The New Oriental Chinese Music Scene, which was an integral component of the cultural exchange program called "Image China" launched by the China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG), made its debut in Sydney Opera House of Australia on the night of Sep 20 (local time).

The concert was blended with traditional Chinese culture and Shanghai-style folk music and was designed to be a cross-cultural bridge between Chinese and western artistic elements. It brought together Wang Chunsheng, acting consul general of the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney; Wang Shuyu, counsellor-rank consul for cultural affairs at the Chinese Consulate General in Sydney; Huang Bin, deputy general-manager of the China Performing Arts Agency (CPAA); Zhu Jianxin, vice-president of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra (SCO); Simon Chan, president of the Multicultural Communities Council of New South Wales; and over 1,500 audiences.

Wang Chunsheng said at the welcome reception that the concert of the New Oriental Chinese Music Scene is a new highlight of the "Image China" cultural exchange program in Australia. Noting that music knows no borders, he introduced that artists from the SCO will give their shows with traditional Chinese musical instruments such as dizi (a Chinese bamboo flute), pipa, erhu and suona to underscore the charm of traditional Chinese music and the importance of cross-cultural dialogue. He called on Chinese and Australian artists to further deepen bilateral friendship through music, arts and humanistic spirit.

Huang said that during the past years, the "Image China" cultural exchange program has brought extraordinary plays and performances to Australia and played positive roles in promoting people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. He added that the concert of the New Oriental Chinese Music Scene is expected to help the Australian people gain a deep understanding and become more enthusiastic about traditional Chinese culture.

Zhu said that the charm of music lies in sharing and inclusiveness and that the concert of the New Oriental Chinese Music Scene will fully demonstrate the openness and inclusiveness of Shanghai-style folk music, convey sound audio effects and profound humanistic sentiments in the performance of classical and modern works, and build a bridge of cultural exchanges between the two nations.

Chan said that China is a country with a long history and a splendid culture and that he is delighted to watch the performances of the SCO in Australia, hoping that the concert will enjoy an extraordinary success. He was keen to witness more cultural exchanges between China and Australia as well.

The New Oriental Chinese Music Scene is an original music brand created by the SCO. Since its debut in 2016, the music program has given hundreds of shows and launched tour performances with warm response in dozens of countries. It is the first time for the concert to be held in the Southern Hemisphere.

The concert was under the baton of Tang Muhai, the only Grammy Award-winning Chinese conductor, and attended by about 70 SCO artists. The first half of the concert included the programs of Lake Light by dizi, the Ink Play by guzheng, the Chu-Han War by pipa and Peking-style erhu, the Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon by erhu, and the Phoenix Dancing by suona. The second half of the concert consisted of such plays as the Sound of Craftsmamship by quintet, the Csárdá by erhu, the Silk Road and Common Homeland by orchestral suites, and the Flight of Bumblebee by folk musical instruments.

The entire concert was themed with classical and innovative elements, fully demonstrating the artistic features of Shanghai-style folk music.

The concert met with warm response from the Australian audience. "I love Chinese culture. The Chinese folk music is extremely excellent and has profound heritage. The performances by the SCO is highly emotional, attractive and touching. I look forward to having more opportunities to cooperate with Chinese artists," said John Huey, a famous Australian musical producer, at an interview.

Taylor, who travelled from Canberra for the concert, gave high praise of the concert and the costumes of Chinese performers, and hoped to attend more such Chinese shows in the future.

The Australian tour of the New Oriental Chinese Music Scene is an integral component of the "Image China" cultural exchange program and jointly undertaken by the CPAA and Zhuhai Aofeng Cultural Communication Co., Ltd. Since 2009, it has organized over 30 Chinese art troupes with more than 40 high-quality shows to visit American, European and Oceanic countries. The programs like the Colorful Guizhou, the Peony Pavilion, the Embroiders, the Red Dowry, along with concerts such as the East Meets the West, From the Dream of the Red Chamber to the Terracotta Warriors, and the Golden Time: a Gala of Classical Operas, have received wide recognition from the audiences abroad.

After its show in Sydney, the concert of the New Oriental Chinese Music Scene is scheduled to be held in Melbourne Recital Centre on Sep 22 and Adelaide Town Hall on Sep 24 respectively.