A poster for Saturday's concert. Images courtesy of Shenzhen Concert Hall

To celebrate its 15th anniversary, the Guangzhou Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO) will perform this Saturday evening for the local audience beloved masterpieces by Sibelius and Tchaikovsky, led by conductor Jing Huan. Young violinist Zhang Aozhe will be the soloist.

Founded and managed by the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, the GYSO is the first non-professional symphony orchestra in China to establish a full concert season, which began in September 2015. It has since curated New Year's concerts, educational programs, outdoor public concerts, and chamber music performances. Over the years, its young members have performed alongside acclaimed musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma, Yu Long, and Lyu Siqing.

Members of the Guangzhou Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO).

The orchestra's youthful energy and passion for music have earned it widespread acclaim. In 2023, the GYSO performed a concert at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, becoming the first Chinese orchestra to appear at the festival.

Jing Huan.

As principal conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra and music director of the GYSO, Jing is both a charismatic presence on the podium and the "family matriarch" who has watched the ensemble grow. Her conducting style combines formidable technical control with the delicacy and warmth often seen in female conductors.

Zhang Aozhe.

Zhang, one of the brightest rising stars in the violin world, won both the gold medal and the Best Paganini Concerto Prize at the 58th Paganini International Violin Competition last year. He has also taken top honors at the 43rd Rodolfo Rípítz International Violin Competition in Italy and the Tibor Varga International Violin Competition in Switzerland. For this concert, he will perform Sibelius' “Violin Concerto in D Minor,” a work that is as technically demanding as it is emotionally profound.

In the second half, the orchestra will present selections from Tchaikovsky's ballet “Swan Lake,” leading the audience to revisit the romance of this enduring masterpiece.

Time: 7:30 p.m., July 25

Tickets: 80-280 yuan

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音樂廳)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宮站), Exit D