INTERNATIONAL TOUR ORCHESTRAS Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Switzerland Tour, 2015 | Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Switzerland Tour, 2015 |
     Tour Dates: 26th January - 29th January, 2015 Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra (GSO) was founded in 1957. After decades of artistic growth, GSO becomes one of the most prestigious orchestras in China.
Tour Dates
26th January, 2015, 19:30, Tonhalle Zurich Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra (GSO) was founded in 1957. After decades of artistic growth, GSO becomes one of the most prestigious orchestras in China. Maestro Long Yu, the current music director, is a Chinese conductor with an established international reputation. He has appeared as guest conductor collaborated with numerous prestigious orchestras and opera companies in the world. He holds also Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, Music Director of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Beijing Music Festival. The pursuit of artistic improvement and artistic identity is well maintained throughout the GSO growing history. The orchestra has performed alongside many of the world’s leading artists, including Li Delun, Zheng Xiaoying, Huang Xiaotong, Yan Liangkun, Han Zhongjie, Xu Xin, Bian Zushan, Tang Muhai, Chen Xieyang, Zhang Guoyong, Tan Lihua, Yu Feng, Hu Yongyan, En Shao, Wing-sie Yip, Li Xincao, Yang Yang, Charles Dutoit, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Krzysztof Penderecki, Besides performing regular symphonic concerts, the orchestra developed its potentiality to opera and ballet performances. GSO produced and performed at least one opera concert per season since 2004. The productions of operas have included Carmen, La Traviata, The Magic Flute, Turandot and Tosca. Moreover, GSO has presented numerous performances in collaboration with world leading ballet companies, such as English National Ballet, Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Ballet Company of the Hungarian State Opera, Germany National Ballet, Australian Ballet, Cuba National Ballet, and Hong Kong Ballet. The productions of ballet repertoire have included Swan Lake,The Sleeping Beauty, Giselle, The Nutcracker, Coppelia, Don Quixote, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Cinderalla, The Tales of Hoffman, Les Sylphides, La Traviata, and Anna Karenina. Following the U.S. tour, GSO also traveled to Japan on invitation for celebrating the Asian Orchestra Week 2005 and presented two concerts at the Symphony Hall in Osaka and Opera City Concert Hall in Tokyo. Just after that, GSO toured to Hawaii and had performance in the Neal S Blaisdell Concert Hall, for celebrating the friendship between Guangdong Province and Hawaii City for the 20th anniversary. In December 2006, the orchestra was invited to perform both in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the 15th Asian Games holding in Doha. The orchestra gained great honor on behalf of China with their excellent performance. In October 2009, appointed by the Ministry of Culture, GSO participated in two significant international culture events in Europe – the Opening Concert for the Festival EUROPALIA CHINA 2009 in Brussels, Belgium on October 8th and the Chinese Music Themes Concert in Asia-Pacific Week on October 12th in the Konzerthaus Berlin in Germany. Until now, GSO is the first and the only one Chinese symphony orchestra that has left music footprints in five continents around the world, which received highly reputation both at home and overseas. Music Director: Long Yu
As one of the most distinguished Chinese conductors with an established international reputation, Maestro Long Yu is currently Vice-president of Chinese Musicians Association, Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of the China Philharmonic Orchestra, Music Director of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Music Director of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Artistic Director of the Beijing Music Festival and Music in the Summer Air, MISA. Long Yu is one of the conductors who conducts the world top-class orchestras most frequently, he has appeared with a prestigious list of leading orchestras and a lot of opera companies around the world, including the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Long Yu was born in 1964 into a family of musicians in Shanghai. Musical education in his early childhood came from his grandfather Ding Shande, a composer of great renown, and he later studied at the Shanghai Conservatory with Professor Xiaotong Huang and then studied at the Hochschule der Kunst in Berlin with Maestro Robinstein. Outstanding music talents and Excellent educational background make Long Yu a preeminent conductor. Long Yu’s career has included both artistic and administrative appointments. In 1992, he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Central Opera Theatre in Beijing, and in the same year, he was involved in the planning of the first Beijing New Year’s Concert and served as its conductor for three consecutive years. He also produced operas for The Urban Council of Hong Kong for five successive years. In 1998, he led the creation of the Beijing Music Festival and was its Founding Artistic Director. Under his leadership the Beijing Music Festival is regarded as the largest classical music festival in the eastern hemisphere and one of the world’s most important music festivals. During the past 11years at this annual autumn festival there have been many splendid concerts given by leading orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic, as well as outstanding productions of the Ring, Der Rosenkavalier, Tannhauser, La Traviata, Nabucco, Lulu and Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District by visiting opera companies including