Shen Xiang Shen Xiang

Shen Xiang was born in Novembe 1921 in Tianjin of China. Very coincidentally, in this year, the famous Italian singer Caruso died. Shen Xiang was affected by his father, in his childhood, he loved music and Western opera, and dreamed to be a singer like Caruso. In 1933, Shen admit- ted Nankai Middle School.

As a musical mentor, Jiansheng Xu gave a good guidance for Shen. In 1947, Shen would like to apply for Shanghai Conser- vatory of Music. But his father did not agree. He had to apply for other universities. After receipt of offer letters from Yenching University, Fu Jen University and Tianjin Industrial & Commercial Institute, he chose Yenching University since there is Music department in Yenching University. He studied English language and literature, and also enrolled in music lessons. He layed solid foundations on vocal the American vocal music teacher Ms. Tianxiang Fan.

By the end of 1941, the Pacific War broke out, Shen transferred to Department of English Literature at St. John' s University of Shanghai. In the same year, he was admitted to the Shanghai National Music Academy to learn vocal music supervised by famous Russian Professor Shilin Su. Nextly, Shen studied vocal music under instruction by German mezzo-soprano singer professor Rapp, Especially in the German art songs aspects, Shen go a great harvest. On May 12, 1944, Shen held his first solo concert in Shanghai Lyceum, had a great success. Mainstream media commented that he was an excellent tenor. At that time, he was less than 23 years old.

In 1945, Shen graduated from St. John's University and returned to his hometown of Tianjin. He held several solo concerts in Peiking and Tianjin. He has been a famous tenor. By the end of 1947, he was invited to teaching vocal music in Department of Music at Beijing Normal University. The embarrassedly said to him, “Although you were famous, but you were too young to gave you the position of a full professor now. How about a associate professor?” Shen asked, “What then the lower positio n?” “The lecturer.” “I came this! After all, I am less than 26 years old, I do.” From then on, His teaching life began, at the same time, He frequently participated in various of performances. During the summer and autumn of 1949, Central Conservatory of Music was founded in Tianjin. In November, Shen entered the vocal department of Central Conservatory of Music. In 1956, the “National Music Week” was held in Beijing. Shen attended the performance of Central Conservatory of Music team. He served as a tenor in the chorus singing, which is his first public performances after the liberation. This performance got a great success.

In the late 1950s, Shen had to be transferred out Central Conservatory of Music several times. In this period, he studied national and folk singing methods, and he also applied to listen the courses of the Beijing Opera School. In the early 1960s, he spent four years for studying voice therapy cooperated with the people in ear-nose-throat department at Temple to study. Some opera actors, drama actor and singers were cured. In 1962, the Central Philharmonic held a symphony concert in the Beijing Concert Hall. They invited Shen as tenor. This is his last appearance on the stage. During the Great Revolution time, Shen involved in a bigge r dilemma. His home was raided. His accumulated records more than 40 years were all destroyed. He was examined in isolation, not allowed to go home for three years. In 1972, representatives of the military declared that Shen was innocent at the students and faculty staff meeting. In 1976, Shen went to Hangzhou, and in there, he met Dahu Chen, a Peking Opera master. They talked about comparative study of Western art and opera singing every day and tried to explore the possibility of learning from each othe r of the two art forms. In 1978, Opera Department was founded in Central Conservatory of Music, and Shen was the director. He was promoted to associate professor in 1979, was promoted to professor in 1982. In 1983, graduate students of opera department held a reporting performance. The staged three operas “Death Mourning”, “The Marriage of Figaro”, and “La Traviata” (selected tunes) which caused a great sensation. In 1984, Shen led a delegation to attend the Finnish Miriam Hailin First International Vocal Competition. Two of his students, mezzo-soprano Ning Liang won the first of women's group, and Coloratura soprano Dilber won the second. Finnish public opinion commented. “The future belongs to China, the western musical art flower has not only been living in China, but also released a dazzling colorful brilliance.” In 1985, at the second BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Competition, bass Yue Liu won the third place. In 1987, Jingma Fan was awarded a Certificate of Excellence at the same competition. Baritone Da Cheng won the third in the International Vocal Competition held in 1989 in Chile. Tenor Haitao Hei, in 1991, won the first in Verdi International Vocal Competition. The same one teacher taught including male and female voices five parts all can have awards, which is rare. In addition to winning the International Vocal Competition, Shen also trained a lot of excellent singers in China. Such as Jinwei Li, Tielin Jin, Shuzhen Guo, Zhi Cheng, Xiumei Yin, Mucun Guan and so on. From 1987-1992, Savonlinna Opera Festival and Finnish National Opera invited Shen to hole “ master classes”. In his lecture, his enthusiasm and genuine talent won the respect of foreign musicians. They said he could Midas touch, was a world -class vocal teachers. From 1991 to1992, he was invited to teaching at master class of Estonia Opera opened. In 1992, Shen was invited to lecture in Opera in Stockholm, Sweden, and was invited to participate in the European vocal teachers conference. National television of Britain and Finland also shot a feature film "Chinese songs." In 1988 he went to Italy as the third Maria - Callas International Competition, singer, and presided over the award ceremony. 1987 - 1991, he has teen in the judging panel of Cardiff Singer of the World Competition. Shen had no music college diploma. However, he systematically mastered the bel canto singing and was proficient at English, Italian, French, Russian and German. He acquired profound traditional culture, and was familiar a large number of western vocal literatures. Shen has accumulated a wealth of experience, formed his own unique style of vocal music art and teaching system.

If we say that an artist's biography was written by his work, then, the success in education on vocal music of Shen is the most glorious part. Due to overwork, master Shen died on October 4, 1993 in Beijing.