A Routledge Book Launch Partnership with Royal Holloway

Weida Wang explores how Western classical music (WCM) has become increasingly popular in China, framing the industry as a complex entity intricately embedded within China’s political landscape, cultural economy, and cultural industries. Wang highlights how authorities and organisers strive to build powerful brands to support the industry’s growth, aiming to tap into the vast domestic market and showcase China’s achievements in WCM on the global stage as part of broader cultural diplomacy efforts. The study delves into the mechanisms and underlying logics driving the rapid expansion of the WCM market in contemporary China. With the rise of China’s economy since its government’s late-1970s economic and political reform, WCM has become a useful tool for showcasing changes to the image of ‘modern’ and ‘contemporary’ China. 

At the same time, a new Chinese middle class, following the rapid economic (and cultural) development in China’s coastal cities, has also emerged, becoming a substantial demographic involved in the learning, appreciation, and consumption of WCM. Especially in the past 20 years, a new WCM scene has developed quickly and established as an industry in China; one critically enmeshed in both the business and political worlds. Many ground-breaking cultural events have taken place in the last decades. These have shown themselves to be huge forces behind the development of China’s domestic (and fledgling international) classical music aspirations. The book will be valuable for those interested in arts/music management, music industry studies, China studies, cultural and creative industry studies, and ethnomusicology.

The event

Join us at 11 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3RE on 12 March 2025 for this special event, where drinks and light refreshments will be provided. We will also hear from participants and discussants - Weida Wang, Dr. Mingyue Li (University of Oxford), Julia Haferkorn (University for the Creative Arts), and Shzr Ee Tan (Royal Holloway University of London). 

About Weida Wang

Dr. Weida Wang is a scholar and lecturer specialising in music industry studies, sound art studies, music and politics, and cultural studies in music. With a PhD in music from Royal Holloway, University of London, Wang serves as a lecturer and guest lecturer at institutions such as the University of Liverpool, Heidelberg University, and Point Blank Music School in London.