To celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, the Philadelphia Orchestra and the China National Tourist Office in New York jointly hosted the 2026 "Happy Chinese New Year" Concert and the "Nihao! China" tourism promotion on Jan 28 at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.
Centered on the theme of "Spring", the concert showcased the harmonious beauty of cultural exchange and mutual learning through a rich and diverse musical language.
The highlight of the concert was the collaboration under the baton of Canadian conductor Naomi Woo, where the Philadelphia Orchestra joined forces with renowned musicians from China's Central Conservatory of Music, including Yu Hongmei and Zhang Hongyan. Together, they presented a selection of classic and contemporary works, such as "Spring Festival Overture", "Welcoming Spring", selections from "Crouching Tiger Concerto" for erhu and chamber orchestra, and "King Chu Doffs His Armor" for pipa and orchestra.
