From April 22 to 25, 2024, Vice President Song Ying of the CAD, along with Director Li Qihou of the Continuing Education Centre, Head Shi Lei of the Department of Western Opera, and Xiang Yueyi from the Foreign Affairs Office, visited Hungary for the exploration of international preparatory programs and graduate exchange projects for the institute.
The delegation first visited the Bartok Bela Faculty of Arts, University of Szeged on April 22. They were warmly received by the Dr. Robert Natyi, Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Tamas Bonecz of Vocal Training, and Ms. Zhang Yu, teacher of Music Performance. The hosts led them on a tour of the teaching facilities before an observation of vocal coaching classes. Prior to the official visit, the CAD’s Continuing Education Centre and the Bartok Bela Faculty of Arts discussed jointly launching international preparatory programs to cultivate artistic talents with an international perspective. Both sides were dedicated to providing students with higher-quality educational resources through cooperation. They also tapped into the potential for such collaboration as the Faculty accepting the CAD graduate students of Opera for short-term study, delegating experts in Opera to the CAD for giving lectures, and jointly creating drama productions.
Group Photo with Dean Robert Natyi Bartok Bela Faculty of Arts
Group Photo In Front of The Building of Bartok Bela Faculty of Arts
The next day, the delegation was warmly welcomed by Prof. Dr. Peter Zakar, Vice-Rector for International & Public Relations at the University of Szeged, Dr. Tamas Bene, Director of the International Affairs and Public Relations. To start with, Dr. Tamas Bene introduced that University of Szeged was the leading comprehensive institution in the country with a history of over 400 years, that among the university's 12 faculties, Bartok Bela Faculty of Arts featured a teaching team comprising renowned experts in the field and a constantly large number of Chinese students. Prof. Song Ying shared that the CAD was a top institution in China's theatre education, currently consisting of 13 departments covering all areas of performing arts. She added that, while continuously improving its education quality, the CAD also actively explored opportunities for international exchange and cooperation. At the end of the meeting, Prof. Song Ying and Prof. Peter Zakar, respectively on behalf of the two sides, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation on international preparatory programs with University of Szeged.
Signing MOU with University of Szeged
On April 24, the delegation visited the China Cultural Center in Budapest. According to Director Jin Hao, the Centre was an official cultural institution established by the PRC’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, dedicated to promoting excellent Chinese culture and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. Jin Hao expressed the wish to leverage the CAD's educational strength and expertise to launch more well-received activities, for facilitating Chinese-Hungarian cultural exchange and cooperation. In response, Prof. Song Ying stated that it was the CAD’s mission to not only train professionals in theatre arts for its motherland, but also to shoulder the responsibility of telling Chinese stories to the world, which was a shared goal with the Centre's. Both sides look forward to deepening cooperation on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary.
Group Photo at China Cultural Center Budapest
The same day also witnessed the delegation’ visit to the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest, in which they met with Prof. Gyula Fekete, Vice President of Research and International Affairs, Associate Prof. Andrea Melath, Head of Department of Vocal and Opera Studies, and Mr. Balazs Jankus, International and Cultural Manager. Prof. Fekete first showed the delegation around the administrative building and their magnificent and time-honored music hall, before a formal talk. During the meeting, Prof. Fekete first expressed admiration for the CAD’s achievements and status in the industry, and introduced that the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music had been founded in 1875, now comprising 13 academic departments. He extended their willingness to explore opportunities for exchange with the CAD in the field of music. Prof. Song Ying also expressed the CAD’s wish for cooperation after an overall introduction to the Academy.
Meeting with Colleagues of Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music
Prof. Shi Lei introduced the curriculum and academic programs at CAD’s Department of Western Opera, emphasizing our continuous learning from excellent artistic practices, adding that our guiding ideology of talent cultivation was ‘theatre art in a broad sense’. Ms. Melath touched upon their faculty members and students, as well as curriculum, stating that the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music strictly controlled student-to-teacher ratio. Subsequently, both sides discussed the possibility of sending top students from CAD’s Department of Western Opera for short-term mobility at the Liszt for a semester. Prof. Fekete was open towards this proposal, explaining their rich experience in such cooperation. Prof. Shi then extended an invitation to experts in opera and piano accompaniment from Liszt to deliver lectures at the CAD, to which Ms. Melath took with delight. Both sides also expressed a clear desire to sign a memorandum of cooperation between the institutions. Mr. Li Qihou exchanged views with Prof. Fekete and others on faculty’s continuing education, certificate exams in music, and preparatory programs. After the meeting, the delegation attended a piano accompaniment coaching session with a first-year opera graduate student, drawing a fine double bar line to the visit to Hungary.
Group Photo with Colleagues of Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music
Throughout the 4-day tight-schedule visit, the delegation led by Vice President Song Ying has yielded fruitful results, including carrying forward CAD’s preparatory programs and expanding cooperation relationships. They have opened up a new path for international education for faculty and students at the CAD, and those aspiring to study at the CAD or pursue further education in Hungary.
