At the beginning of the new year of 2010, good news came from the Tianjin music scene. Liu Chunai, a Beijing-style drum performance artist of the Luo School, ushered in the happy day of her 50th year in the art industry. It was sponsored by the Tianjin Federation of Literary and Art Circles, the Tianjin Music Association, and the Tianjin Music Festival. The Luo Pai Jingyun Concert and Liu Chunai Jingyun Dagu Art Seminar hosted by the Chinese Folk Art Troupe and other units, as well as the ceremony for Liu Chunai to accept eight new disciples, were held grandly in Tianjin. On the evening of February 9th, the China Grand Theater was packed with seats and the atmosphere was festive. Xiao Huaiyuan, director of the Propaganda Department of the Tianjin Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China, sent a congratulatory letter and presented a large flower basket. Wang Wenhua, vice chairman of the Tianjin CPPCC, attended and presented a flower basket on behalf of Xing Yuanmin, chairman of the CPPCC. The Chinese Music Association sent a congratulatory message, and Liu Lanfang, chairman of the Chinese Music Association sent People sent a calligraphy banner of "Quiet and Far-reaching". Jiang Kun, secretary of the Party Committee of the Chinese Opera Association, personally wrote "Inheriting the Sound of Drums and Strings through the Ages" for Liu Chunai. Zhao Tianhao, deputy secretary-general of the CPPCC, Sun Fuhai, secretary of the Party Committee of the Tianjin Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and deputy secretary-general of the Chinese Opera Association Chairman Ji Wei, veteran opera artists Wang Yubao, Cao Yuanzhu, Wei Wenliang, Hua Wubao and others watched the performance. The concert was hosted by Zhang Zhikuan, a famous allegro calligrapher, and Luo Junsheng, a disciple of Luomen. The famous Luomen disciple Wang Tiecheng, the famous Luomen disciple of the Bai School of Peking Opera Wang Guanli, the Luomen disciples Li Guangrong, Li Mengxiong, Chi Zaocheng, etc. took the stage to perform the classic Luo School Jingyun drum music. Liu Chun'ai affectionately presented the Luo School's foundational masterpiece "" "Jiange Hears the Bell" stunned the audience, with cheers and warm applause erupting from time to time. The eight new disciples sang representative repertoire of the Luo sect from different periods, showing the style of the new disciples and delighting many "Luo fans". This is a grand event in Tianjin Quyuan. The Tianjin Quyi stage is full of spring, ushering in the spring of Luo School art. Liu Chun'ai was admitted to the Youth Training Team of Tianjin Folk Art Troupe in February 1960 and has been performing arts for 50 years. In that year, she was initiated by teacher Sang Honglin, a famous Jingyun master. In October of the same year, she was recognized by drum master Luo Yusheng during a student report performance, and decided to teach Luo Jingyun drums herself. From then on, she followed Luo Yusheng's steps and became inseparable for 42 years. She has a broad, bright, and mellow voice, and her tone and phonology are exactly like Naishi's. The early 1960s was the climax of the development of Luo School art. She studied with her teacher, made rapid progress, and her art advanced by leaps and bounds. She quickly learned more than a dozen basic representative pieces of Luo School. During the Spring Festival of 1961, Liu Chun'ai, who was only 12 years old, was in Tianjin. The Cadre Club sang "Chou Mo Yin Chu" for Comrade Chen Yun, which was praised by Comrade Chen Yun; at the first "Jinmen Music Festival" she sang "Sacrifice to Qingwen", which was welcomed by the majority of music fans; on Tianjin Radio The Luo School music played on the radio recording was well received by the audience.
Liu Chun'ai was deeply impressed by Luo School's Jingyun drums for singing songs with emotion. Her study of Luo School's art went through exploration from physical resemblance to spiritual resemblance. Teacher Luo put the most effort into her and placed the greatest hopes on her. In the 1970s, Mr. Luo sang duets with her such as "Han Ying Meets His Mother", "The Harmony of Generals and Prime Ministers", "Inviting Li Yuehua at Night", "Lying on the Fuel and Tasting the Courage" etc. , making the art of spring love perfect day by day. Since the 1980s, she has created and performed new pieces such as "Friends in the World", "Sima Qian", "Pipa Play", "Light of Life", especially "Yingying Listens to the Qin" composed by teacher Zhu Xueying. She and string teacher Zhang Zixiu ***The singing voice is designed with the same style, the words are elegant, the singing voice is fresh, showing a new meaning, and at the same time it has a strong Luo School style, enriching the Luo School arias.
In the past 50 years, she has sung nearly a hundred pieces of music, and has gained the essence of the Luo School. She is Mr. Luo’s proud student. Teacher Luo once named her "Bridge", which means that he hopes that she will connect the past and the future and shoulder the important responsibility of inheritance. Liu Chun'ai has lived up to her teacher's expectations. She has taught in a music school in northern China for more than 20 years and has trained six Luo School graduates of Beijing Yun. These young actors are all active on the Beijing and Tianjin folk art stages. In 2004, she opened a class at Tianjin Elderly Health University to popularize Luo-style Jingyun drums, allowing these elderly people to experience the joy of life from the pleasure of appreciating Luo-style drums. Today she has welcomed 8 new disciples, giving Luo School art successors, further expanding the influence of Luo School art, and allowing Luo School’s euphemistic and pleasant voice to impress more friends and attract more people. People, especially young people, love drum music.
After her retirement, she traveled between Beijing and Tianjin, working tirelessly to perform and teach. With the support of the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Music Association, she established the "Liu Chun Ai Luo School Art Studio". Liu Chun'ai is the first generation of folk art artists trained after the founding of the People's Republic of China. She has the qualities of a new literary and art worker and has made outstanding achievements in inheriting and developing Luo School art over the past 50 years. She has won national, provincial and municipal awards such as the first "Peony Award" for Chinese folk arts and the second prize in the "Changzhi Cup" National Drum Competition. She has performed in Taiwan twice and contributed to cross-strait cultural exchanges.
At the Liu Chunai Beijing Rhyme Art Seminar held on the second floor of the Tianjin Federation of Literary and Art Circles on February 10, Ji Wei, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Music Association, and Ding Yuan, Chairman of the Tianjin Music Association, discussed the folk arts in Beijing and Tianjin Theorist Ni Zhongzhi, folk art writers Zhu Xueying, Meng Ran, Zhang Kunwu, and directors of Tianjin Group Art Center Li Zhibang and Zhang Yuheng, leader of Northern Music School Zhang Qinghe, Tianjin Radio Senior Folk Art Editor Zhang Qingchang, Tianjin Folk Art Troupe leader Xu Xiulin, Tianjin Music Wang Yongliang, vice chairman of the Association, and folk artists Ji Wei, Wei Wenhua, Chu Congshan, Cao Yuanzhu and others reviewed Liu Chunai's growth process affectionately, spoke highly of Liu Chunai's singing art, and put forward their ardent hopes. On the occasion of congratulating her on 50 years of artistic life, I wish her to hold high the banner of the Luo School, keep her artistic youth forever, and move forward bravely in passing on the art to her disciples, so that the charm of the Luo School can be passed on and carried forward, and I wish to comfort Mr. Luo's soul in heaven with a grateful heart!