PHILADELPHIA – As the Lunar New Year approaches, the Philadelphia Orchestra and China National Tourist Office have collaboratively orchestrated a powerful symphony of cultural diplomacy through a special concert series and tourism promotion event at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.
The ‘Ni Hao! China’ celebration, merging traditional Chinese music with tourism promotion, created a vibrant Spring Festival atmosphere that underscored five decades of artistic collaboration between the two nations. Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng emphasized the universal language of art during a pre-concert reception, noting that ‘people-to-people exchanges serve as a bridge’ between cultures.
‘When strings are struck and songs take flight, the beauty of art resonates between our two peoples,’ Ambassador Xie stated, highlighting art’s unique capacity to foster mutual understanding and trust. He pointed to recent cinematic successes including ‘Ne Zha 2’ in American markets and ‘Zootopia’ in China as evidence of thriving cultural exchange with significant economic benefits.
The event featured a photographic exhibition titled ‘On the Road in China — China and the Philadelphia Orchestra,’ documenting the ensemble’s historic 1973 debut as the first American orchestra to perform in China and their subsequent twelve tours. Veteran violinist Davyd Booth, who has visited China approximately fifteen times since that inaugural trip, expressed his fortune in witnessing the country’s remarkable development and modernization.
Philadelphia Orchestra President and CEO Ryan Fleur emphasized the enduring legacy of cultural exchange, noting his nearly twenty personal visits to China and the orchestra’s tradition of Spring Festival concerts since 2019. The celebration also included performances by the Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Orchestra, providing American audiences with authentic cultural experiences.
China National Tourist Office Director Ma Yunfei highlighted the orchestra’s special relationship with China, noting that their exchanges have ‘always been about more than music—they are about openness and learning from one another.’ The event concluded with enthusiastic audience responses and expressions of interest in future travel to China, demonstrating music’s continuing power to build international friendship bridges.