XI’AN
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Xi'an Symphony Orchestra (XSO), founded in 2012, is the municipal symphony orchestra of Xi'an.
In 2024, the esteemed Chinese conductor and music educator, Mr. Zhang Guoyong, took on the role of the orchestra's artistic advisor, while Daine Lam, the music director of the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, retained his position as the chief conductor.
XSO has consistently maintained the international standard of a professional orchestra, following the tradition of a music season system. The orchestra has engaged in collaborations with numerous world-class music maestros, such as Angela Hewitt, Khatia Buniatishvili, Nikolai Demidenko, Barry Douglas, Leo Nucci, Shi Yijie, José Carreras, Stephen Hough, Tan Dun, Zheng Xiaoying, Midori Goto, He Hui, Yin Chengzong, Lang Lang, and many others.
XSO's 2024 music season, themed "All Things Bloom," will feature 17 concerts in collaboration with 29 artists from both home and abroad, including Martha Argerich, Augustin Dumay, Mei Diyang, Lin Daye, and Huang Mengla.
Since 2017, XSO has been entrusted with the significant annual opera performances at the Shaanxi Grand Theater, utilizing the production platform of the Shaanxi Grand Theater & Xi'an Concert Hall. Collaborating with esteemed artists worldwide, XSO has effectively presented acclaimed operas like Turandot, Carmen, Rigoletto, La Traviata, Tosca, The Marriage of Figaro, and Candide. Over time, XSO's artistic prowess and professional skills have shown continuous enhancement.
XSO strives to foster cross-regional and cross-temporal cultural exchanges through music, delving into the rich blend of traditional culture and symphonic music. Notably, XSO has commissioned Sun Chang, an esteemed composition and conducting professor from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, as the orchestra's resident composer, focusing on creating and interpreting original music inspired by the classical cultural heritage of Chinese civilization. In 2020, XSO showcased "Chang An" Symphony Chants of Tang Poetry Concert, and in 2024, XSO is set to debut a grand symphonic chorus titled "Tao Te Ching." By collaborating with artists like Chen Xinyi, Pu Cunxin, and Zhang Guoli, XSO has broadened the horizons for merging symphonic music with various art forms such as literature, theater, opera, multimedia, and more.
In its pursuit of art popularization, XSO continuously challenges conventions by integrating with various internet media platforms to enhance the public's appreciation of classical music. Since 2013, the annual XSO Outdoor Concert at the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda has stood out as the nation's sole large-scale public symphony live performance event, drawing the interest of millions worldwide through live broadcasts. The People's Daily commended, stating, "Xi'an Symphony Orchestra has seamlessly woven high-quality music into the fabric of citizens' lives." Beyond these outdoor performances, a series of live broadcasts featuring cultural music concerts have also captivated audiences both domestically and internationally, sparking curiosity in classical music among individuals across diverse sectors.
On the journey towards a higher artistic vision, XSO embodies both idealism and realism. Fueled by a deep passion for music, XSO consistently aims for the stars and strives for continuous professional improvement. In terms of spreading and promoting music, XSO is committed to serving the public through its music, while also exploring its own path of innovation and openness.
He is currently the Artistic Advisor of Xi'an Symphony Orchestra (XSO), Vice President of the Shanghai Musicians Association, and Vice President of the Chinese Musicians Association. He is also a professor at the Conducting Department of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Music Director of the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra.
He graduated from the Conducting Department of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1983 and was awarded the Doctor of Music by the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in 1997. He studied with Prof. Huang Xiaotong, a famous conductor and music educator in China, and the world-renowned conductor Rozhdestvensky. During his artistic career, he has conducted a series of operas, ballets, symphonic choruses and other classic works with esteemed opera houses and symphony orchestras at home and abroad. He is especially good at conducting Russian works, and is recognized as the best interpreter of Shostakovich's symphonies in China.
His conducting style is concise, natural and spiritual, with fiery passion and profound rationality, which is highly artistic tension and on-site infectiousness. His keen sense of hearing, solid basic skills, effective rehearsal methods and complete grasp of the structure of the work leave a deep impression on the orchestra and the audience wherever he goes.
His tutor, Mr. Rozhdestvensky, once excitedly told music critics, "I gave Zhang Guoyong the highest score ever in the Conducting Department of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music, and I believe he can find his place in any orchestra in the world.”
UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Tan Dun, is a graduate of the Central Conservatory of Music and received his Doctor of Music degree from Columbia University in the city of New York. He is currently the Dean of Bard College Conservatory of Music, and the Honorary Artistic Director of the China National Symphony Orchestra. With world peace and a green, sustainable environment central to Tan Dun’s core artistic values, his art has made an indelible mark on the world’s music scene and has won today’s most prestigious honors including the Golden Lion Award for Lifetime Achievement of Italy, the Grammy Award, Oscar/Academy Award, Bach Prize of Germany, the Order des Arts et des Lettres of France, Shostakovich Award of Russia, and Grawemeyer Award of the United States.
As an intellectually and creatively fueled composer from China, Tan Dun has created many internationally influential symphonic works: Buddha Passion; Organic Music Trilogy for Water, Paper and Ceramic Concertos, as well as Percussion Concerto The Tears of Nature; multimedia concerto Nu Shu,The Map; the Internet Symphony Eroica; and opera, The First Emperor, Marco Polo,Tea, Nine Songs, and Water Passion after St. Matthew; as well as Film Music, his Martial Arts Trilogy Crouching Tiger, Hero, the Banquet, plus more than one hundred additional musical compositions that include violin, cello, piano concertos and Chinese traditional music. Tan Dun was invited to create music for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2010 Expo, and the 2016 Grand Opening of Shanghai Disney that had a record-breaking 65 million viewers for its international live broadcast. He was invited to become the Music Ambassador for the international celebration of Beethoven 250th anniversary celebration. During the global pandemic in 2020, he composed Prayer and Blessing: 12 Sounds of Wuhan for its victims around the world, the live performance was streamed from Wuhan, Shanghai, and New York, and has received more than 70 million views online around the world.
As a music ambassador for peace and an environmental fighter, Tan Dun
has led the world’s most esteemed orchestras,
including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London
Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic,
Orchestre National de France, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala,
Münchner Philharmoniker, the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra,
among others. Tan Dun has been regarded as one of the “ten
most influential Chinese in the world” and has received
the title of “The Light of China” cultural figure. Tan Dun currently serves as Honorary Chair of
Carnegie Hall’s China Advisory Council, Lifetime
Honorary Guest Conductor of the Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Lifetime
Honorary Conductor of the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor
of the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Artistic Director of the
China Youth Symphony Orchestra, and has previously served as Creative Chair of
the 2014 Philadelphia Orchestra China Tour, Associate Composer/Conductor of the
BBC Scottish Symphony, Artistic Director of the Festival Water Crossing Fire
held at the Barbican Centre, and Artistic Director of the Contemporary Music
Festival at Tanglewood Music Center.
The Chinese-Australian conductor, Dane Lam, Principal Conductor of China’ s Xi’ an Symphony Orchestra, enjoys a career spanning three continents. With a particularly close relationship with London’ s Opera Holland Park, he is equally at home in the theatre as on the concert platform.
Dane made his debut, aged only eighteen, with the Sydney Symphony at the Sydney Opera House and has since conducted an array of leading international orchestras and opera companies including: the Queensland, Adelaide, Canberra, Dunedin, Kunming, and Shandong Symphony Orchestras, Münchner Rundfunkorchester, Het Residentie Orkest, City of London Sinfonia, Manchester Camerata, South Bank Sinfonia, Liverpool Philharmonic Ensemble 10/10, RTE Concert Orchestra, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Verbier Festival Orchestra, Juilhard Orchestra and Opera Queensland, Scottish Opera, and Bury Court Opera.
In his other musical home, the ancient city of Xi’ an, the Xi’ an Symphony Orchestra has grown under Dane’ s leadership. Since assuming the post of Principal Conductor in 2014, XSO’ s classical subscription offering has almost doubled while attendance has increased commensurately. He led the very first staged, professional opera in this 3000-year-old city with Tosca in 2015 and Le nozze di Figaro in 2016 while raising the artistic standard and profile of the orchestra to attract such artists as Jose Carreras, Sumi Jo, Midori Goto, and Yundi Li. Dane conducted the XSO at the 2016 CCTV1 Mid-Autumn Festival Gala which was televised live around China and internationally to an audience exceeding one billion views while presiding over a period of financial security for the organisation and forging international partnerships. Moreover, Xi’ an has seen important premieres during Dane’ s tenure including the first Mahler Symphony (Symphony No. 4) in 2016 as well as the city’ s first cycle of Beethoven Symphonies in 2017.
Previously, Dane was Assistant Conductor to the Kurt Masur at the Orchestre National de France; and a Young Artist with Opera Queensland. He is an International Ambassador of the Royal Northern College of Music and currently divides his time between London,Xi’ an, and Brisbane.
XI’AN
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA CHORUS
Established in 2017, Xi'an Symphony Orchestra Chorus (XSOC) is among the few professional choruses in China. Renowned for its exquisite performances and creativity, it has emerged as the most popular professional chorus in the country, boasting the largest number of online fans.
