Chinese musicians bring music to philadelphia communities

Long-standing strategic partnership hopes to give US citizens access to young Chinese artists playing their music and Western works

In the eyes of Li Zhixiang, delegation head of China's National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra (NCPAO), the Philadelphia Orchestra, one of NCPAO's most famed strategic partners, carries special weight to him and his team.

"The Philadelphia Orchestra was the first Western musical body to come to China since 1949 - that was in 1973 when the US and China had no diplomatic relations yet - and performed Western classic pieces for the Chinese audience," Li said. "Neither of us would forget that page of our history, and friendship."