Beijing Symphony Orchestra kicks off Gateway to Music summer festival

The 24th annual Gateway to Music festival got off to an exciting start at Beijing’s Forbidden City Concert Hall (FCCH) on Thursday night with a concert staged by the Beijing Symphony Orchestra, the organizers announced in a press release on Sunday.

Under the baton of renowned Chinese conductor Tan Lihua, the orchestra performed famous Western classic music works such as the Carmen Overture, Voices Of Spring and Ride of the Valkyries as well as Tales from the Vienna Woods.

In addition to the opening concert, the summer festival, which is set to run until August 31, will include 74 performances ranging from concerts to puppet shows to stage plays as well as 10 summer camps and 10 master classes.

According to Xu Jian, general manager of FCCH, this year’s festival will also feature two special music instrument camps, one for poetry recitals and another for the huqin, a two-stringed bowed instrument.