A world of harmony

The Chinese orchestra also plans to work with Chinese universities to perform the Yellow River Cantata, marking the 75th anniversary of its premiere. Back in 1939, composer Xian Xinghai (1905-45) created the piece, along with poet Guang Weiran, who was impressed by the beautiful scenery of the Yellow River. The music piece fueled patriotism during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45). Since its premiere in Yan'an, Shaanxi province, a revolutionary base, the eight-movement cantata has been performed for decades and is still a firm favorite among audiences.

The new season will also see the premiere of a new music piece, titled The Rejuvenation, which is a symphonic suite commissioned by the China National Symphony Orchestra and composed by young Chinese musician Li Bochan, marking the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. It will debut at a concert on Sept 13 at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

Since conductor Li Xincao, the former president and principal conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra, took his new position as the president of the China Conservatory of Music, two conductors have joined the orchestra: Jing Huan and Wang Linlin serve as the orchestra's standing conductors.

"I have been playing with the China National Symphony Orchestra since 1991. The orchestra witnessed my growth as a musician," says Li Xincao, who will participate in the orchestra's new season as an honorary conductor.

Li Xincao will take the baton and perform with the orchestra in a concert titled Chinese Music by Western Composers, which is scheduled for Oct 26, 2024, featuring two music pieces by German composer Enjott Schneider, dedicated to the ancient Chinese musical instrument sheng (a mouth-blown, free-reed instrument): Changes, a concerto for sheng and orchestra, and Symphony No 3 Chinese Seasons for alto, sheng and orchestra, featuring sheng player Wu Wei and mezzo-soprano Zhu Huiling.