Organizers of Modular Commune Festival, described as “the biggest modular event in China”, let us know that this year’s event will be held November 8-10, 2024 in Beijing’s 798 Art District.
The Modular Commune Festival is free for everyone to attend and will include synth expo and trade show, workshops, ‘novice village’, over 60 performances and more.
Here’s what they shared:
“The synth developer expo and tradeshow will include all of China’s main modular and electronic instrument dealers and distributors, as well as developers from both overseas and from all over China. Over 60 artists will perform live modular sets with a separate hall for ambient sets and the after party. All exhibitors are invited to host a workshop in a dedicated hall. Finally, the Novice Village is a small space for guests who are new to modular to try some patching for the first time as well as a resting area with food and beverages.
The Modular Commune Festival has been arranged for 9 years and lets people gather in a vibrant and open space to exchange ideas, perform, and showcase their own systems to the world of modular synth. It aims to introduce the concept and technology of modular synths to a greater crowd and invite them to learn more about techniques as well as exciting new products.
The Modular Commune is more than just a trade show and performance showcase event for artists and industry representatives. It is a space for people to meet, a festival of ideas, a space to make new friends and foster collaboration opportunities. This philosophy is in the core conception, which is also suggested in the events’ name in Mandarin, which roughly translates to ‘the way of exchange’.”
See the event site for details.
I find it a little weird that an ultra-buttoned-down society like China’s has an internal synth market, but it makes sense. That’s where most of them are built, so its a known thing. People still need to have a little fun, no matter what’s breathing down their necks. I’d like to see the studio of China’s nearest Vangelis surrogate!
It’s unfortunate most people see China like some homogeneous controlled oppressed country but in reality it has every music scene you can see in the west and then some. They have plenty educational institutions about electronic music, contemporary video art and what not. In 2017 I went there and a vacation package for 2 weeks, all inclusive (minus drinks) was $800 because it is subsidized by the state and my experience was that it was very well organized, clean and people were very polite. For sure I’ll look into this event because chances are the state will be subsidizing so it can be cheap.
Well said. I am a China watcher and a musician. We westeners have a lot to learn from Confucian culture, and we need to ignore our governments’ propaganda. I’d love to go.
“what’s breathing down their necks”,
well in China they have Xinping and in the US we have Zuckerberg and Bezos. Is there a difference?
music without words, great – nobody is going to say dangerous things. 😉
isnt it nice how nice it at all is?
I take the point about the fact that China does have a bustling level of engagement with things like synths. Bezos can’t drop the hammer the way the Chinese government has done, but yes, oppression is what it is. It doesn’t come in just one form or flavor. A typical Amazon work day seemingly fits the title. Ouch.
I should also modify my thinking a bit, because China paid part of the freight for one of Jean-Michel Jarre’s mega-shows in 1982, leading to the excellent live double album “The Concerts In China.” That’s one of the best things he’s ever done. The energy is great.
So yeah, China has its oppression, but so do we and despite that, China also has a history of culture that adds to the world’s color. I’m glad they have a synth market, because both human creativity and pain need an outlet. Music is a good one.
“I should also modify my thinking a bit, because China paid part of the freight for one of Jean-Michel Jarre’s mega-shows in 1982, leading to the excellent live double album “The Concerts In China.” That’s one of the best things he’s ever done. The energy is great.”
it was a great PR Show, everybody got what they wanted.
JMJ could play to millions of potential new record buyers and have the biggest media circus worldwide you can imagine and communist China could show how “open minded” they were. ^^
I did a brief writeup on the event, if anyone would like to hear about it.
https://www.reddit.com/r/synthesizers/comments/1gonlng/some_pics_from_chinas_first_synthesizer_expo/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button