Led by conductor Wang Fujian, the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra plays a crucial role in the continuing development of traditional Chinese music. Founded in 1952, this ensemble emerged as the first big-scale modern Chinese orchestra, sustaining Chinese folk music and developing it further by composing new works in a traditional style. This remarkable group of adept young musicians performs on the zheng, dizi, erhu, pipa and other Chinese instruments seldom featured in the West, in repertoire from large-scale Chinese orchestral works to traditional plucked-string and percussion instrumental pieces and classic Cantonese music. Having performed in more than 80 Chinese cities and visited 30 countries, the orchestra provides a rare window into traditional Chinese classical music that reaches back through centuries.

PERFORMANCES:
Sunday 8.00pm

Shanghai Chinese Orchestra with Wu Man – Saturday 1.00pm