Musical reunion spreads notes of harmony

Concerto performed

After performing in Beijing in 1973, the US orchestra gave two concerts in Shanghai.

On Sept 22 that year, after ending its tour of China, the orchestra returned to the US. In its next performance season, Ormandy conducted the orchestra and pianist Daniel Epstein in recording The Yellow River, becoming the first US orchestra to record a Chinese piano concerto.

On Thursday, the Philadelphia Orchestra gave a small concert at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, in which four of its musicians performed Chinese and US works with a Chinese children's choir.

Booth, the violinist, said: "One thing that touched me was that young people were playing alongside older people … this constantly builds upon the great foundation and great musical heritage that both countries share."

He is also amazed by the exciting classical music scene in China, especially the nation's young musicians, who "have contributed to music throughout the whole world".

"China has produced great soloists, such as Lang Lang and Yuja Wang, who are superstars," he said. "We have quite a few Chinese players in the Philadelphia Orchestra. Of course, they are family to us, which makes China family to us.

"Music is something that strongly brings people and countries together. Over the years, we have definitely seen the fan base for classical music to grow in China."

Looking back over the years, Booth said: "We realized just how many people were deeply touched by our first concerts in 1973. That tour was a pivotal moment in our lives, and remains so to this day."

He also referred to the internationally acclaimed composer Tan Dun as a "very vivid case".

In 1973, Tan was in Hunan province, when concerts performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra were transmitted and played over the fields in which he was working. He was so moved that he wanted to devote his life to music.

Booth said, "Tan has since become a worldwide superstar, but he still talks about the influence that our first concerts in China had on him."

In September, when the Philadelphia Orchestra toured North Carolina in the US with Nezet-Seguin, its music and artistic director, Booth received a message during a concert saying that someone wanted to speak to him.

It turned out to be a Chinese family. The man and his wife had been to one of the orchestra's concerts in China in 1973. They were extremely touched by the performance, and were now living in North Carolina.

"They wanted to touch base with somebody who was there. That was really an incredible personal moment that showed me the influence that those concerts and our trips to China over the years have had on people everywhere," Booth said.