2024 large-scale original symphony works concert staged at National Center for the Performing Arts
On October 17, a grand original symphonic concert titled “Celebrating the New Era, Advancing on the New Journey” took place at the National Grand Theatre in Beijing. This event was co-hosted by the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles and the Chinese Musicians Association, with the Central Conservatory of Music and the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles Music Art Center as the organizers.
Renowned conductor and Vice President of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Yu Feng, led the performance. The concert featured the symphony orchestras from the Central Conservatory of Music and Ningbo, along with choirs from the Central Conservatory of Music, the Beijing Musicians Association Choir, and the Beijing 171 Middle School Golden Sail Choir. Together, they delivered an inspiring selection of original symphonic works, including “Majestic Landscapes,” “People’s Endeavors,” “Navigating towards Revival,” and “The New Era.”
The first half of the concert showcased the third movement of the “New Era Symphony Suite.” It began with “Majestic Landscapes,” composed by Zheng Yang, which painted a grand picture of China’s journey towards great rejuvenation. The segment “People’s Endeavors,” by Liu Changyuan, echoed the resolute pledge of 1.4 billion Chinese people united in their commitment to follow the Party. The third piece, “Navigating towards Revival,” composed by Chang Ping, portrayed the mighty spirit of a great ship sailing forward, celebrating the political courage and responsibility of the people’s leaders while expressing the affection and support of the national populace.
In the second half, the audience experienced Gong Tianpeng’s four-movement symphony “The New Era,” which illustrated the journey with a “Magnificent Andante,” depicted the dynamic climate of contemporary China in “The Rapid Allegro,” honored the selfless devotion of the people’s leaders in “The Tender Adagio,” and culminated in “The Longing Moderato,” which conveyed boundless expectations for the great journey toward realizing the dream of rejuvenation. The performance harmoniously blended the serene children’s choir, solemn mixed choir, and expressive soprano solos with the grandeur of the orchestral arrangement, articulating the spirit of striving, creativity, and the voice of the people in this new era and journey. Following enthusiastic applause from the audience, the conductor and orchestra performed an encore, the symphonic choir piece “Today,” with lyrics by Che Xing and music by Guo Xiaohu.
This concert was part of the “Celebrating the New Era” series, where the Chinese Musicians Association diligently crafted, rigorously selected, and expertly arranged the pieces. With the professional presentation and heartfelt interpretation from the conductor, orchestras, and choirs, the event fully showcased the artistic charm of each work, composing a beautiful symphony that inspires the people to stride confidently along the path of Chinese modernization, while cultivating a rich cultural atmosphere.
