JING Huan currently serves as Principal Conductor of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Guangzhou Symphony Youth Orchestra, an affiliate orchestra of the GSO.

A graduate of Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of Professor XU Xin, she obtained her Master’s Degree in Orchestral Conducting at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) in 2009, where she was awarded a full scholarship to continue her doctoral studies, concurrently serving as the Conductor Assistant of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO), including the CSO’s May Festival (2011–2013). During the same period, JING Huan was also Assistant Conductor of the Cincinnati Symphony Youth Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Artaria Chamber Orchestra. In June 2012, she was one of two prizewinners at the inaugural Li Delun National Conducting Competition held in Qingdao, China. In the same year, she participated in the Campos do Jordão International Festival in São Paulo, Brazil, where her outstanding performance led to an invitation by Maestra Marin Alsop to serve as Assistant Conductor of the São Paulo State Symphony’s 2013 music season. That same year, JING Huan and her work with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra attracted the attention of Maestro YU Long, which led to her appointment at the GSO.

In December 2013, JING Huan made her critically-acclaimed debut concert as the Resident Conductor of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, leading soloist Maxim Vengerov in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Since then, she has received invitations and collaborated with many orchestras around China such as the China Philharmonic, Shanghai Symphony, Hangzhou Philharmonic, Qingdao Symphony, Shaanxi Philharmonic, Xinjiang Symphony and Kunming Nie Er Symphony during their music seasons. She has also collaborated with renowned soloists such as Lang Lang, CHEN Sa, ZHANG Haochen, Robert Blocker, Siqing Lu, Noah Bendix-Balgley, WANG Jian, Li-Wei Qin, Warren Mok, LIAO Changyong, NING Liang, HUANG Ying, Rudolf Buchbinder, Vadim Repin, Gil Shaham and Midori.

In 2014, JING Huan was appointed as Music Director of the Guangzhou Symphony Youth Orchestra (GSYO). Under her leadership, the orchestra charted remarkable progress and made their first tour in July 2015 to Europe, appearing at the Berlin Philharmonie under the auspices of Young Euro Classic. JING Huan’s achievements at the helm of the GSYO attracted the attention of Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI), and she was elected to serve on JMI’s Board in July 2016.

In October 2016, JING Huan presented a concert entitled “In Love with Shakespeare” at the Beijing Music Festival to commemorate the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. In January 2017, she assisted Maestro YU Long and Yo-Yo Ma in their music collaboration, Youth Music Culture Guangzhou (YMCG), a music festival for young people around Asia, in which she conducted the opening concert. In May 2017, JING Huan conducted the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra on their European tour to Italy and the United Kingdom. Three months later, she led the GSYO on their Asia tour to Sydney, Jakarta and Singapore for cultural exchange. In late July 2018, she returned with the GSYO to Europe, performing in Lyon (France), Prague (Czech Republic) and the Musica Riva Festival, Lago di Garda (Italy). In July 2019, she led the GSYO on tour to Japan, performing at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall and the Fukuoka Symphony Hall, the latter as part of a cultural exchange commemorating the 40^th anniversary of the sister-city relationship between Guangzhou and Fukuoka.

The Guangzhou Symphony Youth Orchestra (GSYO) is an affiliate of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. Founded in July 2011, it is the first ever youth orchestra in China organized and administered by a professional orchestra. Jointly run by the Guangzhou Municipal Government and Guangdong Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, the GSYO is provided with additional platforms in advancing new models of development and elevating its artistic and administrative standards.The GSYO’s current Music Director is JING Huan, Principal Conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO), having previously served as Principal Conductor of Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra (GSO) and board member of Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI).

The Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra (GSO) is one of the most distinguished ensembles in China today. Its multi-venue facility—where GSYO trains and rehearses, guided by GSO principal players and other veteran musicians—is one of the most comprehensive and technologically advanced in China. The GSO administers the GSYO—a free orchestral training programme for all participants—following management and training guidelines of a professional ensemble.

The GSYO expanded in December 2014 by adding a Junior Orchestra for 10 to 13-year-old musicians. In March 2019, the GSYO established its inaugural “Children’s Foundation Programme” for 6 to 9-year-old talents, providing instrumental training starting at the beginner’s level. In December 2021, the “Children’s Foundation Programme” became a joint project of the Culture, Radio, Film, Television & Tourism Bureau of Guangzhou Municipality and the GSO. This programme operates as the key initial component of GSYO’s sustainable, comprehensive music education system.

From the GSYO’s inception, many musicians have lent support to its institutional and training programmes, among them YU Long (Music Director, GSO), American conductor John Nelson, ZHANG Xian (Music Director, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra), Shao-Chia Lü (Conductor Emeritus, Taiwan Philharmonic), Wing-sie Yip (Music Director Emeritus, Hong Kong Sinfonietta), ZHANG Guoyong (Principal Conductor, Shanghai Opera House), YANG Yang (Artistic Director, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra; Music Director, China National Opera House), Qigang Chen (distinguished composer), CHEN Yun (Concertmaster, China Philharmonic Orchestra) and celebrated violinist Cho-Liang Lin. The young musicians have also benefitted from the support of internationally acclaimed pianist Lang Lang and violinist Maxim Vengerov.

On 13 May 2012, the GSYO appeared on stage for the first time, and to date has performed more than 100 concerts at home and abroad.

The GSYO’s regular performance venue is the Xinghai Concert Hall. Beginning in September 2015, the GSYO established its own concert season, the first of its kind among China’s non-professional orchestras.

In December 2013, the GSYO and the Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra took part in a cultural exchange project, leading to joint concerts held at the Xinghai Concert Hall and a “New Year’s Concert” at the Macao Cultural Centre.