the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Teatro la Fenice and the Mariinsky Theatre. Maestro Long Yu’s reputation has been enhanced by his activities as a widely admired and respected figure in administration of orchestras and festival as well as in international exchanging of musical culture. As a champion of contemporary music Long Yu has been commissioning a number of works from today’s prominent composers such as Krzysztof Penderecki, Philip Glass, Guo Wenjing, Tan Dun, Ye Xiaogang and Unsuk Chin. Mr. Long Yu’s recordings include, on Deutsche Grammophon with the China Philharmonic, Brahms’s Piano Quartet in G Minor (orch. Arnold Schoenberg) and Wagner’s Tannhauser Overture, highlights of Chinese symphonic music and Yellow River Concerto with Lang Lang as featured soloist. Recordings on Naxos include Korngold’s Violin Concerto and Ding Shande’s Long March Symphony. Principal Conductor: Daye Lin
Daye Lin was awarded First Prize at the 2012 Solti Conductors Competition in Frankfurt, the unanimous choice of the panel of distinguished international jurors. He was appointed Principal Conductor of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, effective September 2010, and led the orchestra went to Bangkok (2010) where they performed two concerts for the politician including Thai Royal Family, as well as on tours to Macao, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore (2012 and 2013), as well as on tours to Europe (October 2009 and December 2010). In 2010, his debuts with the China Philharmonic Orchestra (at the Beijing Music Festival in an all-Sibelius programme) and with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and both orchestras issued immediate re-invitations. At the Shanghai “Music in the Summer Air” festival, in August 2010, he conducted London’s Royal Philharmonic. In October 2010 he conducted the Chinese premiere of Madame White Snake – the Pulitzer Prize-winning new opera co-commissioned from Zhou Long by Opera Boston and the Beijing Music Festival (BMF). Highlights of the 2012/13 include being featured on CCTV conducting the China Philharmonic Orchestra in the well-received ‘Top 10’ series. With the Shanghai Symphony he conducted a programme of contemporary music by leading Chinese composers, and with China Philharmonic Orchestra, a programme featuring Franck Symphony in d minor, as well as making his very successful North American debut with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Lin has collaborated with many leading Chinese and international soloists, including Rapin, Sarah Chang, Midori, Ryu Goto, Gary Graffman, Lang Lang, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Wang Jian and Shen Yang. Key upcoming performances in 2013/14 season include the world premiere of a major new work named A Symphonic Epic “Nine Odes” by Zhou Long at the Beijing Music Festival, Mahler Symphony No.5 with Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, a Rachmaninoff programme with Shanghai Symphony, Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana with Shanghai Opera Company and Guangzhou Symphony, and Mahler Symphony No.1 to close the season of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra. Daye Lin was born in Shandong, China in 1980. As a child he studied piano and at the age of 15 began to study conducting with Prof. Xu Xin at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. In 1998, he was accepted into the Shanghai Conservatory of Music to continue his conducting studies with Prof. Zhang Guoyang. During this period Daye Lin was the guest conductor of the Shanghai Youth Symphony Orchestra and also was given the opportunity to participate in a master-class given by Maestro Seiji Ozawa who praised him highly. In 2005, he obtained a scholarship from DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and began to study at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin under the guidance of Prof. Christian Ehwald. Retaining strong links with the musical scene in China during his study, Daye Lin developed a relationship with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra; in 2007 becoming assistant conductor and in 2008, their resident conductor. In 2009 he was appointed resident conductor of the Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra. Pianist: Yalun Wang
Wang Yalun, born in October, 2004, started to study piano under Sumi Nagasawa when she was four. In February, 2010, 5-year-old Wang Yalun took part in “Bach Piano Contest” held by Berkeley University. She was the youngest winner. In July, 2010, 5-year-old Wang Yalun took part in the 2nd National Children’s Piano Performance and Competition in Gulangyu Island, Xiamen and won Gold Award in the junior group (5-6-year-old competitors). In September of the same year, 5-year-old Wang Yalun started to study piano under Professor Dan Zhaoyi, a famous piano educator. In November, 2011, 7-year-old Wang Yalun took part in “the 3rd Beijing International Piano Music Festival”. In the concert hall of National Grand Theater of China, she cooperated with Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra conducted by Zhang Guoyong, a famous conductor and played Haydn’sPiano Concerto in D Major. On November 11th, 2012, 8-year-old Wang Yalun held “Wang Yalun Piano Solo & Concerto Concert” in Sichuan Conservatory of Music (Chengdu). She cooperated with the symphony orchestra of Sichuan Conservatory of Music conducted by Zhu Qiyuan and played Kabalevsky’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in D major. On December 26th, 2012, she cooperated with Lang Lang, a famous pianist in Dalian. They played Schubert’s Marche Militaire. Two days later, Professor Dan Zhaoyi took her to Israel for “China-Israel Piano Masters’ Class” on December 28th. She got instructions of world famous piano masters, Arie Vardi, Murray Perahia and Stephen Kovacevich. They