Musicians win new audiences by moving online

These shows have given the orchestra, which was founded in 1960, a fresh vibe. In recent years, it has attracted widespread attention and gained a large fan base due to the rising popularity of traditional Chinese music with young audiences.

For example, during Lantern Festival this year, the orchestra staged an online concert that has been viewed more than 24 million times, while on July 18, it gave a concert in cyberspace, which was viewed over 130 million times within a month.

Since the emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020, the orchestra's musicians have volunteered to give livestreaming programs that have been viewed more than 7 million times.

Zhao said: "Traditional Chinese music can be pioneering and creative, even though the instruments date back hundreds, or even thousands, of years. We always want to introduce these great instruments and Chinese music to audiences, especially the younger generation."

She added that many reviews of the orchestra's livestreaming shows have been really positive, making the musicians aware that "there's a much bigger audience out there online".