The training of the young musicians was not easy. As well as a large repertoire, especially the classic pieces from Western operas, they also needed to learn about the history and culture of these musical works. Lyu also shared his own experience of working with European opera houses as a young conductor.

"When I was offered the opportunity to be a conductor in Italy, I could barely speak Italian. All those musicians have performed operas for decades and are very seasoned. I was very nervous to work with them in the beginning," he recalls.

The only way to win the trust and recognition from those musicians was to work very hard, he adds.

"One of the biggest rewards of working in Europe was to learn with very established musicians. Their knowledge and artistic sense for opera were invaluable. I shared those stories with the young musicians of the China NCPA Orchestra, who needed to learn things beyond just technique," says Lyu.

In 2014, led by Lyu, the China NCPA Orchestra had their first tour of North America, performing at venues such as Kennedy Center in Washington, Lincoln Center in New York, and the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. In 2017, they toured the United States with six concerts held in cities such as Chicago, New York and Philadelphia.

In April, under the baton of Lyu, the China NCPA Orchestra embarked on its first nationwide tour, visiting six Chinese cities including Nanjing in Jiangsu province, Shanghai, Wuhan in Hubei province, and Changsha in Hunan province. The orchestra performed pieces such as composer Zhao Jiping's Violin Concerto No 1, Austrian composer Anton Bruckner's Symphony No 6 in A Major and German composer Johannes Brahms' Symphony No 3 in F Major.

"Some of the music pieces are very challenging, but with the growth of the orchestra, the musicians can handle them, especially the German and Austrian works, which I believe, are the very foundation of classical music. I am glad that during the past 10 years, we have found a sound that belongs to the China NCPA Orchestra together," says Lyu.

He notes that the past 10 years of working in his home country has also allowed him to witness the development of the classical music scene in China.

"The young Chinese musicians are offered more opportunities than ever before. When we toured nationwide this April, we saw enthusiastic audiences who enjoy classical music and new concert halls built for symphonic music. It's exciting and inspiring," says Lyu.