Bounce Strings Festival transforms soloists into ensemble musicians

When young cellist Liu Bojun watched contestants at the Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the most prestigious international classical music competitions held annually in Brussels, Belgium, struggle with concertos after excelling as soloists, he noticed a gap that went beyond technique: many simply lacked experience playing with an orchestra.

That observation has shaped his approach to string education. After more than a decade of teaching and studying at the Central Conservatory of Music and the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Liu has sought to move young musicians with listening, collaboration and ensemble playing.

His ideas are at the heart of the 4-year-old Bounce Strings Festival, which concluded recently in Jinan, Shandong province. The seven-day festival this year staged 54 concertos, an unusually large number for a Chinese string education event.

"An orchestra is the best classroom," Liu says.

Unlike a piano accompanist, an orchestra cannot simply follow a student's tempo. Young players must learn to watch the conductor, listen to other sections and adjust their sound, phrasing and dynamics accordingly.

At the festival, each student went through two full rehearsals, a stage rehearsal and a formal performance, gaining experience in a process that mirrors professional orchestral work. Teachers also introduced students to full scores, helping them understand how their individual parts fit into the larger musical structure.

Liu says the goal is to help students realize that "their melody is only one part of the music".

The festival introduced a chamber music course for the first time this year, with students forming fixed ensembles and working with professional musicians. For Liu, chamber music is not simply about playing several instruments together. It requires players to rethink melody, rhythm, harmony and intonation through constant interaction.

He pays particular attention to the way different string sections produce sound. Rather than asking everyone to use identical bowing or dynamics, he encourages players to adjust their technique so that each part occupies its own place in the overall sound.

"Balance is not about one person giving way to another," Liu says. "It comes from each player adjusting their technique so that every voice can be clearly heard."

The deeper lesson, he believes, is learning to move from "me" to "we".

In an ensemble, children must know when to lead and when to support, while listening closely to their partners. Liu has seen previously distracted students become more motivated to practice after joining a trio, while others develop friendships and make plans to perform together again the following year.