Members of the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra from East China's Jiangsu province perform during the China-UK Cultural Exchange Concert at Duke's Hall in London on June 30, 2024. [Photo provided to China Daily]
Wuxi in Jiangsu province is developing two music groups, the Wuxi Chinese Orchestra and the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra, to promote and popularize music culture and share the city's story with the world through music.
Being a city with a deep historical and cultural heritage, Wuxi is renowned for its deep-rooted musical traditions, earning titles such as the "Home of Chinese Folk Music" and the "Home of Erhu".
An increasing number of city orchestras are transitioning towards symphonic and international paths, showcasing the profound and dynamic nature of Chinese folk music to global audiences.
The Wuxi Chinese Orchestra is the youngest professional Chinese orchestra in the country. It has achieved remarkable success in just five years and aims to further explore and express the unique local characteristics of Chinese music culture, said Deng Jiangdong, a renowned erhu player.
The Wuxi Symphony Orchestra has members from eight countries and regions, with an average member age of 27. They collaborate to perform a new musical chapter for Wuxi by combining cultural influences.
The Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra recently collaborated with the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra for the "Meet in Wuxi" charity concert, where both ensembles performed a variety of Chinese and Western classics to an enthusiastic audience.
Renowned orchestras, such as the Orchestre National de Lyon in France, the Boston Symphony Orchestra in the US, and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra in Germany, have performed "The Moon Reflected on Erquan Pond" as part of cultural exchanges between China and the world.
The Wuxi Chinese Orchestra and the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra have performed in countries such as France, Portugal, Germany, Mauritius, Russia, UK, and Japan, according to the city's publicity department.
