Since raising the curtain on April 6^th, 2018, the 6^th NCPA “China Orchestra Festival” demonstrates the amazing development of the China’s symphony development by presenting outstanding works by Chinese composers. Audiences can also appreciate charming Chinese stories while listening to symphonic melodies. On April 18^th-28^th, the Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra, Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra and China NCPA Orchestra will hold the spotlight at the festival. ZHANG Yi, LÜ Jia and other conductors will cooperate with WANG Zhijiong, LU Siqing, ZHANG Qiang, MENG Meng and other famous artists in joint efforts to interpret Chinese classics and new works.

On April 18^th, under the baton of ZHANG Yi, the Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra will present a special concert dedicated to the works of composer YU Jingjun. The repertoires will include Colorful Clouds, Chinese flute concerto The New River Song and symphonic suite Village Opera. Composed in 1991, Colorful Clouds is a symphonic poem written by composer YU Jingjun based on improvised piano music. The work is full of spirituality and changeable style, and colourful clouds that rise from the light of the early morning sun alongside a beautiful melody, which won the 1^st Australian Paul Loving Orchestra Composer Award in 1992 and was premiered by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 1993. The Chinese flute concerto The New River Song will be presented by bamboo flutist CHEN Yue. The work combines such musical pieces as an aria and tune of Liuzi Opera in Shandong, High Mountain and Flowing Water (folk Guanzi work in Hebei), and Gold Rush Tune (ensemble of Chinese wind and percussion instruments in Hebei). Premiered in 2017, symphonic suite Village Opera consists of three movements, which follows the Zhejiang traditional opera music, and focuses on essential elements selected from the Shao Opera, Yue Opera and Wu Opera with its indigenous styles. The whole suite is full of strong regional savours. On April 20^th, conductors Stephan Malesher, XU Lei, ZHU Huiling, SHI Yijie, LIU Songhu, SHEN Yang, Aoriqileng, HAN Mouren and LI Le will cooperate with Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra to perform Songs from the Steppe by composer YE Xiaogang. With lyrics by Baoerji Yuanye, the work has ten movements and takes a panorama of bold and generous Mongolian folk customs. Mongolian long tunes, shaman chanting tones, folk songs and playing national instruments such as the Morin Khuur and bamboo flute will add luster to the large-scale symphony. On April 26^th, conductor Olivier Ochanine and the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra will pay a tribute to YE Xiaogang’s works with a special concert. The soloists HU Shengnan and WANG Zhijiong and singers SHI Yijie and SONG Yuanming will dedicate to Sichuan Musical Picture and symphonic work The Great Wall.

National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra

On April 21^st, conductor ZHANG Yi and the National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra will highlight A Legend in Naxi Ethnic Minority Group by ZHU Jian’er, Violin Concerto No. 1 by DU Mingxin and Peking Opera Sinfonia by BAO Yuankai. Based on Kouxian music of Naxi Ethnic Group in Yunnan, A Legend in Naxi Ethnic Minority Group gives full play to the characteristics of rich timbres and varied rhythms of Kouxian. Composer ZHU Jian’er gives reins to rich artistic imaginations, takes into account the characteristics of Naxi folk songs, and rolls out a symphonic work drenched with ethnic savours. The Peking Opera Sinfonia revolves around the personality characteristics of Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou (i.e., male role, female role, painted role and clown in Peking Opera). With the magnificent momentums and artistic techniques of Western symphony, the work reveals the extensive spiritual world of traditional Chinese culture. In addition to independent percussion section, the work mainly consists of four parts: Xipi, Erhuang, Qupai and Kunqu.

China NCPA Orchestra

On April 28^th, the festival will mark a grand finale of the 6^th NCPA “China Orchestra Festival” under the baton of LÜ Jia. The soloists ZHANG Qiang and LU Siqing, together with the singer MENG Meng, all will present the Pipa Concerto No. 2 and Violin Concerto No. 1 by ZHAO Jiping, Piano Concerto The Founder by GUAN Xia and new work Jiang Tcheng Tse by CHEN Qigang. Jiang Tcheng Tse, which enjoyed a world premiere in the NCPA Concert Hall on March 2^nd, 2018, was adapted from the same poem authored by SU Shi, a literary giant in the Song Dynasty, to mourn his deceased wife. This work is tailored to national sopranos, chorus and symphony orchestra, which will once again resound at the NCPA Concert Hall thanks to the joint efforts from soprano MENG Meng and the China NCPA Chorus, adding to the prestige of the 6^th NCPA “China Orchestra Festival.”