Beijing orchestra strikes European chord

He gained professional experience with the London Symphony Orchestra and ensembles in Montreal, where he also served as a cultural envoy. Returning to China, he joined the Symphony Orchestra of the China National Opera House and then the NCPA Orchestra, rising to become concertmaster. Over his career, he has worked with celebrated conductors including Zubin Mehta and Lorin Maazel, contributed to the music for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, and twice received an Outstanding Performance Award from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

His new appointment recognizes not only his musical ability but also his role as a bridge between conductor and musicians. "In our orchestra, there are many young players who are passionate and well-trained," he says. "Around one-third come from other countries, including Spain and South Korea. Many have studied abroad. We are a very international orchestra."

That internationalism is reflected in the programming. On its European tour, the orchestra presented a blend of Western classics by composers such as Sergey Prokofiev and Camille Saint-Saens alongside Chinese works less familiar to Western audiences. Among them was Wu Xing (The Five Elements) by Chen Qigang, a student of French composer Olivier Messiaen. Li stresses that such choices demonstrate music's universality. "Music is a common language — Eastern, Western, it's all music," he says. "Chen's harmonies are French, but the melodies are Chinese. That mix is a good example of cultural dialogue."

The NCPA Orchestra also benefits from its home environment. The Beijing center is a cultural hub, hosting opera, ballet, theater, classical concerts, and traditional Chinese opera. Li believes this enhances the orchestra's artistry. "Opera playing is different from symphony playing — it has to fit with long singing phrases," he explains. "It is very good for us to learn both, because you take elements of operatic playing and mingle them with symphony playing, which gives a different spirit."

Chung echoed this sense of growth. While being interviewed in Hamburg, he said the young musicians should be proud of themselves.

Li also says that the ensemble has reached a new level of maturity.

"The average age of the members is much younger than me," he says with a laugh. "But that energy is good."

Ren says, "We are constantly expanding our boundaries — technically, cognitively, and in terms of team spirit. It is a process of self-cultivation for the orchestra."