New orchestra tunes into concert preparation

The Wuxi Symphony Orchestra was launched in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, on June 18.

With veteran conductor Lin Daye as its artistic director, the orchestra will give its debut performance in Wuxi with a concert on Jan 1, welcoming the new year.

A new concert hall, home of the orchestra, is under construction, and will be completed by 2025. The hall will be located in the southern part of the Yangtze River delta in Wuxi — Taihu Lake, a popular tourist site and the third-largest freshwater lake in China.

According to Lin, the orchestra will have about 110 musicians. Auditions started in March and young musicians from around the world are in contention. More than 500 musicians have applied to the orchestra, including young graduates from top Chinese music schools, such as the Central Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Conservatory of Music and Wuhan Conservatory of Music.

Rehearsals will be started in August and in October it will announce its 2024 performing season.

Chinese composer Li Shaosheng, who was appointed as the orchestra's music director, is working on a new piece, titled Wuxi Overture, which will be premiered during the concert on Jan 1.