Chinese Musical Heritage Showcased in Nairobi Concert

A recent concert at the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi showcased traditional Chinese musical heritage, with over 300 attendees. The 70-minute event, presented by the China Performing Arts Agency, featured the Beijing Golden Bell Star Chinese Chamber Orchestra and the African Women’s Orchestra. The programme combined traditional Chinese compositions with music familiar to East African audiences, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of China.

The concert featured a range of traditional Chinese instruments, including the guqin, a seven-stringed Chinese zither with a history dating back over 3,000 years. The guqin was performed by Zhao Xiaoxia, who played the ancient composition Flowing Water, inspired by the traditional story of two friends, Boya and Zhong Ziqi. This piece drew from a historical collection of guqin music and was reconstructed by Guan Pinghu.

Another highlight of the concert was The Moon Reflected in Erquan Spring, played on the erhu by Wang Ying. This composition, created by Hua Yanjun, is widely associated with melancholy and reflection, conveying emotions that transcend language. The erhu, a two-stringed bowed instrument, has a long history in China and is known for its distinctive sound.

The concert also featured Memories of Yunnan, a composition by Liu Xing performed on the zhongruan by Xue Miao, accompanied by pianist Yuan Ding. The zhongruan, a round-bodied, four-stringed plucked instrument, has its roots in the ruan family of instruments dating back to China’s Han dynasty. Its warm, resonant sound has made it an important part of modern Chinese traditional orchestras.

The programme further explored the diversity of Chinese musical expression through Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix, a traditional Shandong folk tune performed on the suona by Zhang Qianyuan. The suona is a double-reed wind instrument known for its powerful, penetrating sound, often used in celebrations, processions, and folk performances.

In a notable moment of cultural exchange, the African Women’s Orchestra performed Malaika, a celebrated Swahili love song associated with East African musical heritage. The song, whose title means angel, has a history closely associated with the region’s popular music and has travelled across borders through performances and recordings.

The concert was co-hosted by the Beijing Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Beijing Musicians Association, as part of the 2026 China-Africa cultural exchange programme. By bringing together traditional Chinese compositions, African music, and Western opera, the event demonstrated how music can preserve cultural histories while creating opportunities for different societies to appreciate one another.

Key points

• The concert featured traditional Chinese instruments, including the guqin and erhu.
• The event was part of the 2026 China-Africa cultural exchange programme.
• The concert included a performance of Malaika, a celebrated Swahili love song.