Conducted by Chen Xieyang, the Suzhou Symphony Youth Orchestra staged a concert at the NCPA in Beijing on Feb 10. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The Suzhou Symphony Youth Orchestra made its debut at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing on Feb 10.
Conducted by Chen Xieyang, Zhong Hongliang and Jiang Feifan, it performed pieces, including Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker Suite, Op. 71a, Liu Tieshan's Dance of the Yao People, and Blooming Flowers and Full Moon by Zhong Hongliang.
In addition to the concert at the NCPA, the orchestra also participated in a variety of educational and research activities during their visit to Beijing. On the morning of Feb 9, members attended a lecture by conductor Yu Hai on the national anthem, March of the Volunteers. They also visited the Central Conservatory of Music, one of the country's highest-ranking music academies.
Conducted by Chen Xieyang, the Suzhou Symphony Youth Orchestra staged a concert at the NCPA in Beijing on Feb 10. [Photo provided to China Daily]
The Suzhou Youth Symphony Orchestra was established in July 2022 and is managed by the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra. Chen Xieyang is music director, and Xu Zhong is principal conductor. Many of the orchestra's musicians, including its principal and associate principal players, are mentors. As the first youth symphony orchestra in Suzhou managed by a professional orchestra, the Suzhou Youth Symphony Orchestra promotes music education and its members are aged between 10 and 18.
"The children are full of energy. It's a great joy for them to find something they love at such a young age," said Chen. In April 2018, less than two years after its establishment, the orchestra made its debut in Beijing.
Conducted by Chen Xieyang, the Suzhou Symphony Youth Orchestra staged a concert at the NCPA in Beijing on Feb 10. [Photo provided to China Daily]
"Since its establishment, the Suzhou Youth Symphony Orchestra has been dedicated to cultivating young musical talent and promoting the development of music education in Suzhou. As one of the highest cultural institutions in China, the NCPA attracts top-tier domestic and international art groups to perform there. This concert at the NCPA is of great significance to us," says Chen Guangxian, chairman of the China Symphony Development Foundation, and president of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra.
