Upstart Guiyang orchestra starts tour on Beijing stage

Symphony orchestras around the world find it hard to sustain themselves financially. In China, where classical music is on the rise thanks to a booming economy and culture promotion, the solution has been government support.

However, among the 11 professional symphony orchestras from the Chinese mainland performing at the ongoing Orchestra Festival held at the National Center for the Performing Arts, Guiyang Symphony Orchestra is an exception.

Founded and supported by a private enterprise based in Guiyang, capital of Guizhou province, it has become a popular symphony orchestra in just five years. Performing concerts to full houses every Saturday in Guiyang, it has attracted top musicians, including Li Xincao and Chen Zuohuang, to be artistic directors and conductors. It will perform in Hong Kong, Europe and the United States for the first time throughout 2014 and 2015.