Veteran violinist strikes a chord for stronger China-US ties

Booth has visited nearly all the major attractions in China, including the Great Wall, the Palace Museum, and the Summer Palace, and says that the country's beautiful landscapes and rich history, which spans thousands of years, are significant attractions for visitors from the US.

Music, which is often regarded as a universal language, is one of the best ways to foster friendship and bridge cultures, he says.

"We have to see our similarities, not our differences, and especially when we play music, it's like the difference sort of melts away," says Booth. "That's one of the great things about music."

Beijing resident Wang Zhenyao, who attended the first concert of the 2024 China tour at the 2,000-seat concert hall at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in late October, shares Booth's sentiment.

Exchanges of culture and arts are conducive to enhancing understanding among the people of the two countries, says Wang, who attended the concert with his wife and child.

During the 1973 tour, the orchestra played a mix of music, including Beethoven's Symphony No 5, and Hua Yanjun's The Moon Reflected on the Erquan Spring. It was Booth's first exposure to traditional Chinese music and instruments.

During the recent tour's third Beijing concert, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the APAC premiered a piece based on the Tang Dynasty (618-907) masterpiece by poet Zhang Ruoxu, A Night of Flowers and Moonlight by the Spring River. It was composed by Mason Bates, who is known for integrating electronic music with classical music.

"It is a special gift to the Chinese audience," says Matias Tarnopolsky, president and CEO of the Philadelphia Orchestra.

Booth was part of the ensemble that performed under the baton of Marin Alsop.

The violinist expressed hope that the beauty of the music the ensemble brings to China will help inspire a stronger China-US relationship.