A poster for the first New Year's Eve concert by SZSO. Images courtesy of SZSO

Following its recent tradition, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) will perform two concerts on New Year’s Eve, celebrating a memorable night with fans.

Tan Dun to helm New Year’s concert

Under the baton of famed conductor and composer Tan Dun, the first concert headlines soprano Candice Chung of Opera Hong Kong, Morin khuur player Hasbagan, violinist Wu Qian, cellist Karen Kocharyan, and harpist Peng Jia. Performing alongside the SZSO and soloists are the orchestra’s children’s choir.

Candice Chung of Opera Hong Kong.

Tan has made an indelible mark on the world’s music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical music, multimedia performance, and Eastern and Western traditions. A winner of such prestigious honors as the Grammy Award, Academy Award, and Grawemeyer Award for classical composition, Tan has had his music performed throughout the world by leading orchestras. As a conductor, he has led the world’s most esteemed orchestras.

The concert opens with the soulful and magnificent “China in the Lights,” with music by Shu Nan and lyrics by Tian Di. Premiered by baritone Liao Changyong on New Year’s Day in 2021, the song will be performed by the children’s choir accompanied by the SZSO.

Violinist Wu will then deliver the lively and melodious Romanian classic “The Lark,” followed by Kocharyan’s rendition of Saint-Sa?ns’ “The Swan.” SZSO’s principal harpist Peng will present Debussy’s dreamy “Clair de Lune,” to be followed by Chung’s interpretation of Tan’s original work “The Nine-Colored Deer.” Chung will use her ethereal voice to paint magical visuals in this piece, which was inspired by a Buddhist legend recorded in a Dunhuang mural.

Morin khuur virtuoso Hasbagan.

After the intermission, Morin khuur virtuoso Hasbagan will perform Tan’s “Morin Khuur Concerto,” which features the nostalgic morin khuur and splendid khoomei, evoking the vast grassland and ancient Mongolian traditions.

The concert will conclude with Ravel’s passionate “Boléro” and Borodin’s exotic “Polovtsian Dances,” echoing the joy and hopes for the New Year.

Tickets: 180-1,280 yuan

Time: 7:30 p.m., Dec. 31

A midnight gala

Soprano Zhang Meigui.

The second concert, which will begin at 10:30 p.m., headlines young conductor Jin Yukuang, soprano Zhang Meigui, pianist An Tianxu and violinist Zhao Mengchan. Brimming with youthful passion and radiant vitality, they will chime in the New Year with the audience.

The concert kicks off with Bernstein’s “Candide Overture,” followed by Stravinsky’s opera excerpt “No Word from Tom,” performed by soprano Zhang. Next comes Márquez’s “Danzón No. 2,” one of the most popular and frequently performed works written after 1950 from Latin America.

The Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra.

Zhang will further lend her voice to the lyrical melodies from Villa-Lobos’ “Forest of the Amazon,” a rich and vibrant symphonic poem interspersed with Amerindian chants, bird-song, energetic dance rhythms and occasional folk-like themes. She will also sing Harold Arlen’s "Over the Rainbow," a timeless piece of hope and aspiration.

Violinist Zhao will perform Bernstein’s “West Side Story Suite,” which is a perfect fusion of dramatic tension and melodic grace.

Pianist An Tianxu.

In the second half, audiences will hear Gershwin’s “Cuban Overture,” Fernández’s percussion-based Afro-Brazilian-styled “Batuque,” and Moncayo’s “Huapango,” based on lively Mexican folk tunes.

An, a prizewinner of the 16th International Tchaikovsky Competition, will perform Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” a standard in the symphonic repertoire. Composed in 1924, it is celebrated as one of the first and most successful pieces to seamlessly blend the structured forms of classical music with the rhythmic energy and harmonies of jazz and blues. An's rendition promises to bring a night’s colorful music to a thrilling and powerful climax.

Tickets: 180-980 yuan

Time: 10:30 p.m., Dec. 31

Venue: Shenzhen Concert Hall, Futian District (深圳音樂廳)

Metro: Line 3 or 4 to Children’s Palace Station (少年宮站), Exit D