Xiao Youmei, music educator and composer. The courtesy name is Xuepeng and the nickname is Sihe. Originally from Xiangshan, Guangdong (now Zhongshan County), he lived in Macau with his father during his childhood. In 1901, he went to Japan to study, studying piano and vocal music at the Tokyo Music School, and studying education at Imperial University. In 1913, he went to Germany to study at the Leby Conservatory of Music and Leby University. After obtaining a doctorate, he returned to China in 1920. It lasted for eighteen years. When he was in Japan, he participated in the Tongmenghui and protected Mr. Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary activities. After returning to China in 1920, he successively taught and held leadership positions at the Music and Physical Education College of Beijing Women's Normal School, the Music Transmission Institute of Peking University and the Music Department of Beijing Art College. With the support of Cai Yuanpei, the National Conservatory of Music was founded in Shanghai in 1927. This was the first professional music conservatory in China, laying the foundation for music education and the cultivation of professional music talents. Xiao Youmei also devoted himself to writing music teaching materials, including the "Organ Textbook" in 1924, the "Piano Textbook" in 1925, and the "Violin Textbook" in 1927. He is the author of "Comparative Research on Chinese and Western Music", "An Introduction to Ancient and Modern Chinese and Western Music" " and "An Overview of Chinese Music in the Past Dynasties" and other academic treatises. He first presided over the music department of Beijing Women's Higher Normal School and the music training institute affiliated to Peking University in Beijing. At the same time, he organized the first orchestra in my country and served as his own conductor.

His works are mainly about the 1920s, with more than a hundred songs and works of other genres. The song collection "New Songs First Collection" published in 1922 is the earliest two composers' personal creation albums in China. , among which the art song "Question" has been widely circulated among students and intellectuals. In addition, songs such as "Goose Flying South", "Women's Sports", "Falling Leaves", and "Tap Song" all left a certain impact at the time. He also composed some influential patriotic songs, such as "Patriotic Song in Memory of May Fourth", "National Humiliation", "National Revolutionary Song", etc. But after 1928, works such as "Drizzle" and "Lijiang Flower" were created. During the Anti-Japanese War, inspired by the patriotic enthusiasm of the people across the country, anti-Japanese songs such as "Forward Attack" were composed.

In 1927, he went to Shanghai to found the National Conservatory of Music (later renamed Shanghai National Music College). He devoted his life to higher music education and made great contributions to the development of modern Chinese music. His works were mainly written in the 1920s. The song collection "The First Collection of Jinle" was published in 1922 and the "First Collection of New Songs" was published the following year. Among them, the art song "Question" was widely circulated among students and intellectuals. In addition, "The Wild Geese Flying South", "Women's Sports", "Falling Leaves", "Treading Song" and other chapters all left a certain impact at the time.

Life experience

In 1901, he went to Japan to study at the Education Department of Tokyo Imperial University and the Tokyo Music School. In 1912, he entered the Leipzig State Conservatory of Music in Germany to study theory and composition.

He returned to China in 1920 and established specialized music education.

In 1922, he served as the director of the Music Practice Institute. This was also the beginning of modern professional music education.

The National Conservatory of Music was founded in Shanghai in 1927. He died of illness in Shanghai in 1940. Xiao Youmei graduated and engaged in higher music education, making great contributions to the development of modern Chinese music. He composed more than a hundred songs and other genre works.

"Question" is his masterpiece. Created in 1922 and included in his song collection "The First Collection of Jinle", it expresses a feeling of concern for the country and the people through emotions and questions about the mountains and rivers of life, expresses a depressed and hesitant mentality, and also reflects It expressed the author's dissatisfaction with the Beiyang warlords at that time. The image of the music is vivid, the ideological content and artistic form are harmonious, and the melody development is logical. It is a good art song.

When Xiao Youmei was 21 years old, she followed Sun Yat-sen in the revolution in Tokyo and was introduced to the Tongmenghui by Mr. Sun. She was one of the earliest members of the organization. He once protected Mr. Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary activities and was the first music worker in China to participate in the Tongmenghui directly led by Sun Yat-sen.

In 1912, when the Republic of China was founded, Sun Yat-sen was entrusted with the important post of Secretary of the Provisional Presidential Palace. In October of the same year, he went to Germany to study music. In 1916, he received a doctorate in philosophy with his long thesis "Research on the History of Chinese Orchestras Before the 17th Century", becoming the first musician in China to receive such a degree. This paper is also the first academic work on the study of national music in China.

In 1922, he assisted Cai Yuanpei in establishing the Music Teaching Institute of Peking University, which was the first relatively independent specialized music education institution in modern China.

The following year, he founded China's first modern orchestra, the small orchestra attached to the Music Transmission Institute of Peking University, and served as its own conductor.

In 1927, he went to Shanghai to establish the first complete higher music education institution in modern China, the National Conservatory of Music, which was later changed to the Shanghai National Music College. During the 20 years of educational work, it has cultivated a large number of earliest modern music professionals in China and laid a good foundation for the development of China's modern music culture.

He is the composer of the first chamber music, the first orchestral music, and the first brass music in China. He is the first person in China who has crossed over from amateur composition to professional music creation.

In 1924, the fifth anniversary of the "May 4th Movement", he wrote the chorus "May 4th Memorial Patriotic Song", which was the first song in my country with the theme of the "May 4th Movement".

In 1928, he wrote three songs including "National Humiliation", which was one of the earliest anti-Japanese songs in China.

After the September 18th Incident in 1931, he wrote "Military Song", which was one of the first patriotic songs in my country with the theme of national salvation.

In 1922, he wrote "Question", which is Mr. Xiao's most influential song. "Do you know how many miserable tears there are in today's country?" It points out that the theme of "Question" is the deep concern for the motherland where the warlords were fighting at that time and the mountains and rivers were broken. Compiled China's first Western music history textbook and Chinese music history textbook that are actually used in music teaching.

Written China's first survey report introducing European and American music education institutions.

Xiao Youmei is the first music scholar to use comparative methods to study Chinese and Western music.

When it comes to Xiao Youmei, it is really the pride of Zhongshan people. It is a pity that he passed away in 1940 at the age of only 56. It was a great loss to the Chinese music industry.

He has left many "first" records in the history of modern Chinese music. He is a pioneer of modern Chinese music, a founder of professional music education in China, and a forerunner of professional music creation. Explorer of music theory research. The concert commemorating the 60th anniversary of the death of Dr. Xiao Youmei was held in the auditorium of the Central Conservatory of Music, and his representative works "Question" and "Autumn Thoughts" were performed. The second performance was held at the Centennial Lecture Hall of Peking University.

When Xiao Youmei was 17 years old, she studied in Japan at her own expense and was the first overseas student in my country to study music abroad.