Shanghai Chinese Orchestra Australian Tour: 20-24 Sept
SHANGHAI CHINESE ORCHESTRA TOUR: ELEGANCE, CONFIDENCE & GRANDEUR
New Oriental Chinese Music Scene for Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide!
Publicity Release 04 September,2025
Renowned for its technical brilliance, innovative programming, and artistic excellence, the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra,
one of China’s premier traditional orchestras, will make its long-awaited Australian debut this September, featuring over 70 musicians.
Under the baton of Maestro Muhai Tang in Sydney and Melbourne, and Shenshen Yao in Adelaide, the orchestra will present “New Oriental Chinese Music Scene”, showcasing the elegance and vitality of Chinese musical traditions — particularly the distinctive charm of Shanghai-style Chinese music.
Highlights include Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon by Tan Dun and Silk Road by Jiang Ying.
This orchestra has captivated audiences worldwide at iconic venues such as Philharmonie de Paris, Berliner Philharmonie, Elbphilharmonie, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Barbican Centre, and St. Petersburg State Academic Capella.
Experience the thrill and spectacle of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra as Chinese classical music becomes chic, sophisticated, and deeply moving – in this unforgettable celebration of heritage and innovation. Full program on following pages.
The Shanghai Chinese Orchestra (SHCO), as the first large-scale modern Chinese orchestra, was founded in 1952. This historic tour highlights the openness and inclusiveness of Shanghai-style Chinese music, from reinterpretations of ancient melodies to contemporary masterpieces, from East–West dialogue to cross-genre collaborations. It delivers rich soundscapes and profound humanistic expression, presenting the elegance, confidence, and grandeur of Shanghai’s contemporary folk music tradition.
The tour is co-presented by China Arts and Entertainment Group and Ausfeng Events.
Shanghai Chinese Orchestra
New Oriental Chinese Music Scene
Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall – Sat, 20 Sep 2025, 8:30 pm
Melbourne Recital Centre – Mon, 22 Sep 2025, 7:30 pm
Adelaide Town Hall – Wed, 24 Sep 2025, 7:30 pm
Running time: 1hr 45min, including 15-min intermission
Tickets: from $58 (Adelaide) and $68 (Sydney, Melbourne)
All bookings https://www.imagechina.com.au
CONDUCTORS
Muhai Tang (Guest conductor, Sydney & Melbourne) – World-renowned Chinese maestro of conducting, winner of various prestigious international awards in particular the 2002 Grammy Award of America, the 2006 German “Echo-Klassik” Award, and the only Chinese musician who won the 2020 German “OPUS KLASSIK”Award. Invited by maestro Herbert von Karajan, he conducted the Berliner Philharmoniker in 1983, launching his acclaimed international career. He has since collaborated with many leading orchestras including German Bavaria
Radio Symphony Orchestra, British London Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, etc. Yao Shenshen (Resident conductor, Adelaide) – Graduate of Shanghai Conservatory of Music, also an erhu soloist. He previously served as assistant conductor of the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, and has been frequently invited as guest conductor for the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra and Macao Chinese Orchestra. Yao is renowned for his rigorous yet flexible conducting style, along with his considerable stageinsight and expression.
Featured Programme (approx. 1hr 45min, incl. 15-min intermission)
1. Concerto for Bamboo Flute Landscape Around the Lake Composer Han Wenhe
2. Concerto for Zheng Spirit of Chinese Calligraphy Composer Luo Xiaoci, Orchestration Xie Peng
3. Pipa, Jinghu and Orchestra Chu-Han Contention Arranger Han Wenhe
4. Concerto for Erhu Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Composer Tan Dun
5. Concerto for Suona Dancing Phoenix Arranger Huang Lei
6. Quintet and Orchestra Tone of Wood Composer Li Bochan
7. Concerto for Erhu Czardas Composer Vittorio Monti, Arranger Kong Zhixuan
8. Chinese Orchestra Silk Road Composer Jiang Ying
9. Chinese Orchestra Homeland Composer Wang Yunfei
10. Ensemble with Chinese traditional Orchestra Flying Bees Composer Rimsky-Korsakov,
Arranger Kong Zhixuan
TICKETING IN DETAIL:
Sydney Opera House: $68/ $88/$108/$128/ $158 (VIP), Est. Audience 2,000
Melbourne Recital Centre: $68/ $88/$108/ $128 (VIP), Est. Audience 1,000
Adelaide Town Hall: $58/ $78/ $98/ $118/$138 (VIP), Est. Audience 1,300
All bookings: https://www.imagechina.com.au
