by Jian Ping
CHICAGO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- For the fifth year, radio listeners across the United States can now tune in to an orchestral series from China's National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), featuring a collection of world-class performances of works by both Western and Chinese composers.
The series, a continuation of the collaboration between Chicago's WFMT Radio Network (WFMT) and China's NCPA, consists of four two-hour programs. WFMT is distributing the programs to radio stations nationwide every Tuesday for four consecutive weeks, beginning Sept. 8.
"We are thrilled to be able to continue our partnership with China's National Centre for the Performing Arts for the fifth year," said Roger Wight, head of programming and operations at WFMT.
"The superb performances from the NCPA bring an important Asian artistic perspective to the mix of high-profile American and European ensembles we showcase in our WFMT Opera and Orchestra Series," he said.
Ma Rongguo, vice president of the NCPA, echoed the sentiment.
"Over the past five years, our collaboration with Chicago's WFMT has continued to deepen, from symphonic music to opera, from classical masterpieces to contemporary works. The NCPA has always been committed to presenting the highest standards of Chinese performing arts to the world," he said.
WFMT presents symphony orchestra performances to radio stations in the United States year-round, with performances provided by a number of world-class ensembles including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic and the Munich Philharmonic.
The NCPA's series is part of the program. This year, the NCPA will present Chinese and international works performed in recent years by the NCPA Orchestra. Highlights of the Chinese repertoire include the Yellow River Piano Concerto by Yin Chengzong and Chu Wanghua, The Five Elements by Chen Qigang, and Sentiments: Autumn by Yao Chen.
"These orchestral performances introduce wonderful Chinese artists to American audiences while providing the opportunity to hear how Chinese composers expand the concert music literature through exciting new music," said Wight.
Western classics featured in the series include three violin concertos by Mozart, Symphony No. 4 by Bruckner, Symphony No. 3 by Mahler, and Symphony No. 5 by Shostakovich.
"Music is a universal language that transcends national borders and serves as an artistic bridge connecting different civilizations," Ma said.
"We hope that through the airwaves, more listeners in North America will experience Chinese musicians' reverence for the classics and their spirit of innovation, as well as the openness, vitality, and enduring energy of Chinese culture," he said.
Over the past few years, the NCPA has presented more than 80 classic Chinese and international symphonic and operatic works at the NCPA theater, and has sent these series to more than 60 markets, including New York, Washington and Chicago, among others.
"In the future, we will continue to use art as a medium and make cultural exchange between China and the United States resonate even more powerfully and reach more people," Ma said. ■