Ye Xiaogang’s Music Sees Global Momentum in 2025

Ye Xiaogang’s Music Sees Global Momentum in 2025 – Year-Round Performances, New Recordings, and International Collaborations

Beijing, May 2025 — Chinese composer Ye Xiaogang, one of the most prominent voices in contemporary music, is enjoying a landmark year, with his works featured across major concert halls in China and around the world.

On 15 May, the Dufu hatched Cottage – Portrait Concert by Ye Xiaogang will be held at Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), conducted by Jin Yukuang and performed by the Sichuan Philharmonic Orchestra. The programme includes Dufu Thatched Cottage, Loquat in Five Colors (Symphonic Overture), Jade Goddess of Mercy (for violin and orchestra), and The Backyard of the Village, showcasing the breadth of Ye’s musical voice.

This concert continues a remarkable run of activity in 2025. In late March and early April alone, Ye’s major orchestral works were performed in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai by leading Chinese orchestras and conductors, sparking what local critics are calling the “Ye Xiaogang Effect.”

Highlights included Symphony No. 5 “Lu Xun” with the Shenzhen Symphony under Lin Daye, and a dedicated Ye Xiaogang concert at Shanghai Symphony Hall conducted by Chen Xieyang, featuring Emei, Cantonese Music Suite, and and suite of his opera Farewell.

Ye’s upcoming schedule includes a commemorative concert in Shanghai this September marking the 40th anniversary of his first orchestral concert, as well as a concert version of his opera Farewell at the Beijing Music Festival, featuring leading soloists Xiahou Jinxu and Yu Guanqun. Additional performances are planned with the Tianjin, Harbin, and Guiyang Symphony Orchestras.

Internationally, Ye’s music is increasingly in demand. His new orchestral work Hero had its world premiere with the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra in February, conducted by Dane Lam. In April, his chamber piece Manluo was performed by the Moscow Contemporary Soloists. This summer, Ye will serve on the jury for the Rachmaninoff International Music Competition and take part in a composer spotlight at the Thailand International Composition Festival at Mahidol University.

Autumn will also see performances of his work at Bard College in New York and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester.

Two major album releases earlier this year included Symphony No. 5 “Lu Xun” (NCPA/Wergo) and a chamber music disc featuring The Blooming of the Gardenia and Manluo (Resonus Classics, UK). Ye will record his piano concerto Yangtze River for Warner Classics in Berlin this September, with more recordings planned for 2025–26.

His works are published by Schott Music (Germany), People’s Music Publishing House, and Shanghai Music Publishing House, with recent score publications including Lu Xun, Winter, Heroes, and The Song of the Earth.

From China’s leading institutions to international concert stages, Ye Xiaogang’s music continues to inspire a growing global audience.

The 15 May NCPA concert will also serve as the opening event of the 2025 Beijing Modern Music Festival, which has a strong tradition of honouring composers with dedicated performances and awards.