On the morning of November 10, the opening ceremony of the Fourth China-CEEC Music and Dance Festival, together with the “She Melodies Flowing Gently” She Ethnic Minority Music Exchange Event, was solemnly held at the Modern Music Hall of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music. 

Shu Peidong, on behalf of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Education, expressed his congratulations on the opening of the Music and Dance Season and welcomed artists and education professionals from Central and Eastern Europe who had traveled from afar. He gave a detailed introduction to the important and close partnerships established between Zhejiang and Central and Eastern European countries in areas such as economy and education, specifically mentioning a series of significant cooperative brands and achievements, including the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Music Conservatories Alliance. He stated that the China-Central and Eastern European Music and Dance Season, initiated and led by Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, has created a platform for artistic exchanges between China and Central and Eastern European countries, strongly promoting in-depth cooperation between both sides in education, culture, and the arts. He expressed the hope that the alliance will continue to play a bridging and connecting role, constantly deepen cooperation, expand educational exchanges in the arts, strengthen the collaborative cultivation of artistic talent, and make the world a better place through art.

Wang Rui, President of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, reviewed in his speech the fruitful outcomes achieved by member institutions under the initiative of the “China–Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) Conservatories Alliance,” highlighting how these institutions have enhanced mutual learning and understanding through artistic exchange. He emphasized that art is a universal language that requires no translation—it transcends mountains and seas, crosses national borders, and connects humanity’s most sincere and beautiful emotions. Especially in today’s era of accelerated digitalization and globalization, art serves not only as an aesthetic experience but also as a bridge for connecting hearts, fostering mutual understanding, and conveying warmth. He expressed his hope that this event would jointly ignite the dreams of young artists, empower innovation and development at arts institutions, and inject fresh impetus and new dimensions into cultural exchanges between China and the CEEC countries.

Füle János Róbert vividly explained the increasingly deepening friendly relations between Hungary and China through multiple fields such as politics, economy, culture, education, and science. He particularly emphasized the friendly cooperative relationships established between world-class art institutions like the Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary and the University of Dance in Hungary with the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music. He stated that music is a common language of humanity, and the China-Central and Eastern Europe Music and Dance Season provides a valuable platform for both sides to deepen understanding and inspire creativity. Hungary highly values such cooperation opportunities and will continue to focus on coordinating resources from all sides to actively promote cooperation between music institutions.

Gábor Farkas and Joanna Warinowicz-Just spoke on behalf of the Liszt Academy of Music in Hungary and the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Poland, respectively. They enthusiastically shared the results of academic exchanges, teacher-student visits, and artistic collaborations with Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, and pointed out that this Music and Dance Season is not only a grand event of art but also an important bridge for connecting hearts and inspiring resonance. They look forward to using music as a medium to jointly compose moving chapters of cultural exchange between the two sides.

The opening ceremony was hosted by Dong Dejun, Vice President of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music.

Following that, a music exchange event themed 'The Murmuring Charm of She Ethnic Culture' was wonderfully presented. The performances included a yangqin ensemble "Shanha"by teachers and students from Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, audio-visual interactive percussion "Moon Sound", an excerpt from the Peking opera "The Drunken Concubine", dance "Shanha Woman", clarinet and piano piece " he Murmuring Charm of She Ethnic Culture", and She ethnic tea song "Little She Leaf, Great China." These performances led the audience on an aesthetic journey showcasing the charm of Eastern culture.

On the same afternoon, a key segment of this year’s Music and Dance Season—the “Musician Thematic Forum”—was held. Centered on the theme “Music Education and Its Mission in the Digital and Intelligent Era,” the forum brought together Professor Wang Rui and music educators from Croatia, Hungary, Montenegro, Poland, North Macedonia, Portugal, Serbia, and other countries for an insightful and innovative dialogue. Drawing upon their respective national practices in arts education, participants engaged in an in-depth discussion on how digital and intelligent technologies are transforming music pedagogy and exchanged perspectives on digital approaches to cultural heritage preservation. Actively responding to global trends in arts education, they proposed innovative ideas and practical directions for cross-cultural dialogue and international cooperation.

This edition of the Music and Dance Festival continues its core structure of "academic seminars + artistic presentations," focusing on cutting-edge explorations and creative practices in arts education. The program encompasses the inaugural Kodály International Music and Culture Academic Seminar, the panel discussion on "Music Education and Its Calling in the Digital Intelligence Era," as well as masterclasses and workshops across various professional fields including flute, clarinet, violin, cello, double bass, guitar, accordion, piano, and dance. Additionally, multiple high-level concerts will be staged, comprehensively showcasing the diverse charms of the arts..