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Xu Beihong’s classic paintings are brought to the stage of Chinese symphonic music,
a profound dialogue transcending painting and music, the East and the West.
Performed by:
Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra
Organizers:
Publicity Department of Futian District Committee United Front Work Department of Futian District Committee
Presented by:
Xu Beihong Art Committee Xu Beihong Culture and Art Center
Co-organizer:
Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra
2025
14 November
Friday Night
Xu Beihong (1895-1953) is recognized as the father of modern Chinese painting. The concert commemorating the 130th anniversary of his birth marks the first creative production in China to adapt his masterpieces for the symphonic stage. The final two pieces of the performance will be accompanied by projections of Xu Beihong’s artworks, showcasing the artistic charm where music and visual art converge.
The 20th-century pioneering composer Jiang Wenye created the piano concerto “Xu Beihong’s Ink and Wash Paintings” in 1964 for Xu Beihong’s daughter, Xu Fangfang. After being lost for half a century, his manuscript was rediscovered. The third movement, “The Crowning Cock in Wind and Rain—A Heroic Memory,” will receive its Chinese premiere at this concert.
Xu Beihong’s daughter, pianist and author Xu Fangfang, will introduce Xu Beihong’s artistic legacy and two musical works inspired by his paintings at the concert. Simultaneously, she will perform as the soloist in the Chinese premiere of the third movement of “Xu Beihong’s Ink and Wash Paintings《徐悲鸿的彩墨画》.”
In 2024, Shanghai Music Publishing House released Xu Beihong’s Ink and Wash Paintings: The Long-Lost Piano Concerto by Jiang Wenye《徐悲鸿的彩墨画: 失传半个世纪的江文也钢琴协奏曲》. The publication includes the musical score, selected color illustrations of Xu Beihong’s masterful animal paintings, and the story behind this composition, showcasing the groundbreaking creativity of both masters in bridging Eastern and Western artistic traditions. Following the concert, the book will be available for signing by its author and editor, Xu Fangfang.
《二泉映月》(1949 / 1979)
The Moon Reflected on Erquan Pond
作曲阿炳 Abing, (1893-1950)，吴祖强改编 arr. Wu Zuqiang
《梁祝小提琴协奏曲》(1958)
“Butterfly Lovers” Violin Concerto
作曲陈钢 Chen Gang，何占豪 He Zhanhao
卢曦，小提琴
Lu Xi, violin
中场休息INTERMISSION
《台湾舞曲》(1934)
Taiwan Dance
作曲 江文也 Jiang Wenye (1910-1983)
钢琴协奏曲《徐悲鸿的彩墨画》(1964)
Piano Concerto Xu Beihong’s Color-And-Ink Paintings
第三乐章：风雨鸡鸣—壮烈的回忆
(中国首演）
Movement III. Rooster Crowing in the Rain—Recalling Past Valor
(China Premiere)
作曲 江文也 Jiang Wenye
徐芳芳，钢琴
Xu Fangfang, piano
《徐悲鸿画境随想》
Capriccio Xu Beihong (2022)
作曲黄安伦 Huang Anlun
Founded in 1982, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SZSO) has grown alongside China’s reform and opening-up, consistently adhering to its artistic vision of “pursuing excellence, serving the public, and advancing through both performance and creation.”
Through over four decades of dedicated effort and relentless pursuit, SZSO has emerged as a dynamic force in the industry and is widely recognized as one of China’s leading professional symphony orchestras. The orchestra is currently under the baton of renowned Music Director Lin Daye.
Since 1987, SZSO has conducted annual tours, performing across mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, as well as in Asia, Europe, North America, and Africa. The orchestra has delivered acclaimed performances in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Czech Republic, Poland, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Singapore, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, India, Romania, South Africa, among others, establishing itself as a vibrant cultural ambassador for Shenzhen.
Since 1994, SZSO has been frequently invited to participate in prestigious domestic and international music festivals and artistic events, including the 4th China Art Festival, the 3rd China International Piano Competition, the opening performance of the First World Buddhist Forum, the China International Chorus Festival, the Beijing Modern Music Festival, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (Beijing) Art Festival, as well as festivals abroad such as the Istanbul Music Festival (Turkey), Mitfest Music Festival (Italy), Ravello Wagner Festival, Caserta Charity Music Festival, Bellini Festival of Sicily, Dinard Music Festival (France), and the Romanian International Radio Music Festival, receiving enthusiastic responses worldwide.
