National symphony inducts Shui Lan for new season

The China National Symphony Orchestra

The China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) will embark on an exciting new journey with the launch of its 2024-25 season and the appointment of conductor Shui Lan as its new artistic adviser.

In his new role, Shui will collaborate with the orchestra’s musicians and management to launch innovative programs and explore new musical territory, says Zhou Yu, top official of the orchestra, as quoted by the China Daily.

Shui Lan

Born in 1957 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, Shui studied composition at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and later graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. He continued his graduate studies at Boston University, during which time he worked closely with Leonard Bernstein at the Tanglewood Music Festival.

Before he joined the CNSO as artistic adviser, Shui held the position of chief conductor at the Copenhagen Phil from 2007 to 2015, and also served as the Singapore Symphony Orchestra’s music director from 1997 until January 2019.

“I’ve had a long and deep bond with the CNSO, and now it’s like home coming,” said Shui, who began his career conducting the orchestra in 1985.

Back then, Shui has accumulated valuable experience working under legendary conductors like Yan Liangkun (1923-2017), Li Delun (1917-2001) and Han Zhongjie (1920-2018).

On Jan. 14, Shui conducted the CNSO for a concert in Beijing, featuring baritone Liao Changyong. They performed Mahler’s “Symphony No. 1 in D Major” and “Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen” (“Songs of a Wayfarer”), a song cycle by the composer for which he also wrote the lyrics.

The concert not only helped reconnect Shui with the orchestra after almost 40 years, but also gave him a new perspective on the orchestra.

“I was surprised to see so many young talented musicians, full of energy and passion for music,” he said, adding that he has many ideas to fulfill while working with them.

Shui will introduce a more diverse repertoire featuring both classical masterpieces and contemporary works.

Concerts will be held to mark Austrian composer Anton Bruckner’s 200th birthday. On Sept. 1, Shui will lead the orchestra for the season opener at the Beijing Concert Hall with a performance of the composer’s “Symphony No. 7 in E Major.” The legacy of Austrian-American composer Arnold Schoenberg will also be celebrated, with concerts dedicated to this lesser-known composer.

Making good use of its chorus, the CNSO will perform Haydn’s “Die Jahreszeiten” (“The Seasons”) on March 29, featuring American conductor David Hoose, soprano Xu Lei, tenor Liang Yufeng and bass Xu Yang.

On Sept. 13, the orchestra will premiere Li Bochan’s “Rising Sun From the East,” a new piece co-commissioned by 10 Chinese orchestras in honor of the motherland’s 75th birthday, under the baton of Jing Huan.

Then, on Oct. 5, composer-conductor Tan Dun will lead CNSO to perform Tan’s “Passacaglia: Secret of Wind and Birds,” alongside Ravel’s fan favorite “Bolero.”

Also to honor the 150th anniversary of Ravel’s birth, Spanish conductor Josep Pons will lead the orchestra in pieces such as “Pavane for a Dead Princess” and “Spanish Rhapsody.”

To celebrate China’s own musical heritage, a concert to mark composer Luo Zhongrong’s 100th birthday will be held Sept. 13, with Li Xincao conducting pieces such as “Symphony No. 1,” “Subtle Fragrance” and “Sichuan Suite.”

To expand the orchestra’s global presence, its chamber music ensemble will tour Brazil, Argentina, Dominica, Venezuela, and Costa Rica between Sept. 7 and Oct. 1. Between Oct. 8 and 16, the orchestra will tour France, with legs in Paris, Toulouse and Provence. The tour will feature musicians like Tan, suona player Liu Wenwen, and French violist Lise Berthaud. (SD-Agencies)