Ben was playing with the kids Photo provided to Hangzhoufeel
Ben and kids in the rehearsal
Story
By Ni Bing
A foreign conductor took his place at the front of a Hangzhou children's choir. With an expressive face and animated gestures, he guided the choir through a delightful time of harmony and dynamics. His hands moved gracefully up and down, sculpting the music as if it were a living entity. The children's passion and energy permeated the concert hall, igniting a captivating performance that resonated deeply with the audience.
The conductor is Benjamin Geier from the US. The first time when we saw him, Dr. Geier, whom we soon naturally called Ben, was specially dressed in a formal suit for the interview, smiling amiably after finishing the classes in a music camp.
With degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from Indiana University, Ben has devoted himself to developing programs focusing on high-caliber vocal techniques, traditional choral repertoire, and educating youths on the richness of the Western fine arts. This year, as the mentor and conductor of the music camp hosted by Hangzhou Philharmonic Angel Choir, Ben has brought the kids to an amazing journey of musical theater.
It was the beauty of the Chinese traditional music that initiated Ben to further explore China. Ben said with passion that when he listened to Guzheng, the traditional Chinese instrument for the first time in his life, he was virtually moved to tears. Music is such a language that transcends all the boundaries.
Ben told us it was his third time to be here in Hangzhou. "The first time was 7 years ago. It's amazing that the city has grown and transformed so much. Only in China do these things happen so dramatically and I'm so excited to witness all these changes." Apart from Hangzhou, Ben had been to many places of China with his own choir. Different from acting as a singer and performer, the teaching role in the music camp endowed Ben with a novel perspective to deeply interact with Chinese residents, especially the children. "I could just be an artist and paint with their voices, which is really special." Ben said.
The next day we got the chance to have a glimpse of Ben leading a rehearsal. When surrounded by children, Ben was much different from what he was like in the interview, leaping from that gentleman in suit to the one clicking with those little girls and boys. He stood in the front of the classroom and dancing, so that the children could follow him. An interpreter was beside Ben to help him giving instructions. Although unable to communicate directly with the kids, Ben used diverse gestures like his thumb and applauses to express his praise and encouragement.
"Let me see your teeth!" Ben reminded the kids to smile, using exaggerated gestures and tone. It was then that one little boy threw himself onto Ben in a hug. "It's you again!" chortled Ben as he tapped his head. The kids were apparently well immersed in the musical theatre and willing to show themselves with confidence. The whole classroom was full of hearty laughter. "I think of myself like a father to every kid," Ben said.
Musical theatre is a challenge for both the children and Ben, as it requires singing, dancing, and acting in their performances. We could see that Ben is strict and meticulous with the singing effect. He patiently asks the kids to practice again and again for the final performance.
The final show of the musical camp was a chior edition of The Love We Share, a promotional song of the 19th Asian Games. The song was conducted by Ben and sung by the entire choir, bringing the concert to its climax.
"In this imminent Asian Games, you can see children, adults from different places in Asia coming together and see Hangzhou standing in the center of that. To hear the song in children's voices is very special because they are so innocent and young, and their words could bring everyone together!" acclaimed Ben.