Lin Zaiyong, president of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and his delegation visited the Belarusian State Academy of Music from June 9 to 11.

Since SHCM signed the memorandum of cooperation with BSAM in 2015, the two conservatories have organized a number of fruitful exchanges of professors and students.

Catherine Doulova, president of BASM, welcomed Lin. She said during a visit to SHCM last year in October, she noticed Belarusian traditional string instrument balalaika is very similar to Chinese traditional instrument Ruan, then she invited students of Ruan to have an exchange visit to BASM.

On June 10, Lai Wenjin, post-graduate student of Liuqin, played several Ruan music pieces and Shi Yin, school office director of SHCM, gave a lecture on the instrument and its history at BASM.

Lin also inspected BASM’s teaching methods, performing facilities and mapped out more cooperation programs such as sending SHCM students to youth talents competition held by the Belarusian government; sending female choir of SHCM to have exchange performance at BASM in December; inviting one or two BASM professors to give lectures at SHCM every year; organizing ethnic culture exchange week at both conservatories; assembling expert reviewers to grade Chinese exchange students’ papers; and setting up joint editorial committee to co-publish music books, illustrated books of musical instruments of both countries and documents.

Lin congratulated Doulova on BASM’s achievements and invited her to attend the celebration of SHCM’s 90th anniversary in November.

Shen Hao, secretary of International Exchange Office of SHCM, and the post-graduate student Lai, also joined the visit.