In tune with young musicians

Since its inception in 1998, the Beijing Music Festival has been held every autumn, making it the favorite season for classical music fans in the capital, as it offers a series of fascinating and world-class performers and concerts.

Under the theme of "Music, Youth, Future, Attitude", the upcoming festival will gather musicians and performing groups from around the world, including China, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain, with an emphasis on young classical musicians.

"When I started the music festival, I was a young conductor with lots of ideas. I am very grateful that lots of people helped me launch the event. Now, I want to do the same by supporting young musicians," says Yu, who was born into a musical family in Shanghai and received his early musical education from his grandfather Ding Shande (1911-95), a veteran Chinese composer. Yu went on to study at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and later the Hochschule der Kunste Berlin.

From 1998 to 2017, Yu served as the artistic director of the Beijing Music Festival.