The China National Symphony Orchestra returned to the Shanghai Symphony Hall last night with its second programme, part of the Symphony of the Era – National Excellent Orchestra Invitation Exhibition.
Jing Huan led the performance, which featured three works by composers closely associated with the CNSO. The concert opened with Festival Overture by Shi Wanchun, a colourful work enriched by the integration of two traditional Chinese instruments, adding unique timbral layers to the orchestration.
Next came Zhao Jiping’s Violin Concerto No. 1, one of the composer’s most performed works. Chen Xi appeared as the soloist.
The second half of the programme featured Ode to the Land, a five-movement orchestral suite, with each movement composed by one of the CNSO’s resident composers—two of whom are women.
A recipient of the 2022/23 Symphony of the Era grant supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the suite reflects the aesthetic preferences endorsed by mainstream cultural policy and favoured in government funding.
