Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra makes UK debut to mark 60th anniversary

One of China's most prestigious music ensembles, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, has performed in Britain for the first time as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations.

The three-day United Kingdom tour began at London's Cadogan Hall under the guidance of music director Yu Long, who is also the artistic director and chief conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, and music director of the Shanghai Symphony.

Maestro Yu conducts the orchestra's music, which brings together an East-meets-West theme.

Audiences were treated to works that the orchestra commissioned from two leading contemporary Chinese composers, alongside 20th century classics by Britten and Stravinsky.

The ensembles' Manchester performance was conducted by Jing Huan, the orchestra's resident conductor.

Chen Qing, president of Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, said: "After 60 years, the orchestra has arrived at a stage where we want to celebrate our success and that is why we have planned performances across Europe and also in the UK for the first time."

Chen expects the group to take more of its music around the world in the future.

"Guangzhou Symphony is still very young compared to the long history of Western orchestras, but, over the last 20 years, Chinese symphony has developed hugely and has grown rapidly with its performances and the range of audience," Chen said.

He believes that orchestras and concerts act as a bridge between East and West, using the language of classical music to communicate with the world.

The orchestra president added: "Chinese orchestras have reached the same level and standards as Western ones, the only difference is we have an Eastern influence, which allows us to tell Chinese stories in the form of a Western symphony."

The soloists, Shanghai-born cellist Wang Jian and Jia Lei, who plays thesheng, a traditional bamboo woodwind instrument, also performed with the Guangzhou Symphony.

Wang Jian said: "Classical music has really taken off in China and if you go to any music conservatories around the world, including London and other first-class music conservatories, you would see a big percentage of Chinese students. In fact, Chinese players are in many of the world's greatest orchestras."

The Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra's UK tour was also part of the 45th anniversary of ministerial-level diplomatic relations between the UK and China.

The tour will conclude in Birmingham on Tuesday.