greatly helped improve piano playing skills of Wang Yalun and promote her future career development. On March 2, 2013, Serena performed Kabalevsky's No.3 piano concerto in D major with Zhang Guoyong and the China Philharmonic Orchestra at the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. On May 4th and 5th, 2013, Wang Yalun cooperated with China Philharmonic Orchestra conducted Yang Yang, a famous conductor and played Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.1 in C major in Peking University and Tsinghua University. On May 20th, 2013, Wang Yalun cooperated with Mexico Youth Symphony Orchestra and played Kabalevsky’sPiano Concerto No. 3 in D major in Mexico. In July, 2013, she cooperated with Guangzhou Symphony Orchestral. On the closing ceremony of Guangzhou Music Season, she cooperated with Guangzhou Symphony Orchestral conducted by Yu Long, a famous conductor and played Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No.1 in C major. In August, 2013, at the invitation of Channel Classics, a world famous record company, she went to Holland and recorded her personal album which was issued globally in 2014. Soon after issue of the album, it was acclaimed and won extensive attention from the album industry and the music world. This album contains piano works of many Chinese and foreign musicians (such as Tan Dun, Dan Zhaoyi, Mozart, Chopin, Liszt, Planck, Shostakovich, etc.) which are hard to play and have certain music profundity. On October 6th, 2013, at the invitation of “the 16thBeijing International Music Festival”, Wang Yalun held her personal piano solo concert in Sanlitun Village Orange Hall in Beijing and won a warn round of applause and acclaim from the audience. On July 18th, 2013, Wang Yalun won the first prize in Concerto Group of “the 3rd Shenzhen China Piano Open Contest”. In January, 2014, 9-year-old Wang Yalun played the Chopin’sPiano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, op. 1 on “the 15th Asian International Chopin Piano Competition” and won Gold Award in Group B. On February 8th, 2014, Wang Yalun cooperated with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yu Long and played Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1 inOrpheum Theatre in Vancouver. On April 20th of the same year, she cooperated with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra conducted by Yu Long and played Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9in Shanghai Oriental Art Center. On April 24th, she cooperated with Shanghai Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ms. Zhang Jiemin and played Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 9again. At present, Wang Yalun learns piano under special guidance of Professor Dan Zhaoyi and Yi Wen, and she is a grade 5 student in a Shenzhen Art School. Pianist: Mélodie Zhao
At age 19, Mélodie Zhao is one of the most promising pianists of the new generation: she recorded Chopin’s 24 Etudes at 13, as well as Liszt’s 12 Transcendental Studiesat 16... Then played these complete cycles at the Victoria Hall of Geneva... These are the self-challenges which this young artist has met with passion. Swiss of Chinese origin, Mélodie Zhao was born on 7th September 1994 in Gruyère into a musicial family. Extraordinarily gifted with perfect pitch, she began studying piano at age 3 with Jiaquan Chen, professor at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music of China. At 9, she entered the Geneva Conservatory under the instruction of Mayumi Kameda-Balet and at 13, began her Bachelor’s of Arts in Music with Pascal Devoyon at the Geneva Music University. At 14, she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree with the highest honours, also receiving the François Dumont Prize for the best interpretation of a Beethoven sonata. When she turned 16, she was awarded her Master’s Degree in Soloist Performance with distinction, as well as the Georges Filipinetti and Carola Pajonck prizes for the musician with the highest and most refined musical sensitivity. At the same time, Mélodie Zhao has been a Migros Cultural Percent Soloist during years 2009, 2010 and 2011, and was awarded Leenaards Foundation’s 2011 scholarship. All along her musical studies Mélodie has been coached by her father, formerly one of the topmost violin teachers at the China Central Conservatory of Music, who plays a key role in her evolution. Accustomed to the stage since she was 6 years old, she gave her first solo recital as well as her debut performance as a soloist with an orchestra at age 10 in Geneva. At age 12, she began her career as an international concert pianist, performing at festivals such as the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad, Migros-Classics Tour, Davos Festival, Zurich Festival, Zermatt Festival, Budapest Festival, Bratislava Festival…Swiss and French radio and television broadcast regularly Mélodie Zhao’s live concerts and recordings. Since she was 13, Mélodie Zhao has performed regularly with many major ensembles such as the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Orchestra… In April 2010, at the Jinan Music Festival, Mélodie Zhao played to great acclaim a sonata for piano solo of her own composition “Sources”. It received a standing ovation when it was premiered in Europe and her achievement has featured on numerous radio and television programmes. At age 13, this acknowledged virtuoso recorded Chopin’s 24 Etudes which was an outstanding success both with the audiences, international experts and critics alike. In May 2011, Mélodie extended her discography with a recording of Liszt’s 12 Transcendental Studies under the Swiss label Claves Records. Review "Long Yu is China’s Herbert von Karajan." - New York Times Programme Zürich, Geneva Guo Wenjing: Folk Song Suite for String Orchestra Bern, St. Gallen Guo Wenjing: Folk Song Suite for String Orchestra |
