On the night of May 1^st, the NCPA May Festival 2026, themed “Bows, Strings and Roses”, kicked off with its Opening Concert: “Bows and Strings VI” at the star-studded NCPA Concert Hall. Classical masterpieces will largely be performed at this year’s May Festival to commemorate the 270^th anniversary of the birth of Mozart. That night, ten artists joined hands with the China NCPA Orchestra in creating romantic melodies on bows and strings, presenting an emotionally resonant opening gala of high artistic caliber to the audience.

This year’s festival is represented by “Bows, Strings and Roses”. It blends the dynamic lines of string music with the romantic poetry of roses in homage to the golden age of classicism to show the timeless healing power of music. The opening concert, entitled “Bows and Strings VI”, is a full upgrade. Under the leadership of LAI Jiajing, Conductor-in-Residence of the China NCPA Orchestra, violinist Siqing Lu, Artistic Director of the May Festival, headed the bill and shared the stage with violinists HUANG Mengla and ZHU Dan, violist SU Zhen, cellist Li-Wei Qin, clarinetist WANG Tao, oboist LIU Mingjia, hornist JIN Zhicheng, and pianists SUN Yingdi and WEI Zijian. They played classical masterpieces by Mozart, Bach, Haydn and Brahms, achieving deep integration between famous soloists and an orchestra, making it possible to render traditional chamber music in a more flexible manner.

The concert began tenderly with Mozart’s Serenade in C Major, K. 648 (arr.: WANG Peicheng). Ten artists, including Siqing Lu, HUANG Mengla, ZHU Dan, SU Zhen, Li-Wei Qin, WANG Tao, LIU Mingjia, JIN Zhicheng, SUN Yingdi and WEI Zijian, took to the stage together, instantaneously livening up the festive atmosphere.

 

After that, Siqing Lu and SU Zhen appeared as perfect partners and performed Mozart’s Duo No. 1 in G Major for Violin and Viola, K. 423 - I., with pure, elegant and gripping melodies created on the two bowed string instruments. WANG Tao joined hands with HUANG Mengla, ZHU Dan, SU Zhen and Li-Wei Qin in presenting Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet in A Major, K. 581‌ - I., with rich clarinet timbre weaving through exquisite strings, fully embodying the essence of Mozart’s chamber music. LIU Mingjia teamed up with Siqing Lu, SU Zhen and Li-Wei Qin for Mozart’s Oboe Quartet in F Major, K. 370‌ - I. In their performance, the clear and bright melody of the oboe unfurled gracefully in lively dialogue with the strings. JIN Zhicheng, ZHU Dan and WEI Zijian interpreted Brahms’ Horn Trio in E-flat major, Op. 40‌ - IV. They gave the lively allegro a brisk rhythm, filling it with romantic vibes, so that the music sounded richly layered. The “Major Trio” - Siqing Lu, Li-Wei Qin and SUN Yingdi - performed Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No.1 in D Minor - II. They gave a soothing, passionate rendition of the andante, with the strings and piano blending in resonant harmony, sounding rich in poetic flavour. WEI Zijian, HUANG Mengla, SU Zhen and Li-Wei Qin appeared together for Mozart’s Piano Quartet No.1 in G Minor, K.478 - I., a work of intricate texture and deep emotion.

At the end of the first half, the artists all returned for Mozart’s 12 Variations on “Ah, vous dirai-je maman” in C Major, K. 265 (arr.: WANG Peicheng). Orchestrated anew, this piece, which had accompanied many people in their childhood, was so lively and melodious that it struck a chord with the entire audience.

 

Then the soloists took turns to appear on the stage and worked in different groups to perform alongside the orchestra. JIN Zhicheng played Mozart’s Horn Concerto No.4 in E-flat Major, K.495 - III. to the accompaniment of the orchestra, with his artistry showcased in mellow and bright melodic tones. WANG Tao took the spotlight with Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major, K. 622 - II. Adagio, its tender, soulful melody deeply touching the heart. LIU Mingjia and HUANG Mengla joined forces for Bach’s Concerto for Violin and Oboe in D Minor, BWV 1060R - III. They entered into a spirited dialogue with the orchestra, expressing their musical thoughts freely. ZHU Dan and SU Zhen presented Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major, K. 364‌ - III. Presto, igniting bright sparks. Siqing Lu played Kreisler’s Tambourin Chinois, Op. 3. Accompanied by the orchestra, he presented Oriental rhythmic charm and highly challenging musical phrases, pushing the concert to a climax. Accompanied by the orchestra, Li-Wei Qin interpreted Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Hob.VIIb:1 - III., fully revealing how mellow the cello is. SUN Yingdi and WEI Zijian, two pianists, appeared with Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 10 for Two Pianos in E-flat Major, K. 365 ‌- III. Their black-and-white keys intertwined in dialogue, with magnificent and elegant music created.

 

Amidst prolonged applause and cheers from the audience, all the artists returned to the stage and gave two encores. Dvořák’s Humoresques was played first. Melodious and poetically fascinating, its warm melody filled the hall. Then came Dance of the Yao People by MAO Yuan and LIU Tieshan. Rich ethnic customs intertwined with the lively orchestral music in a joyful and vibrant atmosphere, bringing this grand opening ceremony to a perfect close.

Kicking off with the Opening Concert: “Bows and Strings VI”, the NCPA May Festival 2026 will make May a month of artistic romance. Over the next 20-odd days, there are more classics and surprises to unfold.

 

22 virtuoso performances will be given from May 1^st to 24^th. Famous Chinese and foreign artists will take the stage one after another, including Siqing Lu, Li-Wei Qin, CHEN Sa, NING Feng, Antje Weithaas, András Schiff, ZHANG Haochen, and Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici‌. The world’s top chamber music ensembles will appear on the stage, too, including the Philharmonic String Quartet Berlin, Kodály Quartet, Royal Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra‌, I MUSICI and Hong Kong String Orchestra‌. The China NCPA Orchestra will be deeply involved in several grand performances that feature string music, orchestral music, piano music and chamber music, to showcase the collaborative beauty and artistic charm of chamber music in an all-round way. On May 24^th, the May Festival will draw to a romantic close with a jazz concert entitled “Midnight Rose”. Kurt Elling, a legendary contemporary jazz singer, will be invited to head the list of singers to bring the festival to a perfect conclusion.

 

Musical notes will fly out of the concert hall to every corner of the city so that romantic and elegant classical music can become part of daily life. From May 8^th onward, more than ten high-quality outreach performances will be held during the May Festival in different public spaces, including research institutes, industrial plants and college campuses, so that classical music can flow through the entire city.