China National Traditional Orchestra
The China National Traditional Orchestra, which is a national art ensemble directly under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, has the world’s largest national orchestra and China’s only professional national choir. It is therefore regarded as “China’s first and the world’s only national traditional orchestra”.
The China National Traditional Orchestra has a long history and profound background. Founded in 1960 under the auspices of Premier ZHOU, the Orchestra had LI Huanzhi, a famous composer and the composer of Spring Festival Overture, as its first managing director. The Party and state leaders have watched many performances given by the Orchestra, speaking highly of it. The Orchestra has given birth to a large number of artists including QIN Pengzhang, LIU Wenjin, WANG Tiechui, JIANG Jiaqiang, WU Yuxia, WANG Ciheng, ZHAO Cong, TANG Feng, FENG Mantian, FENG Xiaoquan, ZENG Gege, TAN Weiwei, ZHANG Quansheng, and GONG Shuang; the Orchestra has created and staged a series of classics such as Spring Festival Overture, Blooming Flowers and Full Moon, The Great Wall Capriccio, and Flying Fairies of the Silk Road.
The China National Traditional Orchestra brings forth the new through the old while sticking to the tradition. Committed to carrying forward China’s national music culture, the Orchestra never stops promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of the outstanding Chinese traditional culture. The Orchestra has branded programmes such as The Great Folk Songs, Folk Songs Lingering in the Room, Impressions Chinese Music, Rediscover Chinese Music, Eternal Joy of Heaven and Earth·Chinese Festivals, Sing a Heartfelt Song for the Party and Tiger Growling. Progressive in exploring the way of miniaturising, diversifying and popularising traditional Chinese music, the Orchestra has founded a female chamber music ensemble, “Lirenxing”, and a male chamber music ensemble, “Qingshandu”, in order to interpret traditional music in the language of the times.
The China National Traditional Orchestra goes deeper into life to serve the public. The artists have brought traditional music to all parts of China, making it possible for the Orchestra and its local counterparts to help and learn from each other. The Orchestra has thus successfully launched a repertoire in which there are Beautiful Xinjiang, Spring in Tibet, Charm of Gansu, Splendid Hainan, Travelling Through Tibet, Qiang and Yi, etc. The Orchestra has initiated the establishment of the Chinese National Music Popularisation and Promotion Centre, entered the National Public Culture Cloud, and organised 100 artists to regularly offer a public-spirited live class on the Tiktok platform to spread the excellent Chinese national music culture to the general public. Its affiliated youth ensemble is devoted to popularising traditional Chinese music aesthetic education and cultivating self-confident young Chinese artists.
The China National Traditional Orchestra has spread elegant Chinese traditional music all over the world. Progressive in carrying out international cultural exchanges, the Orchestra has visited more than 30 countries and regions in five continents. It has also gone abroad many times with the Party and state leaders. Moreover, it has given performances on many national occasions on invitation, including the APEC Conference, the G20 Hangzhou Summit, the “Belt and Road” Forum for International Cooperation, the Beijing Olympic Winter Games, etc., winning high praise from many foreign state leaders. The Orchestra has shared the voice of China and shown the splendour of China at famous theatres including the United Nations Headquarters, the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow, the Kennedy Center, the Carnegie Hall, the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, the Berliner Philharmonie, etc.