Modernist muses

For Zhou, Concerto for Orchestra, his 35-minute piece commissioned by the Cincinnati Symphony in 2016 developed from a 15-minute piece he wrote in 2013. But before he was offered the opportunity, Zhou, like Du, kept on composing.

"As a composer, I spend a lot of time alone and try to write one piece, which usually takes months to finish. I imagine the whole orchestra in my head and the entire process is a lonely one. I don't write music for money or awards. It's just my way of communicating with people," says the 38-year-old in Beijing. Born in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, Zhou graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with a major in composition in 2001 before training at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute of Music, New York's Juilliard School and the University of Southern California.

"Compared with the older generation of Chinese composers, we grew up within a different historical and cultural background. The influences from the West and East are both apparent in our musical works, which makes the younger generation of Chinese composers quite different and unique in the world," Zhou says.

As Yu continues to urge more institutions and foundations to commission younger Chinese composers and offer them wider opportunities, the maestro also notes that musical content lies at the core of any work - and he wants more young composers to show off their creativity.

"A lot of people say there aren't many opportunities for composers. But right now is a great time, in a way, because you can write whatever you want since the audience is so open-minded," Yu says.