The China Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra jointly held a China Night Concert at the Barbican Centre in London on Monday September 16th.Photo: Courtesy of Yu Guo

The China Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) jointly held a China Night Concert at the Barbican Centre on Monday September 16th, in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The concert presented an evening of exquisite music reflecting China's rich cultural heritage and evoking the natural beauty of this diverse country. The programme feature works by China's most famous composers, including the popular Yellow River Concerto, performed by Chinese piano virtuoso Wan Jieni. In a spirit of cooperation, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by Xu Zhong, General Director of Shanghai Opera. 

Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming said at the evening that the four pieces in the programme were composed over a period that spans nearly a century. They range from a sorrowful cry of a nation struggling for independence and a hearty praise of the beautiful homeland to a profound reflection on the time-honoured history. They sing about the Chinese culture, heritage and ideals. And they tell the stories of the resilience and relentlessness of the Chinese people.

"Symphony was born in the West, but it can tell China's stories," Liu said, adding that the concert is both the fruition of the cooperation between top Chinese and British orchestras and a vivid example of the mutually-beneficial cooperation between China and the UK.

The concert also marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of the China-UK diplomatic relationship at the level of charge d'affaires.

James Williams, Managing Director of The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, said, "Music is itself a universal language with the power to unite people of different countries, cultures and political viewpoints. Our celebration of China's musical heritage, in partnership with our friends at the China Philharmonic Orchestra will enrich people's understanding of the health and diversity of orchestral music globally. At a time of political divisions and economic uncertainty, no one should underestimate the power of music to unite people and remind us all of what we have in common."   

The concert is one of six taking place across the world, a global series that will showcase China's rich cultural heritage and the strong artistic connections and collaboration between the East and West.

This global project is initiated by The China Philharmonic Orchestra, one of China's leading symphony orchestras, and facilitated by Wu Promotion, China's first and leading performing arts promoter.

Not only does the concert celebrate China's increasingly valued contribution to the western symphonic repertoire, but also recognises the growing importance of arts in Chinese society today. The number of arts groups in China has increased 17-fold in the last 70 years and China now has 17,000 arts groups which have made an important contribution to enriching people's lives.