"Pure Classical" concerts are just around the corner. The NCPA Pure Classical 2023 will be kicked off grandly on October 21^st and continued on until December 20^th. In the last quarter of this year, we will welcome a multitude of top-class contemporary classical musicians and ensembles, among whom there are seven world-renowned conductors below.



Teodor Currentzis was born in Greece, where he began studying music. In 1994, he was admitted to the St. Petersburg State Conservatory, starting his studies under Prof. Ilya Musin, a legendary maestro. In 2004, Currentzis founded the musicAeterna Orchestra and Choir. With members from 15 countries, the Orchestra not only has classic masterpieces in its repertoire, but also specialises in interpreting works composed in the 19^th and 20^th centuries, as well as experimentalcontemporary pieces. Currentzis is well-known for his unique and original conducting style, while the musicAeterna Orchestra is more of a rare symphony orchestra with all its members standing while playing music.

From October 21^st to 22^nd, Teodor Currentzis with The MusicAeterna Orchestra will make their debut in China. They will present Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Rachmaninoff’s classical works and unveil the NCPA Pure Classical series with a fabulous music feast.


Valery Gergiev is a distinguished exponent of the St. Petersburg-style conductors. As a disciple of the legendary maestro Ilya Musin’s, his absolute authority over the art of music has earned him a high fame in the classical music scene. He is 70 years old, but there remains doubt over what remarkable achievements he will achieve at the remainder of his life. Gergiev has been a frequent guest of the NCPA since its inauguration and it will be his second time to visit Beijing this year. He's demonstrating his deep ties with the audience of the NCPA.

From October 23^rd to 24^th, Valery Gergiev with Mariinsky Orchestra and Chorus returned to the NCPA concert hall with a fabulous programme, which consists of masterpieces of Sergei Prokofiev, Rachmaninoff, Alexander Borodin, Dmitri Shostakovich and Richard Strauss.

Daniele Gatti is a graduate of the Department of Composition and Conducting, Conservatorio di Musica Giuseppe Verdi di Milano. He became Chief Conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam and Artistic Advisor to the Mahler Chamber Orchestra in September 2016. He also holds a responsible position at influential musical institutions worldwide including the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the Royal Opera House of London, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and Zurich’s Opernhaus.

From October 27^th to 28^th, Daniele Gatti will deliver his China NCPA Orchestra debut with a full Brahms programme. The concert will include Tragische Overtüre, Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, and Symphony No. 3 to commemorate Brahms’ 190^th birthday.

Myung-whun Chung, a world-renowned conductor, won the Second Place at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1974, and later began his studies at the Mannes School of Music and Julliard School. He used to be a Music Director of the Opéra de la Bastille, Music Director of the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France, the first Chief Guest conductor of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, a Music Advisor to the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra, Music Director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, etc. He is also a founder of the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra, which is composed of top-class musicians from eight Asian countries.

From November 3^rd to 4^th, Myung-whun Chung will join the China NCPA Orchestra after four years with Brunce Liu, the first prize winner of the 18^th Chopin Piano Competition. The programme features Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2.

As a mainstay of the present world’s music scene, Christian Thielemann is unanimously recognised as one of the most authoritative interpreters of German and Austrian music by media. He is also well-known in China by the nickname “Big Bear”, which visualises his bear-like massive figure and his cute gestures and movements on the podium. Thielemann has been Chief Conductor of the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden since the 2012/2013 season and will step down from his position in 2024. He conducted the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and Wiener Philharmoniker at the NCPA in 2012, 2013 and 2018.

From November 5^th to 7^th, Christian Thielemann with The Staatskapelle Dresden will perform the German composers representative works including Tannhauser Overture, Also Sprach Zarathustra and Eine Alpensinfonie. They will embark the audience on an amazing music journey to Dresden.

Zubin Mehta was born into a musical family in Mumbai, India, in 1936. His father Mehli Mehta was an accomplished violinist, violin teacher and conductor, as well as founder of the Mumbai Symphony Orchestra and String Quartet. Zubin Mehta began to receive regular education on the violin and piano at seven, so he was already familiar with European music at a young age. As his father’s student, Zubin Mehta started conducting the Mumbai Symphony Orchestra at 16. He served as the Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1962 to 1978, Music Advisor to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 1969, Chief Conductor to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestrain 1977, and Music Director for Life in 1981, and later the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in 1978.

From November 14^th to 15^th, Zubin Mehta and Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto in D Major, Symphony No. 4, Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique, Verdi’s La Forza Del Destino and Schubert’s Symphony No.8.

From November 1^st to 5^th, Zubin Mehta will conduct the NCPA’s production of Verdi’s Aida to offer a music feast as a follow-up to the premiere of this version by working with the world’s A-list opera singers.

Having been deeply immersed in the vast world of classical music for many years, Iván Fischer is considered one of the most visionary musicians of our time. In the mid-1980s, Iván Fischer initiated the establishment of the Budapest Festival Orchestra and has since innovated the orchestra in many ways. He envisages calling musicians together to serve society by presenting a diversity of musical forms and styles to people.

From December 5^th to 6^th, Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra will return to the NCPA stage after seven years. With pianist Anna Vinnitskaya, the orchestra will feature a beautiful programme of Rachmaninoff’s most sought-after works such as Piano Concerto No. 3, Symphony No. 2 and Vocalise on the first day. The concert will also conclude the Beethoven’s Egmont, Symphony No. 1 and Schubert’s Symphony No. 9 on the second day of the performance.

In addition to the wonderful concerts to be given under the leadership of these seven world-renowned maestros, more surprises will be at this year’s Pure Classical series concerts! Stay tuned and witness the amazing spectacle of famous classical ensembles and artists!