Gathering of Maestros, Bridging East and West: Chinese Symphony Orchestra Unveils 2024 New Season

Master gathering, communication between China and foreign countries, conveying the voice of China to the world

China Philharmonic Orchestra announces 2024 new season

Beijing, December 9th (Reporter Gao Qian) Flipping through the brochure of China Philharmonic Orchestra’s 2024 new season, the main visual image shows music notes and starlight forming a ribbon, with the landmark building of China Philharmonic Orchestra standing on the horizon. It carries the orchestra’s rich heritage and witnesses the development of China’s music industry. In 2024, this iconic architectural symbol of Chinese symphony will undergo a rebirth. In the new year, there are many possibilities waiting to be explored. On the afternoon of December 9th, China Philharmonic Orchestra held a press conference to officially introduce the highlights and performance schedule of the 2024 season.

In terms of the lineup, the orchestra’s honorary chief conductor Li Xincao, resident conductor Jing Huan, honorary artistic director Tan Dun, guest conductor Lin Daye, choir resident conductor Wang Linlin, and assistant conductor Yin Jiongjie will frequently appear on stage. Conductors such as Shui Lan, Yu Long, Lv Jia, Zhang Yi, and Liao Guomin, as well as performers like Yin Chengzong, Liu Yunzhi, Ning Feng, Huang Bin, and Chen Xi, and singers like Liao Changyong, Zhu Huiling, Shi Yijie, Guo Sen, and Song Yuanming will join forces with the orchestra. Foreign musicians such as David Hoss, Andris Nelsons, Gerard Oppitz, and Li Xianyin will also have closer collaborations with the orchestra. With the further recovery and warming of international cultural exchanges, in 2024, the China Philharmonic Orchestra will perform in various locations in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, conveying the voice of China to the world.

In terms of repertoire planning, 2024 marks the 200th anniversary of Bruckner’s birth, the 160th anniversary of Richard Strauss’s birth, the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s death, and the 175th anniversary of Chopin’s death. The China Philharmonic Orchestra will timely launch a series of commemorative concerts and perform Puccini’s classic opera “Tosca” at the annual opera concert.

Chinese works are also the highlight of the new season. On the 120th anniversary of Huang Zi’s birth and the 100th anniversary of Luo Zhongrong’s birth, the China Philharmonic Orchestra will revive the outstanding works of Chinese composers such as Huang Zi, Luo Zhongrong, Chen Peixun, Shi Wanchun, Zhao Jiping, Tan Dun, and Chen Qigang. As for the inheritance of classics, 2024 is the 85th anniversary of the premiere of “The Yellow River Cantata”. The China Philharmonic Orchestra will cooperate with multiple universities to promote the national classics among the younger generation and collaborate with local orchestras to perform the symphonic music “Shajiabang”. As for promoting new works, the second set of “Symphony of the Years · Pinganli” will be performed in the new season. The China Philharmonic Orchestra will also cooperate with other orchestras to commission and create a symphonic suite titled “Revival” to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, as well as undertake the creation and performance of the choral work “The Yangtze River Cantata” under the direct management project of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. In addition, there will be many choral and chamber music concerts that fully explore both Chinese and foreign works, providing a more diverse and enriched musical experience.

It is worth mentioning that Li Xincao, the conductor and president of the China Conservatory of Music, who has been widely followed by music fans, will transition from the chief conductor of the orchestra to the honorary chief conductor in the new season. “I started conducting the Central Orchestra (now China Philharmonic Orchestra) in 1991 and have a deep affection for the orchestra,” Li Xincao said. Zhou Yu, the secretary of the Party Committee of China Philharmonic Orchestra, revealed that in the future, Li Xincao will have frequent collaborations with the orchestra. The relationship between this famous combination in the music industry cannot be measured simply by titles. “Music will prove everything.”

For Jing Huan, who recently joined China Philharmonic Orchestra as the resident conductor, this is a long-awaited return. In 1963, Jing Huan’s grandmother left the Central Orchestra and went to Shanxi to support local construction, and she has been away for 60 years since then. “When I was young, I learned about the Central Orchestra and understood some of the spirits that my grandmother insisted on through photo albums. Now, returning to this familiar place, the only thing I want to do is to do my best,” Jing Huan said. (Beijing Daily)