The School of Art Design at Yunnan University (YNU) held the Composition in Asia：Second International Symposium & Festival at the University of South Florida (USF), in partnership with the College of the Arts at USF, from Jan 18 to 21.

Yu Hui, a professor at the School of Art and Design at YNU, was one of the sponsors and organizers of the festival.

The event saw more than 40 musicians, composers, educators and around 1,000 audience members gather for the festival.

During the four-day event, a seminar was held to discuss the evolution of music composition in Asia since the beginning of the 20th century.

Representatives also held insightful exchanges on the influence exerted by western composers on Asian music as well as how social and cultural norms affect Asian composers’ work.

The festival staged three concerts delivered by top composers from China, the Republic of Korea as well as other countries in Asia.

The musicians performed over 20 pieces, covering various styles and forms of music, with the aim of sharing the latest composition techniques and philosophies with the audience.