The annual NCPA New Year's Chime Concert rings in the New Year with melodious music on December 31st. ZHANG Yi, the President of China National Symphony Orchestra, will conduct National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra and Mezzo-soprano ZHU Huiling, presenting Chinese and foreign classics to embrace the new year.

 

 

ZHANG Yi is President of China National Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra. He is an expert awarded the government allowance by the State Council, and a person of ability in line with “the four requirements” of the Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the CPC.

 

He cooperated in concerts, operas and ballet performances with a large number of famous domestic and foreign orchestras.ZHANG Yi conducted the Chinese premieres of many Chinese and foreign works, such as Stravinsky’s A Soldier’s Story, YE Xiaogang’s Nine Horses, CHEN Qigang’s Extase, Mozart’s Mass in C minor and Rossini’s Stab at Mater.

 

Additionally, he has released many recordings of Chinese and foreign works, such as the album of YE Xiaogang’s symphonic works published by WERGO, and the album of British works produced with London Philharmonic Orchestra and cellist Li-Wei Qin for DEECA. Having conducted the performance of a great many contemporary Chinese and Western musical works, ZHANG Yi won “Outstanding Contribution Award” from Beijing Modern Music Festival.

 

 

ZHANG Yi is also seen in important national activities, such as the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong’s Return to China in 2007 and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. He conducted and recorded music for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games, including the theme song You and Me.

 

In March 2017, he led the China NCPA Orchestra at the Abu Dhabi Festival in the Emirates, where they delivered a successful performance.

 

ZHU Huiling, a mezzo-soprano residing in Europe, graduated from Music Middle School Affiliated to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg and Staatliche Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Stuttgart. She received a Master's Degree in Art Songs and Artist Diploma in Opera.

 

In addition to opera performances, she is also Artistic Director of Stiftung Chinesische Nachwuchskünstler e.V. and jury member of Timmendorfer Strand Music Festival Singing Competition. She has performed at major opera houses in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland and other countries.

 

 

In addition to operas, she is great at singing art songs. She has performed in many concerts in Paris, Berlin, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Munich, Milan, Bologna, Zurich, London, New York, Washington D.C., Tokyo and other places. In 2013, she made her China debut in the NCPA opera Les Contes D'Hoffmann (role of Giulietta).

 

The National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1959. LIU Ju is the resident conductor.The Orchestra members mainly graduated from renowned music academies of China.

 

In the early days, the Orchestra has received warm care from Premier ZHOU Enlai. And it has engaged many famous conductors, like LI Delun, HAN Zhongjie, HUANG Feili, HUANG Yijun and LIN Kechang, in giving trainings and holding concerts.

 

In order to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of NBC in 2014, the NBC Symphony Orchestra made an 8-CD album of the live concerts. With the further advance made in the development of Chinese literature and art, the NBC Symphony Orchestra will be more irreplaceable in the artistic stage of Beijing in the near future with its excellent competitiveness and unique artistic style.

 

 

1. Antonín Dvořák
Slavonic Dances, Op. 46
2. LI Haiying
The Song of the Seven Sons
3. SHI Wanchun
Scherzo for Trumpet and Orchestra
4. Bedřich Smetana
Vltava 
5. Bizet
Habanera, from Opera Carmen
6. Léo Delibes
Pas de Deux, from Ballet Sylvia
7. Theo Mackeben
Eine Frau Wird Erst Schön durch die Liebe
Singer: ZHU Huiling
8. Lucio Dalla
Caruso
Singer: ZHU Huiling
9. Julian Yu
Madeng Tune
10. Music: HE luting
Arr.: Julian Yu
Song of Guerrilla

- Intermission -

1. Julian Yu
Shadow Play
Singer: ZHU Huiling
2. John Williams
Film Songs of Harry Potter (Selected)