A month after Hollywood director Steven Spielberg joined the production team for the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, another internationally acclaimed artist has offered his services.

 

During his first visit in Beijing, Quincy Jones, a 73-year-old US musician, composer, conductor and producer, said he had offered to compose an Olympic song for the Beijing Games.

 

"The inspiration of the strong leadership in preparing the 2008 Olympic Games and the theme 'One world, One dream' has led me to offer everything I can," said Jones yesterday in Beijing.

 

"Everything in the 60 years of my career has led up to this event. I would be very proud to write and orchestrate the theme to the 2008 Olympic Games."

 

Nominated for 77 Grammy Awards in his career, Jones has worked with many world famous music stars like Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald.

 

Jones was impressed by China's "four thousand years of awesome culture" and promised to combine Chinese cultural elements into his Olympic song.

 

"The song will be a global combination, a universal mix," said Jones. "I'm a big fan of Chinese culture and I will have the personality of this amazing country as the foundation."

 

"I would like to be one of the people who send out the message to the world about what a country this is."

 

Knowing about Jones' interest in Chinese culture, it was Hong Kong action movie star Jackie Chan who suggested he contribute his musical talents to the Games.

 

The offer has been warmly welcomed by Beijing organizers.

 

"I really appreciate Jones' offer to write for the Beijing Games," said Jiang Xiaoyu, executive vice president of Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG).

 

"I believe his efforts will inspire more and more artists from home and abroad to take part in and contribute to the 2008 Games."

 

As the same time, Jiang also stressed that BOCOG would continue its public search for the theme song of the Beijing Games.

 

"Rounds of solicitation for Olympic songs will continue to be held up to 2008," said Jiang.

 

"The competition is still open to all composers and musicians from home and abroad."

 

(China Daily May 25, 2006)