Anhui Orchestra Announces First-Ever Concert Season in Nearly 70-Year History

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Anhui Orchestra Announces First-Ever Concert Season in Nearly 70-Year History

Hefei, China — July 17, 2025 — The Anhui Orchestra has unveiled its first-ever official season since its founding in 1956. The announcement was made during a media briefing and open rehearsal held at the Baixi Theatre in Hefei, which will serve as the orchestra’s new home.

Running from July 19 through the end of the year, the 2025 season will feature 12 performances presented by the orchestra’s affiliated ensembles, including the Symphony Orchestra, Chinese Orchestra, and Youth Orchestra. The programme spans a wide range of musical genres, from symphonic and chamber works to traditional Chinese and wind music.

The season opens on Saturday, July 19, with a Tchaikovsky gala featuring his Symphony No. 5 and Piano Concerto No. 1, conducted by Hu Yongyan, a Yale alumnus. Acclaimed pianist Tan Xiaotang will appear as soloist.

Further highlights of the season include:

• In mid-September, conductor Zhu Qiyuan will lead a programme of Schubert, Verdi, and Paganini.

• Conductor Ding Fan, a faculty member at Anhui Arts University, will conduct Brahms’s Serenade No. 2 and Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8.

• On November 22, composer and conductor Li Fubin will lead the Chinese Orchestra in his own suite for Chinese instruments, Jade Echoes – Reflections on Lingjiatan.

Hu Yongyan will also return to conduct the orchestra’s annual New Year’s concert.

Launching a formal concert season marks a significant step in Anhui Orchestra’s path toward professionalisation. At the press event, Zhang Chunlei, director of Anhui Orchestra, stated:

“A concert season is the standard operational model for professional orchestras around the world. It fosters artistic growth through consistent programming, builds loyal audiences, and increases visibility and competitiveness in the marketplace.”

He further noted:

“First, the season provides a platform to develop an elite artistic team through rigorous musical practice, helping Anhui Orchestra sharpen its identity and gradually integrate into the national network of leading ensembles. Second, it enriches the city’s cultural life, energises Hefei’s artistic landscape, and cultivates a sustainable cultural consumption ecosystem.”

By the end of 2022, over 30 orchestras in mainland China had adopted concert season programming, making them the “professional league” of China’s orchestral field.

“Just as football teams compete in leagues with seasons, orchestras must do the same,” said Hu Yongyan. “A concert season isn’t just about programming—it defines an orchestra’s rhythm of production and artistic excellence. It will play a vital role in shaping Hefei’s emerging cultural identity. After all, music is essential to the pursuit of a happy life.”

Hu, a graduate of Yale University and The Juilliard School, has been a pioneer in orchestral development in China. He introduced many firsts during his time leading the Shanghai Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra and later at the Orchestra Academy of the Central Conservatory of Music—including China’s earliest orchestra website, the endowment concept, its first contemporary music forum, and a youth orchestra programme.

By inviting Hu to open the season and anchoring the series at the scenic Baixi Theatre beside Chaohu Lake, Anhui Orchestra is also embracing the “one hall, one ensemble” model of integrated theatre-orchestra development—an essential component of professionalisation.

Zhang Jian, Chairman of Anhui Performing Arts Group (the orchestra’s parent institution), commented on the broader impact:

“The concert season not only strengthens the orchestra’s artistic identity but also boosts the visibility and cultural appeal of Baixi Theatre. It creates a richer, more engaging experience for audiences, who get to witness top-level conducting, virtuosic performance, and a cohesive orchestral sound.”

Local artists are also benefiting. Among them is 16-year-old Hefei-born violinist Zhang Aozhe, currently a third-year student at the Shanghai Conservatory's middle school division. A 2023 Golden Bell Award winner, he is preparing for the prestigious Paganini International Violin Competition in Italy this autumn.

Zhang will make his hometown debut on September 13, performing a Paganini violin concerto with Anhui Orchestra under conductor Zhu Qiyuan. At the press event, he previewed his artistry with a performance of Caprice No. 2 from Paganini’s 24 Caprices, followed by a rousing rehearsal of the final movement from Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, led by Hu Yongyan.

The spirit and commitment of the musicians deeply moved the audience—and themselves. Concertmaster Li Jiaonan, who has been with the orchestra for 27 years, expressed her excitement:

“We’ve waited so long for this. A concert season is essential for raising the orchestra’s performance standards. I’m thrilled that day has finally come before my retirement.”