The Suzhou Chinese Orchestra makes its debut at the 36th South Korea International Music Festival in Seoul, capital of South Korea, on Nov 26. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]
Suzhou Chinese Orchestra made its debut at the 36th South Korea International Music Festival in Seoul, capital of South Korea, on Nov 26, according to local media reports.
Under the direction of Chinese conductor Pang Kapang, more than 90 young artists performed works including Gardens in Four Seasons, which depicts the evolution of Suzhou gardens over the four seasons, Ganjiang Moye Fantasia, based on the Suzhou legend of swordsmith Ganjiang and his wife Moye, and Misty Fengqiao, among other works.
The concert culminated in a joint piano performance of the concerto Yellow River by Chinese and South Korean artists in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the friendly relations between the two countries.
The chairman of the Korean Music Association, which sponsored the festival, heaped lavish praises on the event, saying that the Suzhou Chinese Orchestra staged a performance similar to a Western symphony, but with traditional Chinese instruments. The end result far surpassed that of any Western symphony.
He said that innovative performances such as this can aid in the development of traditional South Korean music.
The chairman decided to invite the Suzhou orchestra to the music festival after he watched its opening performance at the 74th General Assembly of Jeunesses Musicales International (JMI) in October this year.
The South Korea International Music Festival is the oldest and most respected national music festival in the country. It aims to promote musical exchange among different countries, which plays an important role in the development of South Korean music.
Suzhou Chinese Orchestra is expected to stage another three concerts in the South Korean cities of Namwon, Gwangju and Busan.
