Classical music festival to be held in Inner Mongolia autonomous region

The fourth China West Symphonic Music Week, a 10-day classical music festival of symphony orchestras from China's western regions, will be held from Sept 12 to 22, the Ministry of Culture said.

The event, initiated by the ministry in 2010, has been staged in Chongqing, in Northwest China's Ningxia Hui autonomous region and in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

This year, the festival will be held in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, including Hohhot, Erdos and Baotou, and will involve 13 symphony orchestras from 11 provinces and regions.

The participants will comprise the symphony orchestra of the Inner Mongolia Folk Arts Troupe, the Baotou Symphony Orchestra, the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra and the Xinjiang Philharmonic Orchestra.

At the event, more than 1,000 musicians will perform Western classical music pieces and original Chinese symphonic repertories.

Besides the performances, forums will also be held for the first time during the event.

Renowned Chinese musicians, including Guan Xia, the conductor and director of the China National Symphony Orchestra, and Ye Xiaogang, the vice-president of the Beijing-based Central Conservatory of Music, will take part in the forums.

"The performances will be held in campuses, communities and public squares, which will make classical music more accessible," says Liu Chunliang, the deputy director of the Arts Department of Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

Separately, Ming Wenjun, the deputy director of the Arts Department of the Ministry of Culture, says: "The music festival is to connect the people of China's western regions through classical music. It's also a way to introduce Chinese composers and their works."