A new classical sound

"Our first concert on Jan 1 was full of excitement. We performed with many great musicians, such as cellist Wang Jian and soprano Wu Bixia. We could sense the audience's excitement about this concert and this new orchestra," recalls Li Wei, who joined the China Philharmonic Orchestra when he was a sophomore at the Central Conservatory of Music in 2012.

Horn player Eitaro Sakamoto, from Japan, presented his first rehearsal with the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra on March 18, playing My Country by Czech composer Bedrich Smetana, under the baton of conductor Tang Muhai. Without any experience of playing with a Chinese symphony orchestra before, he applied to join the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra because it's a new orchestra.

"The audience seemed to enjoy listening to Western music. It is necessary to actively hold outreach concerts, especially for children and the younger generation, so that the people of the city will become familiar with Western music," says Sakamoto, who started playing the piano at 5 and French horn at 12. He graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts in 2017 and then studied at the Karlsruhe University of Music in Germany.

"The classical music market in China needs new symphony orchestras to bring new sounds to the audiences. We are glad to offer this young symphony orchestra a platform to perform and communicate with audiences," says Zhang Zhaohui, deputy general manager of Poly Theatre Management Co, whose affiliated company, Poly Armstrong International Arts and Communication Co, manages the tour of the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra.

"At the same time, more and more young people enjoy classical music in China," Zhang adds.

"Both young musicians and young audiences are the future of the country's classical music market."