The Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory signed a three-year strategic partnership agreement today, launching a broad cultural and educational exchange as part of the 2026-2027 China-Russia Year of Education.
The agreement, signed at the orchestra’s headquarters in Shanghai, marks a rare formal alliance between an orchestra in China and the historic Russian conservatory. It coincides with several diplomatic milestones, including the 30th anniversary of the China-Russia strategic partnership and the 160th anniversary of the conservatory’s founding.
Under the terms of the deal, the two institutions will collaborate on six fronts: artistic production, talent cultivation, joint music composition, resource sharing, arts education, and youth outreach.
“The partnership not only enriches our artistic production and talent training systems but also creates an admirable model for international cultural exchange,” said Gao Shanfeng, director of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra.
One of the highlights of the collaboration is the “Discover Russia” music festival to be staged towards the end of this year. Pianist Kong Xiangdong, who was appointed festival director at the ceremony, said the festival will feature award-winning Russian artists and competition laureates for concerts and masterclasses in Shanghai.
In September, the Shanghai Philharmonic will open its 2026-2027 season with Shostakovich’s “Song of the Forests.” The performance is expected to feature Pavel Chernykh and Kirill Popov as soloists, both professors of the Moscow Conservatory .
Beyond concert performances, the agreement includes a “China-Russia Music Seed Plan” aimed at fostering young musicians. The initiative will offer training camps and masterclasses led by Russian faculty, with select SPO players and young talents earning opportunities for short-term study in Moscow.
Alexander Sokolov, rector of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, said that this marks the third agreement he has signed in Shanghai, and he expects music to serve as a bridge to deepen ties between the two countries within this new framework.
The Moscow Conservatory, founded in 1866, is widely regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious music institutions. The Shanghai Philharmonic is a state-owned and public funded symphony orchestra that has increasingly focused on cultural outreach projects on a global scale in recent years.
The move follows the orchestra’s Russian tour in 2025 and signals a long-term commitment to integrating Russian classical traditions into the Shanghai cultural landscape.
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