Shanghai hosts showcase for 10 orchestras

Seven symphony orchestras and three Chinese traditional orchestras from around the country are now presenting a series of 20 concerts in Shanghai in two months from April 12 on.

This showcase of symphonic music from all of China is jointly sponsored by the art departments of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese Musicians' Association and the publicity department of Shanghai.

Altogether, 10 music companies have been invited to participate in the showcase and each company will present a concert of classical music and a concert of original compositions. Together they will present a panoramic view of the achievements in China's symphonic and folk music scene, as well as the latest compositions through the past years.

The opening concert on Saturday night was presented by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra featuring Chinese compositions, starting with Ode to the Red Flag by Lyu Qiming, and the Yellow River Piano Concerto, adapted from the Yellow River Cantata by Xian Xinghai.

In the upcoming concerts, the China National Traditional Orchestra will present an immersive experience of the sounds of the Imperial Palace, and the Beijing Symphony Orchestra will perform a concert that combines symphony with electronic music.