March Third

March Third (San Yue San) is a significant traditional festival of the Zhuang people in Guangxi and a national intangible cultural heritage of China. This piece incorporates extensive vocal samples from Zhuang folk songs, using music to depict the lively scenes of the “Sanyuesan Festival‌” during the holiday.

The first half of the composition focuses on traditional instrumental writing, featuring the Chinese bamboo flute (qudi) as the lead instrument, blended with Zhuang folk song samples to showcase timeless melodies. The latter half fuses electronic elements with traditional instruments and Zhuang vocal samples, reflecting the impact and harmony brought by cultural evolution. Through the contrast and integration of timbres across sections, as well as digital sound processing, the work revitalizes traditional rhythms in a modern sonic landscape, immersing listeners in a cross-temporal cultural journey.

Source: School of Music and Recording Arts of Communication University of China (CUC)