At the invitation of CPAFFC, a chamber music ensemble dispatched by Villa Musica, a state foundation of German Bundesland Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz), visited China from October 16 to 23. Headed by the state secretory of Rheinland-Palatinate and the foundation’s head of board, Mr. Schumacher, the group staged concerts in Beijing, Suqian city of Jiangsu Province, and Fuzhou, Fujian Province. CPAFFC’s Vice President Hu Sishe and mayor of Suqian Wang Tianqi met with the delegation and attended the concerts. Vice president Hu expressed his wish for a long-lasting and innovative cooperation between Villa Musica and CPAFFC to enhance cultural exchanges among the peoples.

Distinguished violin professor Ervis Gega-Dodi, violist Fernando Arias-Parra, cellist Julian Bachmann, and pianist Meri Tschabaschwili played four piano and string quartets composed by Mozart, presenting the Chinese audience wonderful nights of classicism.

Villa Musica was established by the state government in 1986 and started its friendship with CPAFFC in 1993. Since then the two organizations have been exchanging young musicians for tour performances every other year.

The concerts were held specifically in Suqian city, which became the sister city last month of Neuwied where Villa Musica locates; and in Fujian Province because of its friendly ties with Rheinland-Palatinate since 1995.

During the tour, Mr. Schumacher invited CPAFFC to send a troupe to Germany next year in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Villa Musica, and to join the state and city of Trier to hold cultural activities commemorating the bicentennial of Karl Marx’s birth.