Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra
Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra (杭州爱乐乐团) was founded on December 25, 2007 and completed its establishment on April 20, 2009, with Deng Jingshan as the President, Yang Yang as the Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, Guan Haochuan and Lin Shangzhuan as the Vice President. Besides, Ning Feng (Chinese: 宁峰), the famous violinist, and Qin Liwei (Chinese: 秦立巍), the famous cellist, are the Resident Artists of the Orchestra while Xue Biao is the Concertmaster and Xu Weiling the Guest Concertmaster.
There are totally 80 musicians, all of whom have graduated from distinguished higher music institutions in China and abroad, one third of the musicians holding Master’s Degrees and Doctor’s Degrees. Furthermore, there are several foreign performers joined in Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra. In all, musicians of Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra are well-trained with gifted performing skills which have been approved of awards from international contests.
With the strong support from Hangzhou Municipal Party Committee, Hangzhou Municipal Government, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra Preparatory Committee and Hangzhou Culture, Radio and Television Group, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra has already made great achievements over the past years. In the first season from September, 2009, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra had cooperative performances with Israeli conductor Lior Shambadal, German conductor Klaus Weise, American violinist and conductor Joseph Silverstein, conductor Chen Xieyang, composer and conductor He Zhanhao (Chinese: 何占豪), composer and conductor Tan Dun (Chinese: 谭盾), American piano master Gary Graffman, Korean pianist Kun-Woo Paik, cellist Jian Wang (Chinese: 王健), violinists Lü Siqing (Chinese: 吕思清), Ning Feng (Chinese: 宁锋), Li Chuanyun (Chinese: 李传韵), Piano Maestroes Lang Lang (Chinese: 郎朗), Sa Chen (Chinese: 陈萨), as well as splendid concerts with distinguished singers such as Liao Changyong, Dai Yuqiang (Chinese: 戴玉强), Zhang Jianyi, Huang Ying, Yao Hong, Wu Bixia, Sun Xiuwei, Zhang Ye (Chinese: 张也) and Lü Jihong etc.
Ever since its foundation, the Orchestra has successfully held a great many concerts with high standard, which has won much appreciation from both artists and audiences. Up till now, the Orchestra has successfully held Beethoven Concerts Series, Mozart Concert, Fifty-Year Anniversary of Butterfly Lovers Composing Concert and Tan Dun's Martial Arts Trilogy.
In addition, the Orchestra has also held concerts in National Center for the Performing Arts with Symphony Grand Canal and Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2, demonstrating the passion and strength of this young orchestra, and had performances in the cities of Kaohsiung(Gaoxiong) and Taipei, Taiwan with great success. Besides, the Orchestra has accompanied for ballet Marco Polo—the Last Mission; the Third Beijing International Music Competition 2010, Cello Contest; and the Fifth China International Piano Competition.
During late August 2010, the Orchestra had a series of performing tours in Shanghai, Shenyang, Dalian and Qingdao which firmly established the reputation the Orchestra in the region.
The first season, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra has won much approval and appreciation. Although it is a young orchestra, Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra is already honoured with a “Super Star” status countrywide. This great fame is achieved due to the high quality performances, the fast orchestral growth and great reputation appreciated from the societies. The orchestra is also one of the most passionate orchestras around China.
In the second season, the Orchestra is to invite more first-class artists in China and abroad, as well as principals from Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra so as to embark on new heights of artistic excellence through a conceptual model of “performance + chamber music + master class”. Meanwhile, the Orchestra has established cooperation with Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music at the National University of Singapore to broaden its musical outreach.
Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra has set “DOMESTICALLY FIRST CLASS, INTERNATIONALLY FAMOUS” as its goal. It will keep striving for great contribution to symphony music in Hangzhou and China.