蒙纳士华人协会

Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-Fascist War and the Chinese People’s Anti-Japanese War concert.

On August 9, 2025, the Monash Chinese Association successfully hosted a concert of significant historical importance at the Clayton Community Centre. The concert was organized by the Monash Chinese Association’s Spring Voice Choir, co-organized by Lucia Music Studio, with Professor Feng Lanfang serving as the chief planner and Teacher Lucia Liu as the artistic director. Various cultural groups participated, including the Australian Chinese Peace Association, Monash Choir, Waverley Scottish Association, and others. The concert received strong support from the Monash government, with Monash Councillor Cr Elisha Lee, Councillor Cr Cameron Little, and more than ten representatives from different cultural backgrounds attending the concert. The concert featured a distinct theme, rich content, and wonderful performance.

The first movement, "Difficult Years." The mixed choir "On the Taihang Mountain," performed by the Spring Voice Choir of the Association, sings the soaring horn of the Chinese people singing to the heavens; the beautiful yet tragic melody of "On the Songhua River" showcases the heart-wrenching sighs of those who have lost their homeland. Both choral pieces were conducted by Teacher Fancy, with piano artistic guidance from Teacher Lucia Liu. The solo piece, "The Songstress Under the Iron Hoof," is deeply moving and evokes tears; the women's choir piece "Huangshui Ballad" has a broad melody with a sorrowful rhythm; the dance "The Yellow River Flows Past My Door" expresses people's love for their homeland and beautiful hopes for a happy life. These wonderful performances carry heavy historical memories and the suffering of the nation, reflecting the unyielding spirit of the Chinese people and expressing their desire for freedom and peace. In this movement, a special program was presented: the unveiling ceremony of the Chinese Peace Statue. Individuals from Australia and China, along with two council members from the Monash City government, unveiled the statue dedicated to the Chinese "Comfort Women" and the Peace Girl. This statue was initiated and constructed by the Australian Chinese Peace Association and received strong support and donations from many Chinese and Korean communities in Australia, including active donations from the members of the Monash Chinese Association. The Peace Statue was designed by Pan Yiqun from Tsinghua University and filmmaker Shi Yong, manufactured in China, and after nearly two years of effort, it has crossed the ocean to arrive in Australia.

The second movement "The Nationwide Anti-Japanese War" features male solo singing of "Ode to Yan'an", female solo of "Nan Ni Wan", and a male small chorus of "Play My Beloved Earth Pipa", all of which are classic songs from the wartime that awakened countless outstanding Chinese sons and daughters, showcasing the spirit of self-reliance and optimism, and nurturing the spiritual backbone of the Chinese nation. The Waverley Scottish Association presented three dances with unique Scottish ethnic characteristics, expressing a yearning for a beautiful life. The Monash Choir, formed by local residents, performed two mixed choral pieces, "How Lovely the Messengers Are" and "Gone with the Wind", expressing the desire for world peace.

The third movement, "Cherishing Peace," features a female choir performing "May Flowers," which praises young students for their courageous struggle for national liberation, symbolizing youth and ideals. The male choir presents "Ah, Friends, Goodbye," expressing the determination of guerrilla fighters leaving their hometowns to go to the battlefield. The grand finale of the concert consists of two mixed-voice choruses: the Association Spring Voice Choir and the Monash Choir, which come from completely different cultural backgrounds. More than 60 music enthusiasts from both Chinese and foreign backgrounds performed together, singing "Song of Peace" in English and "Let the World Be Filled with Love" in Chinese, which further elevated the concert to its climax. The Monash Choir voluntarily requested to sing in Chinese, marking their first performance in the language. Their sincere emotions moved all the performers and audience present. The melodious and heartfelt singing highlighted the theme of the concert: remembering history and cherishing peace.

The concert concluded successfully, thanks to all the staff and volunteers for their hard work. This concert marks the first time the Monash Chinese Association and the Spring of Voice Choir have held a concert to commemorate a significant global event; it is also the first to genuinely organize a concert in the community; and the first to utilize social resources so extensively, coordinating various cultural groups to participate in an important activity. The successful hosting of the concert has provided the team with a better platform to integrate into society and promote excellent culture, greatly enhancing the musical level and performance ability of the participants, developing the team's capability to handle major issues comprehensively, and strengthening the team's cohesion and centripetal force. The concert reflected on history, called for peace, and spread classical music, bringing a breath of cultural fresh air to Melbourne.