Members of XSOC are selected from renowned music institutions both domestically and internationally. Since its establishment, XSOC has expertly performed a wide array of works from various genres, eras, and styles, covering almost four centuries. Its repertoire includes classic opera pieces, symphonic choir suites, chamber choir works showcased in concert halls, as well as commissioned compositions ranging from the Baroque period to contemporary times.
XSOC has collaborated with esteemed conductors over the past years, including Zheng Xiaoying, Zhang Guoyong, Tan Dun, Yu Feng, Lv Jia, Yuan Ding, Zhang Chengjie, Rico Saccani, Andrea Licata, Andrea Molino, Fabio Ciulla, and Pablo Assante. Notable singers who have performed with XSOC include Liao Changyong, He Hui, Zhang Liping, Shi Yijie, Huang Ying, Han Peng, Leo Nucci, Marco Berti, and Gianluca Terranova.
Since 2017, XSO&C have been entrusted with the significant annual opera performances at the Shaanxi Grand Theater, utilizing the production platform of the Shaanxi Grand Theater & Xi'an Concert Hall. Collaborating with esteemed artists worldwide, XSO&C have effectively presented acclaimed operas like Turandot, Carmen, Rigoletto, La Traviata, Tosca, The Marriage of Figaro, and Candide. Over time, the artistic prowess and professional skills of XSO&C have shown continuous enhancement.
XSO and its chorus strive to foster cross-regional and cross-temporal cultural exchanges through music, delving into the rich blend of traditional culture and symphonic music. Notably, XSO has commissioned Sun Chang, an esteemed composition and conducting professor from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, as the orchestra's resident composer, focusing on creating and interpreting original music inspired by the classical cultural heritage of Chinese civilization. In 2020, XSO&C showcased "Chang An" Symphony Chants of Tang Poetry Concert, and in 2024, XSO&C are set to debut a grand symphonic chorus titled "Tao Te Ching." By collaborating with artists like Chen Xinyi, Pu Cunxin, and Zhang Guoli, XSO&C have broadened the horizons for merging symphonic music with various art forms such as literature, theater, opera, multimedia, and more.
XSOC will continue to enrich the city with music and intertwine life with songs by delivering high-quality artistic performances and engaging presentations.
He is currently the Artistic Advisor of Xi'an Symphony Orchestra (XSO), Vice President of the Shanghai Musicians Association, and Vice President of the Chinese Musicians Association. He is also a professor at the Conducting Department of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Music Director of the Qingdao Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra.
He graduated from the Conducting Department of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music in 1983 and was awarded the Doctor of Music by the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory in 1997. He studied with Prof. Huang Xiaotong, a famous conductor and music educator in China, and the world-renowned conductor Rozhdestvensky. During his artistic career, he has conducted a series of operas, ballets, symphonic choruses and other classic works with esteemed opera houses and symphony orchestras at home and abroad. He is especially good at conducting Russian works, and is recognized as the best interpreter of Shostakovich's symphonies in China.
His conducting style is concise, natural and spiritual, with fiery passion and profound rationality, which is highly artistic tension and on-site infectiousness. His keen sense of hearing, solid basic skills, effective rehearsal methods and complete grasp of the structure of the work leave a deep impression on the orchestra and the audience wherever he goes.
His tutor, Mr. Rozhdestvensky, once excitedly told music critics, "I gave Zhang Guoyong the highest score ever in the Conducting Department of the Moscow State Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music, and I believe he can find his place in any orchestra in the world.”
Fabio Ciulla graduated from Conservatorio di Musica “Vincenzo Bellini” di Palemero in 1982 with piano major and 1992 with chorus and chorus conducting major. Whether as a soloist or as part of a chamber ensemble, he has displayed real musicianship.
Fabio Chula is also a composer who attaches great importance to the creation of vocal and instrumental music. In 2017, he was nominated as the chorus conductor in the premiere of Salve o terra, che altèra ne vai composed by Gaetano Donizetti in 1825.
As an orchestra pianist, Fabio Chula played at Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania from 1991 to 1992.
From 1997 to 2003, he was the associate conductor and stage director at Teatro Massimo di Palermo.
From 2002 to 2008, he worked as chorus conductor in operas at Valletta Mansion in Malta.
In 2005, he became the assistant conductor and assistant director at Seoul Arts Center in South Korea.
In 2008, he was invited to be the assistant director at Toledo International Festival in Spain
From 2008 to 2013 and from 2017 to today, he served as the chorus conductor and children's choir conductor at Fondazione Orchestra Sinfonica Siciliana in Palermo.