CANCELLED: The Grand Chinese New Year’s Concert

Experience Chinese music: every year in celebration of Chinese New Year, a committee of experts chooses a traditional orchestra to go on tour and give the world’s concert audiences a sample of China’s rich, 3,000-year-old musical tradition. The musicians cover a wide range of their native music – from the sound of the Inner Mongolian horsehead violin through traditional Chinese music to contemporary works. This year, the honour goes to the first Chinese traditional orchestra at the national-level – the Chinese Traditional Orchestra of China National Opera and Dance Drama Theatre, founded in 1950.

The Chinese New Year is the most important traditional holiday in the country’s calendar. Unlike in the Western world, the Chinese celebrate the New Year at the first new moon between 21 January and 20 February. According to Chinese astrology, 2020 is the Year of the Rat.