History
The story of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra is as colorful and dramatic as its reputation for great music making is renowned and well deserved. Founded in 1879 as the Shanghai Public Band, the orchestra is the oldest in Asia . After the Italian pianist Mario Paci became the conductor in 1919, he expanded the ensemble into a full-scale orchestra, which was renamed the Shanghai Municipal Council Symphony Orchestra in 1922. It soon became a symbol for exceptional quality and versatility as the sheer diversity of its activities; it cooperated with the most distinguished musicians of its day and established its reputation as “the best in the Far East .”
After 1949, the orchestra changed its name several times and took the current name in 1956. A defining moment came in October 1949 when Huang Yijun made his debut as the first Chinese conductor. Since then the orchestra's development has been guided by a series of distinguished maestros including Lu Hong'en, Chen Chuanxi, Cao Peng, Chen Xieyang and Hou Runyu. Chen was appointed director of the orchestra in December 1984, and music director in 1986 .
Guest Artists
The orchestra has a history of working with international celebrity artists ranging from conductors John Nelson, Michel Plasson, Paulo Olmi, Muhai Tang, Kek-Tjiang Lim; violinists Gil Shaham, Cho-Liang Lin, Xue Wei, Lu Siqing,;cellists Yo-Yo Ma, Jian Wang, Qin Liwei, the violists Hong-Mei Xiao; to pianists Fou Ts'ong, Yin Chengzong, Liu Shikun and Yundi Li. In 1998 and 2002, the orchestra cooperated with Jose Carreras and Placido Domingo respectively, while the line-up of guest vocalists include Andrea Bocelli, Haojiang Tian, Jianyi Zhang, Ying Huang, and many others. The performance of Tan Dun's movie soundtrack, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , received international acclaims.
An Opera Orchestra
The SSO constantly extends its artistic work through a vibrant and innovative program. Since 1949, the Shanghai Symphony has held over six thousand concerts and over six hundred chamber music concerts in the past decade. These concerts reflect the diversity of the orchestra and range from popular orchestral repertoire to operatic classics. In recent years, it has cooperated with the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, the Florence Opera House, the Dusseldorf Opera, the Zurich Opera and others, appearing in such productions as Don Carlo , Aida , The Flying Dutchman , Faust , Die Zauberflote , Cavalleria rusticana , and La Traviata .
A Champion of Chinese Music
The SSO maintains long-standing associations with modern Chinese composers, Tan Dun Chen -Qigang, Bright Sheng, Zhou Long, Chen Yi, Huang Anlun, Xu Shuya, Guo Wenjing, Qu Xiaosong, Ye Xiaogang and Tang Jianping. It has premiered and recorded all the ten symphonies by Zhu Jian'er, its resident composer. Tan Dun's works have been a regular feature on the program. The soundtracks that the orchestra played for the film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon , have won the Oscar and Grammy awards, making it the only ensemble to receive both awards.
In its international tours, the Shanghai Symphony unfailingly seeks to integrate Chinese elements into Western music tradition. Its efforts to promote Chinese music have received recognition by audiences of the East and the West.
Major Events
Using music as a powerful and motivating force its work takes musicians into many varied settings including the Shanghai Spring Festival, the China Arts Festival, the Hong Kong Arts Festival, the Beijing International Music Festival, the Shanghai APEC Meeting, the Fortune Global 500 Forum, etc.
Over the years, the Shanghai Symphony has visited the USA , Germany , Australia , New Zealand , Switzerland , Italy , Japan , Thailand , Korea , Malaysia , Hong Kong , and Taiwan . On October 14, 1990 , the orchestra made its debut at Carnegie Hall in the USA . Recent concert highlights include its debut at the Berlin Philharmonic Hall, on June 20, 2004 , its Europe tour and its performances in 11 cities around the USA . As one of the leading Chinese conductors, Chen Xieyang has made guest appearances in many countries and regions, rapturously received by critics and public alike.
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