China National Symphony Orchestra
Venue: National Centre for the Performing Arts - Concert Hall
Date: January 19, 2018
Duration: Approximate 120 mins
Presenter
The China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) was founded in 1996 on the basis of the Central Philharmonic established in 1956. The orchestra is chartered and administered by the Ministry of Culture of China with three affiliations: the orchestra, a chorus and the Beijing Concert Hall.
The CNSO's present director is the renowned composer GUAN Xia. Artistic Consultant is WU Zuqiang and HAN Zhongjie. The CNSO’s Honorary Artistic Director is TAN Dun. Its Principal Conductor is LI Xincao. Laureate Conductor is TANG Muhai. Its Principal Guest Conductor is SHAO En and its Guest Conductor is CHEN Xieyang.
During the last century, renowned Chinese conductors LI Delun, HAN Zhongjie, YAN Liangkun have laid a solid foundation for the orchestra’s development. In the new millennium, conductors of international reputation such as CHEN Zuohuang, TANG Muhai and SHAO En have successively devoted themselves to the undertaking of the orchestra.
Throughout its history, the CNSO has collaborated with many world-leading artists, including conductors Herbert von Karajan, Eugene Ormandy, Seiji Ozawa, Gennadi Rozhestvendsky, Charles Dutoit, David Zinman, MichelPlasson; well-known guest instrumentalists David Oistrakh, Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, Anne- Sophie Mutter, Gil Shaham, Joshua Bell, LÜ Siqing, NING Feng, Yo-Yo Ma, WANG Jian, YIN Chengzong, Martha Argerich, Lang Lang, YUNDI, Yuja Wang, Lindeman, Albretch Mayer; vocalists Giuseppe Giacomini, José Carreras and Kathleen Battle. The Oscar winning documentary From Mao to Mozart was partially recorded because of the good cooperation and friendship between the artists and CNSO.
China National Symphony Orchestra, which has juxtaposed virtuosity and musicality, has played a vast selection of repertoire. In addition, the orchestra is a champion of contemporary music composed by Chinese composers. The orchestra also did Tchaikovsky, Beethoven, Wagner, Puccini and Richard Strauss’s opera in concert form.
The CNSO's special mission is to highlight and promote Chinese music. The well-known contemporary piano concerto Yellow River Concerto was jointly composed and premiered by CNSO. In recent years, the orchestra has presented the "Charm of the Chinese Music" concert series which has made a lasting contribution by extending and promoting Chinese outstanding composers and their music. Works composed by well-known composers GUAN Xia, ZHOU Long, YE Xiaogang, CHEN Xiaoyong, CHEN Yi, and TAN Dun featured in the “Charm of the Chinese Music” concert series have been well-received by audiences globally.
Meanwhile, the CNSO is actively involved in studio recording for films and TV series. Some of the best recognized ones are The Promise, Taking Tiger Mountain by Strategy, The Passionate Years and sound tracks from big events such as 2008 Olympic Games, NPC&CPPCC, APEC Summit, World renowned recording companies such as Philips, EMI, DG and Universal Music have recorded and released quite a few CDs for the orchestra.
The orchestra holds almost 100 concerts per season. Since last century, the orchestra had developed an educational programme by bringing symphony to school, military and even the factory until now. This convention is passed down by the musicians from generations to generations and carried forward.
The orchestra has toured in major countries and regions in Europe, Asia, Australia and North America. The CNSO took part in the Opening Ceremony Concert of 2010 Festival of the World Symphony Orchestra and the Opening Ceremony Concert for 2013 Asian Orchestra Festival" in Daegu Concert Hall, and 2015 Asia Orchestra Week in Tokyo.
