Wang Kun (singer)
Wang Kun | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1925 |
| Died | 2014 (aged 88–89) Beijing, China |
| Alma mater | Yan'an Lu Xun Institute of Arts |
| Years active | 1954-2010 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | Two sons |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Mandopop |
Wang Kun (
In 1982, she became director of the Oriental Song and Dance Company, and educated a number of influential singers including Yuan Zheng, Zheng Xulan, and Zhu Mingying.[3] Although she mainly sang revolutionary songs herself, Wang was an ardent supporter of popular music in the early 1980s, when such music was the target of heavy criticism in the wake of the Cultural Revolution. Her personal approval of Cui Jian, now known as the "Father of Chinese Rock", gave the singer the opportunity to debut at a major 1985 concert organized by the Oriental Song and Dance Company.[3]
Wang Kun's husband Zhou Weizhi was an influential musician who served as acting Minister of Culture of the PRC. They were married from 1943 until 2014, when the couple both died within a period of three months.[3]
Biography
Wang was born in 1925 in
Along with her contemporary
She was a member of the committee of the fourth session of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC) and the Chinese Musicians' Association, and she participated in the second and third sessions as director of the executive committee for the fourth session of the All-China Women's Federation. She was the Chinese Communist Party's 11th representative for the first, second, and third National People's Congress, and was also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference for the fifth and sixth National People's Congress. She performed in the large-scale music and dance drama and film, The East Is Red in the 1960s.[2]
Her singing was praised by China's tops leaders
Wang's singing style draws on Chinese folk traditions for its foundation, though her vocal production (featuring a bright timbre and consistent vibrato) also shows elements of borrowing from Western
Wang Kun died on November 21, 2014 at the age of 89.[6]
Personal life
Wang married musician Zhou Weizhi in 1943.[1] Zhou later served as Minister of Culture of the PRC. They had two sons. Zhou died in September 2014, at the age of 98,[7] and Wang died shortly afterwards on 21 November 2014, aged 89.[1]
Her little brother Wang Zhongqi was a Chinese engineer who was a professor at Harbin Institute of Technology, and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d 著名女高音歌唱家王昆去世 曾演《白毛女》喜儿 (in Chinese). Phoenix TV. 21 November 2014.
- ^ a b c d Oliver Chou (24 November 2014). "Wang Kun, the original 'White Haired Girl', dies". South China Morning Post.
- ^ a b c 歌唱家王昆去世 推动流行乐发展发掘崔健 (in Chinese). Sina. 21 November 2014.
- ^ "王昆：为中国音乐奋斗到生命的终点-新华网". www.xinhuanet.com. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
- ^ Profile, au.china-embassy.org; accessed 22 November 2014.
- ^ "著名女高音歌唱家王昆去世 曾演《白毛女》喜儿(图)". ent.ifeng.com. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ Chou, Oliver (14 September 2014). "Zhou Weishi, a pioneer of the performing arts in China, dies aged 98". South China Morning Post.
- ^ Ma Yunxiao (马云霄) (14 June 2006). 科技创新楷模 ：记弯扭叶片发明人哈工大王仲奇院士. sina (in Chinese). Retrieved 25 December 2022.
External links
Video
- Wang Kun singing "Peasants' Association" on YouTube, 1964
- Wang Kun singing "Nanniwan", c. 2009
- Wang Kun singing "Cotton Weaving" on YouTube, c. 2009
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
