital city of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region shares the development and changes of their hometown, and the heartwarming stories with every herder and visitor through music. "At the first performance, we had the classic Kazak folk song A Lovely Rose. In keeping with modern times, I've tweaked some of the lyrics to incorporate the Party's latest policies and the content of important meetings. This not only preserves our traditional customs but also ensures relevance in today's context.," said Yerboli. Their adapted lyrics are close to the life of herdsmen, sung in the way of Aken Aytes (Aken Songs) or pop music, combined with dance performances, so that their performance is popular among audiences.

"Xinjiang is a hometown of songs and dances, which are a very good core attraction, and the band's performance in scenic spots can easily arouse emotions and arouse the resonance of audiences," said Yao Tao, director of the department of art of the Culture and Tourism Administration of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.

Passing on the charm of Xinjiang through music

In July this year, “Xiaoxiong” (alias), a tourist from Nanjing, capital city of east China's Jiangsu Province, was attracted by the Narat band's performance and stayed in the scenic spot for several days. In mid-September, she learned the message that the band would perform in Nanjing from the WeChat moments, so she took a lot of friends to the show, and planned to go to Narat grassland next year to watch the band's performance.

Photo shows the members of Narat band and tourists. (Photo courtesy of the Narat band)

"Bringing Xinjiang's music to the entire nation and striving for a global stage." This year, the Narat band has participated in eight domestic music festivals and six domestic tourism promotions. Wan Haitao hopes that more people will develop a yearning for Xinjiang through music.

Currently, the Narat band's album is in preparation, while the Minzutuanjie accordion band is busy producing a photo album, with the performance photos featuring the beautiful scenery of Xinjiang as the backdrop. The Mati band is preparing to welcome winter tourists... These folk bands are spreading the rich and colorful cultural charm of Xinjiang in their unique ways.

Yao Tao stated that the Department of Culture and Tourism of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region will continue to guide localities in showcasing the diverse and integrated cultural connotations in the development of folk performances, integrating various ethnic artistic forms and performance elements, and will continuously enrich artistic forms and launch special activities to promote performances into scenic spots.

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