Mix of old and new

Conductor Yan Huichang will lead audience members to play with hand drums during the upcoming concerts. [Photo provided to China Daily]

"The orchestra performs on the mainland almost every year. The audience is familiar with us," says Yan.

He adds that the orchestra performed at the Belt and Road International Music Festival in Shenzhen in March, which gathered musicians from nearly 30 countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Yan graduated from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1983 and conducted professional orchestras in Beijing, Shanghai, Taiwan and Singapore before joining Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra.

Yan says they present works by composers in Hong Kong at every recital, which is a way to display the East-meets-West culture of the city.

"We made efforts to let people know about the orchestra and get them involved in our events, especially the youth," says Yan.

The orchestra seeks to bring ancient Chinese culture closer to Hong Kong, he adds.

Mainland composer Zhao Jiping, who is known for his film scores, such as Red Sorghum, Raise the Red Lantern and Farewell, My Concubine, has been collaborating with the orchestra since the 1990s, thanks to his friendship with Yan.