| Upon the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, China entered a new stage of development that marked a new phase for the People's Liberation Army (PLA), one during which the music history of the PLA presents a new face.In the early years since the foundation, music making in the PLA was much active. Following the standardization and modernization of the army during the first decade of the new China, music troupes expanded, while the level of music creations showed unprecedented improvements. Many talented artists appeared and numerous new works, which are notable for their rich content and high artistic quality, also emerged. It was against this very background that both the first and the second joint performances of the PLA's musical troupes were held successfully in 1952 and 1959. Great changes occurred between the first and the second performances:participant delegations increased from 11 to 37 (among which 21 professional troupes and 16 amateurs); individual performers increased from 1500 to 5400; performances increased from 6 to 288 and acts in the programs increased from 140 to 408. In a comprehensive way, the joint performances displayed the artistic achievements of military troupes. As a result, a large number of outstanding works of art and influential artists rose to prominence. Such events not only promoted the development of military music, but also enriched modern Chinese musical culture.This paper focuses on the first and second joint performances of the military musical troupes held in 1952 and 1959. By adopting a historiographic approach based on the collection and study of historical sources, as well as close consideration for the peculiar historical background in question, this paper offers a systematic review of the process leading to the two joint performances and endeavors to evaluate their historical significance, cultural value and profound influence.
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