The GSYO and the Hong Kong Youth Symphonic Orchestra held a joint concert at the Xinghai Concert Hall in August 2014, with the GSYO visiting Hong Kong the following month on tour.

In August 2015, the GSYO was invited by the Municipal Government of Frankfurt and the “Young Euro Classic” Festival to perform two concerts: at the Clara Schumann Hall of the Dr. Hoch’s Konservatorium, Frankfurt for the Frankfurt-Guangzhou sister city cultural exchange with internationally-celebrated cellist Li-wei Qin and pianist Zhang Haochen, and the renowned Konzerthaus Berlin as part of the 16^th “Young Euro Classic” Festival. The Orchestra’s superb performances were widely praised by German audiences and critics.

On 20^th October 2016, celebrated composer and conductor TAN Dun led the GSYO for the first time at the Xinghai Concert Hall in Secret of Wind and Birds, marking the first performance of this work by a Chinese orchestra. Two days later, the GSYO participated in the 19th Beijing Music Festival and performed “In Love with Shakespeare,” a special programme led by Music Director JING Huan to commemorate the 400^th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare.

On 23^rd July 2017, the GSYO collaborated with renowned pianist CHEN Sa in Chopin’s Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante under the baton of JING Huan, marking the closing concert of its 2016/2017 season.

The GSYO made its critically-acclaimed 2017 Asia-Pacific tour with cellist WANG Jian and sheng virtuoso Jia Lei. On 6^th August, the GSYO performed at the Sydney Town Hall in celebration of the Guangzhou-Sydney sister city relationship. On 11^th and 13^th August, the orchestra performed at the Aula Simfonia Jakarta and Singapore’s Victoria Concert Hall respectively.

At the GSO’s 60^th anniversary and 2017/2018 season opening concert on 24^th September 2017, GSO Music Director YU Long led the GSYO in Chopin’s Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante with pianist ZHANG Haochen, which garnered much praise.

In October 2017, the GSYO was invited by Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department to join the Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra and Macao Youth Orchestra in a “Music Spectacular” at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium celebrating the 20^th anniversary of Hong Kong as a Special Administrative Region of China.

On 6^th December 2017, the GSYO was invited to perform at the opening ceremony of the 2017 Fortune Global Forum in Guangzhou, receiving much acclaim.

On 29^th July 2018, the GSYO performed at Lyon’s Ancient Theatre of Fourvière to commemorate the 30^th anniversary of Guangzhou and Lyon as sister cities. On 1^st August, the GSYO appeared at the famed Rudolfinum in Prague to mark the fifth anniversary of Guangzhou and Prague as friendship cities. On 4^th August, the GSYO was invited by the Musica Riva Festival at Lago di Guarda for their final orchestral presentation. This tour featured two special guest soloists: cellist WANG Jian and violinist GAO Can.

The GSYO made its debut in Japan on 21^st July 2019 at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, with violin soloist Siqing Lu. Three days later, the orchestra performed at the Fukuoka Symphony Hall as part of a cultural exchange commemorating the 40^th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Guangzhou and Fukuoka.

On 11^th January 2020, the GSYO collaborated with renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma at the opening concert of the annual Youth Music Culture Guangdong, performing three works by Johann Sebastian Bach. Later that week, Yo-Yo Ma and ensemble groups of the GSYO’s Junior Orchestra performed in six iconic Guangzhou cultural and tourist sites. Yo-Yo Ma also took part in a GSYO Children’s Foundation Programme concert, sharing the stage with young cellists. All of these exciting events have attracted tremendous media and public attention.

In July 2021, to mark its tenth anniversary, the GSYO launched its first China tour. Along with violin soloist GAO Can, the orchestra performed four concerts nationwide—in Wuhan’s Qintai Concert Hall, Chengdu City Concert Hall, Xi’an Concert Hall and Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Hall—presenting Austro-German masterpieces as well as iconic modern and contemporary works, displaying professional maturity and musicality far beyond their youthful years. Local media outlets lauded the GSYO for its achievements.

In July 2022, GSO and young cellist Pan Chang, sheng player Jia Lei and guzheng player Su Chang launched the orchestra’s second national tour making three stops: at Hangzhou’s Grand Canal Theater, Suzhou Bay Grand Theater and Tianjin Grand Theatre. After the Suzhou concert, GYSO President Chen Zhimin spoke as keynote speaker at the SCO Countries Youth Performance and Art Forum. GSYO’s management and operation were praised by government leaders and guests alike.

In July 2023, the GSYO reunited with cellist Jian Wang on its return to Europe celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Sino-Spanish diplomatic relations, the 20^th anniversary of the Guangdong-Catalonia partnership, the 20^th anniversary of the Guangzhou-Barcelona partnership and the 11^th anniversary of the Guangzhou-Valencia partnership. Between 21^st and 24^th July, the orchestra appeared at the Palacio de las Artes Reina Sofia in Valencia, the Veranos de la Villa Festival in Madrid and L’Auditori in Barcelona. After these three concerts, the orchestra traveled to Switzerland to perform at the Verbier Festival (27^th July). As the first Chinese orchestra to appear on the Verbier stage, the GSYO concert attracted much attention. Apart from being streamed live on medici.tv, the concert video was also posted on cctv.com and Tencent Art with more than 210,000 views within China.

The GSYO is dedicated to discovering and creating a working model for non-professional youth orchestras. It has now become the most outstanding youth orchestra in China, shouldering the mantle of international cultural exchange and representing Guangzhou’s own culture by displaying the energetic spirit and artistic achievements of China’s youth to the world.