The Beijing Music Festival's President Yu Long (left) and Artistic Director Zou Shuang Photo: Courtesy of BMF

 As part of the 24th Beijing International Music Festival, the China Philharmonic Orchestra is set to present four symphonies created by the famous Chinese composter Guo Wenjing on Sunday. 

The concert, A Journey through Lands and Sounds, will open with Riyue Mountain, Passacaglia for Orchestra, which focuses on the history and people of China and combines the rigor and refinement of the traditional polyphonic genre Passacaglia with the aesthetics of traditional Chinese music. 

For its 24th iteration, the Beijing International Music Festival takes Masters and Celebrations as its theme, under which it will focus on commemorating famous Western and Chinese composers by performing their works and initiating musical dialogues with Western composers.

Yu Long, president of the Beijing Music Festival Artistic Committee, told media, "We should not only commemorate the masters of the West, but also this generation of Chinese composers such as Guo Wenjing, Chen Qigang and Tan Dun, who have added many classic works to the Chinese symphony industry through their creative efforts, which have not only helped keep the Chinese symphony industry moving forward, but also allow the world to better understand Chinese music culture." 

Working together for 18 years, Guo has forged a deep friendship with the Beijing International Music Festival. In 2007, Guo's music poem Jiangshan Duojiao made its world premiere at the festival. In 2003, the festival awarded Guo with the honor of Artist of the Year.