On September 28, the “Boundless Creation”China‑US Jazz Exchange Concert, co‑hosted by Nanjing University of the Arts (NUA) and the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, and co‑organized by Jazz at Lincoln Center Shanghai, was staged at the Pop Theatre of Nanjing University of the Arts. Walter Blanding, a renowned jazz saxophonist, led Chinese and foreign musicians to perform alongside teachers and students from NUA. With jazz as a bridge and musical notes as a messenger, the event promoted artistic exchanges and mutual learning between Chinese and American young people. Grace Clegg, Press and Media Officer of the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai; Zhang Zhihua, Party Secretary of NUA; Zhang Jie, Vice‑President of NUA; Huangfu Zhaohui, Deputy Director‑General of Nanjing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, as well as representatives from the American and Oceanian Division of Jiangsu Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and the American and Oceanian Division of Nanjing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, attended the event.

In the afternoon of the same day, a jazz workshop led by the Walter Blanding Quintet was held at the School of Modern Music and Technology. Centering on jazz performance, improvisational composition and ensemble collaboration, Walter Blanding and quintet members delivered interactive teachingand exchanges with the NUA Student Jazz Orchestra. He emphasized that the essence of jazz lies in "listening to one another": performers must immerse themselves in the music while responding nimbly to the phrasing and expressions of other parts in ensemble playing. During the ensemble coachingsession, the quintet rehearsed onstage with NUA students. Through sectional demonstrations, improvised solos and live interactions, they illustrated the beauty of jazz improvisation. Guided by the musicians, students continuously refined their performance, achieving in‑depth exchanges spanning rehearsal to stage presentationand earning unanimous recognition from the quintet.

The concert hall was packed with a thunderous ovation. The NUA Jazz Big Band kicked off the event with an upbeat overture. Solos by trombone, trumpet, jazz drum and other sections flowed smoothly, winning warm applause from the audience. Afterwards, Zhang Zhihua, Grace Clegg and jazz ambassador Walter Blanding delivered remarks respectively. Zhang Zhihua extended sincere greetings to distinguished guests and Chinese and foreign artists present. He noted that during General Secretary Xi Jinping’s recent visit to the United States,he has pointed out that the hope of China‑U.S. relations lies in the people and its future rests with the youth. By hosting the “Boundless Creation” China‑US Jazz Exchange Concert, NUA actively responds to calls for stronger China‑U.S. people‑to‑people exchanges and deeper bonds among young people. Through diverse activities including jazz history lectures, master workshops, joint rehearsals and the concert, the event enables Chinese and international artists and young students to deepen mutual understanding and build friendship via joint creation and performance.

In her remarks, Grace Clegg thanked Nanjing University of the Arts, Jiangsu Provincial Foreign Affairs Office and Nanjing Municipal Foreign Affairs Office for their support for the event. Shenoted that jazz stands as one of America’s most representative musical forms, and hoped the audience would experience its unique charm through the performance.

Walter Blanding observed in his remarks that jazz unites people from diverse nations and cultural backgrounds, and keeps evolving through cross‑cultural engagement. He mentioned that  China‑U.S. jazz exchanges date back over a century. Collaborations among musicians not only build bridges for mutual understanding, but also create opportunities for innovative artistic expression.

Led by Walter Blanding, the concert featured Chinese and foreign artists including drummer Charles Fildesh, double‑bassist Harrison Wardley, jazz pianist Zhu Mang, as well as young composer and erhu player Cai Bingru. The Jazz Big Band from the School of Modern Music and Technology took a major part in the show. Original works by faculty members such as Bai Tian and Li Shihai were showcased, while professional teachers including Cao Kan, Gao Yijun and Min Yi shared the stagetogether. Ren Jie, winner of both the China Music Golden Bell Award and the Wenhua Award, integrated guzheng into jazz soundscapes. Zhao Wanxin, gold medalist of the China Jazz Competition and silver medalist of the Golden Bell Award, took the stage to sing , infusing the performance with distinct Chinese aesthetics and youthful vitality.

At the start of the concert, the Walter Blanding Ensemble presented classic American jazz pieces, ingeniously blending erhu and saxophone to launch a distinctive cross‑cultural dialogue with jazz melodies. The erhu delivered delicateand lingering charm of traditional Chinese folk music, while the saxophone extended melodies with nimble improvisational responses. As the two instruments echoed and intertwined, they retaining their own distinctive characters while merging organically, weaving acreativenew soundscape that vividly embodied the theme "Boundless Creation."

In the second half, the university’s faculty‑student ensemble re‑interpreted iconic Chinese works including Jasmine Flower, Scenery ofWuxi and Never Thought I’d be the Top Scholar through a jazz lens. Jasmine Flower, a time‑honored folk piece originating from Jiangsu, boasteda smooth, graceful melody and sincere, heart-felt sentiments. During their recent visit to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, Professor Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi Jinping, and Melania Trump, wife of the U.S. President, enjoyed Chinese and American children performing the chorus of Jasmine Flower. This moment stands as a vivid testament to China‑U.S. cultural exchange and mutual learning. The jazzreimagination of Jasmine Flower at this concert further proved music’s power to transcend languages and connect hearts. Scenery ofWuxi merged the fresh charm of Wuregional folk songs with the laid‑back spirit of jazz, evoking the natural scenery and subtle tenderness of the modern Jiangnan water towns. Never Thought I’d be the Top Scholar, an excerpt from the classic Huangmei Opera The Female Son‑in‑Law, featured guzheng, erhu and jazz instruments performing in harmony. It fully revealed the improvisational tension of jazz and breathed new artistic vitality into the Huangmei Opera melody. Musicians jointly endowed these traditional tunes with renewed artistic vitality, allowing Chinese traditional music to radiate new brilliance in cross‑cultural dialogue.

This event marks an important initiative for Nanjing University of the Arts to deepen cross‑cultural arts education and stage practice. Taking this concertas a starting point, the university will further cultural and artistic exchanges with American artists. It will explore exchange formats such as master workshops, reciprocal visits of young artists and cross‑cultural artistic co‑creation, establishing more platforms for Chinese and American youth to foster friendship through art and promote mutual understanding through exchanges.Nanjing University of the Arts will continuously contribute to China‑U.S. people‑to‑people cultural exchanges.