Festival to highlight dynamism of symphonic music
Pianist Sun Yingdi will perform at the ninth edition of the China Orchestra Festival. [Photo provided by China Daily]
The National Centre for the Performing Arts will launch the highly anticipated ninth edition of the China Orchestra Festival on April 4. Over the course of 27 days, music lovers will be treated to 26 performances, showcasing the rich and dynamic energy of Chinese symphonic music.
A total of 21 professional orchestras from 11 provinces across the country, along with one prestigious international ensemble, will take part in this grand event. With 22 esteemed conductors and numerous distinguished soloists joining the festival, audiences can expect a diverse array of performances that highlight the evolution of China's symphonic scene.
According to Wang Luli, deputy director of NCPA's program management department, the festival — first launched in 2008 — is a major symphonic event held every two years. This year, it will feature 22 orchestras from both China and abroad, led by some of the most respected names in classical music.
German cellist Jan Vogler will perform at the ninth edition of the China Orchestra Festival. [Photo provided by China Daily]
The festival will open on April 4 with a performance by Wiener Symphoniker, which is celebrating its 125th anniversary. Marking the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss II's birth, the concert — conducted by Petr Popelka — will present a selection of the composer's most beloved waltzes, polkas and operettas, including Eine Nacht in Venedig, Wo die Zitronen bluh'n and Blumenfest-Polka, Op 111. The orchestra promises not only an authentic interpretation of Strauss' works but also a deep reflection of Vienna's enduring cultural connection to the composer.
In honor of the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema, this year's festival will stage a special section, featuring a concert series, Tribute to 120 Years of Chinese Cinema. Hosted at the Beijing Performing Arts Centre, the series will include seven indoor and outdoor concerts, offering audiences a nostalgic journey through iconic Chinese film scores. This musical tribute will celebrate the legacy of Chinese cinema and its profound connection to classical music.
"I have been performing at the festival since its inception," says conductor Li Xincao, president of the China Conservatory of Music. "It's an incredible platform to showcase and promote Chinese symphony orchestras and musical works. Over the years, the festival has witnessed the remarkable growth of China's symphonic scene."
Li will lead the China Philharmonic Orchestra on April 13, in a performance of The Rite of Spring, one of the most groundbreaking works in classical music, composed by Igor Stravinsky. Joining them will be German violinist Simon Zhu, 22, who recently won first prize at the 57th International Violin Competition "Premio Paganini".
Zhu will perform Violin Concerto No 1, Op 6 by Niccolo Paganini, a piece known for its technical demands and virtuosic brilliance.
Later in the festival, on April 29, Li will take the stage once again — this time conducting a concert featuring young musicians from symphony orchestras of 11 Chinese music schools. The highlight of the evening will be 85-year-old pianist Yin Chengzong performing his renowned Yellow River Piano Concerto, which he adapted from Xian Xinghai's Yellow River Cantata. Since its premiere in 1970, this piano concerto has remained one of the most beloved pieces in Chinese classical music.
"The concert will mark the 120th anniversary of Xian's birth and also celebrate the 55th anniversary of the Yellow River Piano Concerto's premiere," adds Li.
Beyond classical masterpieces, the festival will spotlight original works that capture the essence of different Chinese regions. For instance, the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra will present Wuxi Overture, a composition by Li Shaosheng that evokes the misty beauty of Taihu Lake and the cultural heritage of Wuxi.
The Harbin Symphony Orchestra — one of China's oldest symphonic ensembles — will perform Songhua River Suite by composer Zang Ting, a piece inspired by the changing seasons along the Songhua River. Meanwhile, the Kunming Nie Er Symphony Orchestra will explore the folk music traditions of China's southwestern ethnic groups, and the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra will highlight the unique musical expressions of Lingnan culture, which encompasses Guangdong province, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Hainan province and parts of Yunnan and Fujian provinces.
"Each orchestra will use distinctive melodies to portray the unique characteristics of their cities," says Wang.
"There are 63 professional symphony orchestras in China today," Wang notes.
"These orchestras not only showcase the vibrancy of the country's classical music scene but also influence the cultural, social, and historical fabric of the cities they represent."
One of the festival's most exciting debuts will be the Quancheng Symphony Orchestra, China's youngest symphony ensemble. Founded just five months ago in Jinan, Shandong province, the orchestra will make its first-ever appearance at the NCPA on April 23 under the baton of conductor Yang Li.
As the China Orchestra Festival returns for its ninth edition, it promises to be a grand celebration of musical heritage, and artistic innovation — bringing together seasoned maestros, star soloists, rising stars, and orchestras from across China and beyond.
Other highlights include a concert by China National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Shui Lan, staging music programs marking the 150th birth anniversary of French composer Maurice Ravel and featuring pianist Sun Yingdi on April 12.
On April 10 and 11, the China NCPA Orchestra will perform music pieces by Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, marking the 50th anniversary of his passing. German cellist Jan Vogler will join the concert.
