Changjiang International Music Festival is becoming one of China's major youth events. (Photo by Zhu Donghong/China Daily)
Because the festival is held during a public holiday, it has gradually become a vacation destination for music lovers from around the country.
Zhang says it takes no more than five hours to travel by high-speed train from Beijing to Zhenjiang and just 70 minutes from Shanghai to Zhenjiang.
Zhang also adjusted the content of the music festival to be more diverse than other festivals in China. He says that unlike Midi Music Festival, which focuses on rock music, and Strawberry Music Festival, which caters to trendy young people, the festival in Zhenjiang is targeted at families, which means it has a variety of music styles.
Zhang also invited Tang Xiaolei, a veteran performance manager, who is the vice-president and producer of Beijing Legend River Entertainment, to bring big-name international stars and popular new singers to attract bigger crowds.
Tang, who brought Beyonce and the late Whitney Houston to China, invited Scorpions and American singer-songwriter Demi Lovato, who has made it big on US billboards.
They will perform 90 minute sets at the festival.
"Their performances will be just like the quality and length of their concerts. Fans will be excited to enjoy such great shows at a low price-200 yuan ($33) a day," says Tang, who is based in Los Angeles and commutes between China and the US.
To cater to the rising music market, Zhenjiang Media and Culture Industrial Group invested tens of millions to build up Shi Ye Zhou－Changjiang International Music Island-in 2010. ShiYeZhou, which covers 44 square kilometers, sits right on the Yangtze River.
According to Zhang, the goal is to make the island a music themed place, not only as the location of the festival but also as a venue bands can go to perform.
"The festival has become the calling card of the city. People can even learn news about the festival from any taxi driver," Zhang says.
IF YOU GO
Changjiang International Music Festival
1 pm-11 pm, May 1 and 2. Shi Ye Zhou Changjiang International Music Festival Island, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province.
4006-228-228.
