“3D Sound Concert of Kunqu Opera by Zhang Jun” Putting on the Stage at Shanghai Conservatory of Music

3D sound Concert of Kunqu Opera by Zhang Jun, which was co-hosted by China Shanghai International Arts Festival Centre, Shanghai Electronic Music Week, Zhang Jun’s Kunqu Opera Art Centre and SWD Group, officially performed at Rehearsing Centre of Shanghai Conservatory of Music on October 25th and 26th.

Full Dimension  applied the most advanced and fully-developed reduction technology of 3D Sound in holding the 3D sound Concert of Kunqu Opera by Zhang Jun. This is the first time that technology of 3D sound and stagecraft combine together and the combination endows traditional Kunqu Opera with fashion and modern elements.

107 speakers (including 4 sub-woofers) are equipped in three layers on the site. Audience sat around and left an area of a garret size for Zhang Jun’s performance. Compared with the traditional music effects, the biggest difference of IOSONO 3D sound is that it makes sounds be located and move in the interspaces. The system of  3D sound eliminates the existence of “the imperial throne”. As a result, every seat is a "sweet point" to hear real sounds of high qualities. Zhang Jun’s singing has a good cadence, which is meaningful and graceful. Such singing seemed to come from all directions and surrounded audience. During the performance, Zhang Jun walked away from the site frequently to make his voice float everywhere. And matching with the sounds of traditional Chinese instruments and 3D sound technology, Zhang Jun’s singing got special music effects. 

As a traditional ways of singing Kunqu Opera, “Shui Mo Diao” has existed for more than 600 years and has been applied in many plays. According to Zhang Jun’s introduction, his singings, which are from excerpts of A Tade of Jade Clasp, Peony Pavilion, and Huanshaji, all belongs to “Shui MoDiao”, and according to what he has learned, “Shui Mo Diao” are always presented without any traditional instruments. Peng Cheng, a young composer, has been cooperating with Zhang Jun for many years. Free-styled music that Peng specially made combined with 3D sound provided by teams of experts at home and abroad from SWD Group created this concert successfully.

Soundtracks Peng Cheng composed for Zhang Jun adopted different ways of orchestration, including New Age music, jazz, and ock & Roll. In the excerpt from Peony pavilion (a traditional Kunqu Opera), 3D sound offered the electronic-styled music with great sense of rhythm, and made Zhang Jun’s singing acquire a completely new feeling. There is no doubt that 3D sound improves the interactive effect of voice and background music, and makes this concert, which combines traditional Kunqu Opera with modern music, full of new energy and meanings.

3D sound is the most advanced and fully-developed reduction technology of 3D Sound. It can not only reproduce the most natural and real environment of sound field, but also produce some exaggerated art work.  3D sound can locate sound objects at any place, including indoor area and outdoor area. Not being limited by sites and configurations of speakers,  3D sound can always present excellent sound effects.

This concert applies 3D sound to perform Kunqu Opera, which is the first time in China to use the world leading sound technology in a live show. The “crash” of Chinese traditional opera and advanced sound technology can be found in this concert.

3D sound allows audience to feel that they are surrounded by sound within arm reach, and that they can hear sounds effect from vertical height positioning, like sounds of thunders or rains. This concert creates a new immersive form of performance and new audience experience.

 “The experiment of putting sounds into a 3D environment has been a great success today (25th, Oct.) I think this 3D Sound technology will become a trend in sound field.”