Abstract
Since the establishment of modern Chinese education school songs have become an important part of Japanese-based teaching materials as well as a tool for introducing and transferring political ideology. The fact that tunes of the early school songs were adapted from Western romantic songs and Japanese school songs involves asking questions such as: has this shaped the Chinese musical taste towards a greater popularity of music including western compositional elements and thus westernization of music in general? The primary focus of this project is music analysis of compositions written by some of the prominent pioneers of this musical genre- Shen Xingong (1869-1947), Li Shutong (1880-1942), Zeng Zhimin (1879-1929) and Cai Yuanpei (1867-1940)- textual analysis of prefaces to various editions of collected school songs, and articles on the relationship of these songs to the education system in China.
The aim of this project is not only to introduce influences in the creation of Chinese school songs from the perspective of cross-culture, but also to explore its effect on the production, presentation, and reception of modern Chinese music. The recordings of school songs specially created for this occasion are also part of the presentation.