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To conclude a month that’s been coincidentally rich in Asian arts and culture (from dance to visual arts to music), the 85-piece China National Symphony Orchestra holds a rare Charlotte performance at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Central Piedmont Community College’s Dale F. Halton Theater (1206 Elizabeth Ave.).
The orchestra was originally formed in 1956 (under the name Central Philharmonic Orchestra of China) to introduce Western works to Chinese audiences. It’s done the same for Chinese composers – exposing the Western world to the country’s premier composers, in turn making a cultural impact in both the East and West.
Its 2013 program has the acclaimed orchestra performing compositions by Chengzong Yen and Zhuang Liu, Tchaikovsky, Strauss and Beethoven.
Wednesday’s program includes “The Earth Requiem,” a 2008 piece by Chinese composer and director of the China National Orchestra Guan Xia, whose music was part of the Beijing Olympics. Other selections for the CPCC concert are Jean Sibelius’ “Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47” (1905), featuring violinist Yang Xu; and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27” (1908).
World-renowned maestro En Shao – who has led orchestras on television and radio across Europe, including a longstanding post with the BBC – will serve as principal guest conductor.
Courtney Devores
