Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra at Portugal’s Mainstream Music Festivals Performed Classic Works

The year 2019 marks the 20th anniversary of Macao’s return to China and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations...

The year 2019 marks the 20th anniversary of Macao’s return to China and the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Portugal. The tour of Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra in the two countries, which lasted from 19th to 27th July, kicked off at the Art Centre of National Library of China. The orchestra members then embarked on an international tour to Portugal, where they performed at Festival ao Largo in Lisbon, Festival das Artes in Coimbra, and Marvão International Music Festival, in tribute to the year that holds special significance. The tour, showcasing the youthfulness of China’s orchestra, is a key project supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China to promote the cultural exchange and the tourism between mainland China and the two special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macao. Wu Promotion is honored to organize the tour again (the fourth time since 2010) and cooperate with the rising music stars of this new era one more time.

Macao Youth Symphony Orchestra thoughtfully designed the concert program and handpicked the guest artists, aiming to reflect the rich diversity that Macao features. The orchestra invited Chinese-American violinist Nancy Zhou to be the soloist of The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto – a piece that is regarded as the pride of eastern music, and the performance – a tribute to this “Monumental Music Work” – presented “the Pride of China” to Portuguese audiences. Besides The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto, Doming Lam’s masterpiece The Insect World and Stravinsky’s Firebird Suit (a signature piece of the trailblazing new music aesthete), among others, were also performed. Pedro Neves, a young conductor from Portugal, was invited to lead the orchestra – a heartfelt gesture towards the tour honoring the 40th anniversary of Sino-Portuguese diplomatic relations.