Nine Gates Polyphony 九门复音 - An ensemble based in Beijing that seeks to bridge East and West by presenting in China medieval and Renaissance music

East Meets West in Chinese Choral Ensemble

by Susan Klemond

Nine Gates Polyphony Shares Renaissance Music and Its Sacred Message

As a small choral group bringing Western sacred music to the Far East, Chinese listeners hearing the unfamiliar sounds of Renaissance-era polyphony for the first time also can experience the Gospel message through the classical music’s lyrics.

That’s one of the hopes of St. Paul, Minn., native John Kusske, founder of Nine Gates Polyphony, an ensemble based in Beijing that seeks to bridge East and West by presenting in China medieval and Renaissance music that is mostly but not exclusively sacred (the group can be reached by email at nine.gates.polyphony@gmail.com).

In a country that has a very different musical culture — and which also restricts religious expression — Kusske and others share their love of Western sacred music and express interest in music written by missionaries to China from earlier centuries.

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About the choir/关于合唱团

Nine Gates Polyphony is a chamber choir formed in 2012 to bring the polyphonic style of classical music to life in Beijing. The choir combines the voices of around twelve diverse women and men who share a love of, and skill in, this ancient style of song. The name Nine Gates recognises the ancient city gates of Beijing which, like polyphonic music, are relics of history kept alive through our shared recollections.

九门复音，成立于2012年，旨在以小型室内合唱团的形式将西方古典 “复调音乐” 带给北京。合唱团成员来自不同国家，从事不同职业，共同的是对此古老乐种的热爱及诠释技能。 九门者，北京古城之别称也。如同北京的旧城门，复调音乐曾是人们生活中不可或缺的一部分，今日虽已成为历史遗迹，却能借由我们共同的追忆得到传承及新生。

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