On the night of July 8^th, the “Roam about the Classics” 2026 kicked off at the NCPA Concert Hall. The 17^th “Roam about the Classics”, themed “Wondrous Resonance”, features 11 concerts over 24 days, with an open, diverse musical landscape built for audiences. Taking the stage first, the 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic created unique melodies on their cellos, unveiling this summer’s first feast of music.


On the Berlin Philharmonic’s official website, there is a long list recording over thirty chamber ensembles under its wing. Among them is the “12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic”, a name that may be best-known. They are the oldest and most distinguished chamber ensemble directly under the Berlin Philharmonic. In 1972, the cellists at the Berlin Philharmonic gathered to record Julius Klengel’s Hymnus for a radio programme - a programme that marked the ensemble’s founding. Over the past half-century, their unique sounds have been passed down through generations despite turnover of members.

As the most successful cello ensemble in the world, they enjoy a large worldwide following, and have released numerous recordings. Moreover, they have won the Echo Klassik three times - an illustrious track record. They are not musicians merely, and they have also served as cultural ambassadors, accompanying the German President on official visits. Every symphony orchestra has a cello section, yet the Berlin Philharmonic is so far the only to have built its cello section into a huge, well-established string ensemble, which has achieved success uniquely on the international stage. Die Welt hails them as “Berlin’s most unique and prestigious ensemble”. Not performing under a conductor, they remain able to act in perfect unison, with their rich, powerful melodic lines characterising their stage presence.

That night, the concert “roamed” about the classics itself. The first half began with Villa-Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1. Cello melodies were layered upon one another, with Bach’s beautiful polyphonic texture echoing the rhythms of Brazilian street dance. That was followed by an arrangement of Debussy’s 24 Préludes, in which Impressionist light, shadow and ripples flowed through the 12 bows, achieving an unprecedented effect. After that, when hearing the melodies of Tea for Two, The Road‌ and James Bond, the audience smiled a knowing smile, because the rigour of classical music and the romance of cinema resonated in wondrous harmony at the very moment.

The second half brought even more surprises. The Chinese folk songs Jasmine Flower and Horse Racing, arranged by Bruno Delepelaire, were rendered on the 12 cellos, showing their Oriental grace and freedom of galloping on horseback. From Bernstein’s West Side Story to Morricone’s Once Upon a Time in America‌, and then to Piazzolla’s Tres Minutos con la Realidad - the journey traversed classical, jazz, tango, and folk music, spanning genres and regions.

The concert was just a beginning - a beginning of the “Roam about the Classics” 2026. Over the coming month, 11 carefully curated concerts will be held to present classical, jazz, film, folk, and Latin music. Conductors HUANG Jiajun, ZHANG Yi, David Hoose, JIN Ye and YANG Yang will take the stage one after another. Furthermore, together with WU Wei, Gregory, WAN Jieni, JU Xiaofu, LI Yuhe, LI Jingjing, SHEN Fanxiu and other artists, the China NCPA Orchestra, National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra, China Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra and Beijing Symphony Orchestra will invite audiences to explore the resonances between music, culture and style.