SZSO places strong emphasis on the creation and promotion of Chinese symphonic works, striving to narrate China’s stories through music. The orchestra has commissioned and premiered works such as New Era Symphony Overture《新时代交响序曲》, Ode to Heroes《英雄颂》, My Motherland《我的祖国》, Ode to Humanity《人文颂》, Music of Divine Land《神州和乐》, and Symphonic Mountain Songs – Hakka New Melody《交响山歌·客家新韵》, as well as co-commissioned pieces including The Eastern Rising Sun《东方旭日》, The Lighthouse《灯塔》, and Thousand-Mile Landscape《千里江山》, all of which have garnered high praise from experts, audiences, and media alike.
Looking ahead, the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra remains committed to scaling new artistic heights, promoting Chinese culture, disseminating contemporary advanced ideas, and contributing profoundly to the cultural development of Shenzhen and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Born and raised in Beijing, Xu Fangfang graduated from the Affiliated Middle School of the Central Conservatory of Music with a specialization in piano performance. In 1981, she moved to the United States, earning a BA in History from the University of California, Berkeley, followed by an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
In 2000, she became the founding chair of the Department of Music at Renmin University of China. In May 2022, she released a CD featuring selected contemporary Chinese piano works performed by her, along with the third movement of the piano concerto Xu Beihong’s Color-and-Ink Paintings, recorded in collaboration with a conductor and orchestra in St. Louis. On October 22, 2022, she presented the world premiere of the third movement of this concerto at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Xu Fangfang is the author of the memoir Galloping Horses and the editor-publicher of Xu Beihong’s Color-and-Ink Paintings: Piano Concerto by Jiang Wenye Discovered After Half a Century. She has also published several essays on Xu Beihong and his art, including “The Life and Art of Xu Beihong” in the Denver Art Museum’s 2011 exhibition catalogue Xu Beihong: Pioneer of Modern Chinese Painting, and “Xu Beihong and India” in the September 2020 issue of Fine Art magazine.
She played a key role in initiating and coordinating the first comprehensive U.S. solo exhibition of her father Xu Beihong’s work at the Denver Art Museum (opened in October 2011) and served as co-editor of the accompanying exhibition catalogue.
Member of the Party Committee and Vice President of Xi’an Conservatory of Music; Associate Professor and Master’s Supervisor in Conducting
He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Symphony Orchestra Conducting from the Central Conservatory of Music in 2000 and began teaching at Xi’an Conservatory of Music in the same year. In 2009, he earned a master’s degree in Symphony Orchestra Conducting from the Berlin Conservatory of Music in Germany.
With long-term dedication to instruction and research in conducting education and stage performance, he has been honored with titles such as “Outstanding Communist Party Member in Shaanxi Higher Education Institutions,” “Promising Young Talent,” “Advanced Individual in Professional Ethics in Shaanxi Province,” and “Outstanding Educator.”
To date, he has guest-conducted hundreds of concerts in collaboration with various professional orchestras and renowned soloists and vocalists across China. While teaching, he continuously explores diverse forms of artistic activities and has actively promoted the rehearsal and performance of dozens of new works. He has also vigorously expanded the development of music education in general universities and engaged in extensive collaborations with various sectors of society, receiving widespread acclaim.
Associate Professor of Violin, Xinghai Conservatory of Music | Master’s Supervisor | DMA in Violin Performance, Mussorgsky State Conservatory (Russia) | Member, Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) | Outstanding Young Faculty of Guangdong | Vice President, Guangdong Violin Association
Lu Xi began her studies in Russia at the age of 14. In 2006, she graduated from the Mussorgsky State Conservatory in Russia with a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Violin Performance. During her studies, she participated in numerous international competitions and received several awards, including the Grand Prize at the International Young Musicians Competition in Ukraine. At the age of 16, she successfully held her debut violin recital, organized by the Jilin Provincial Song and Dance Theatre and the Northeast Asia Music Radio, which was widely acclaimed.
She previously served as the concertmaster of the symphony orchestra at the Mussorgsky State Conservatory and was engaged as a soloist with the Yekaterinburg Philharmonic Orchestra. Through frequent collaborative tours with the orchestra, she introduced a wide range of Chinese musical works to Russian audiences, earning great appreciation. Her performances were featured in special reports by media outlets such as Novosibirsk Television and the Russian edition of China Pictorial.
Since 2007, Lu Xi has been teaching at Xinghai Conservatory of Music, where she has nurtured numerous professional talents. Her graduates have achieved remarkable success in fields such as orchestral performance and music education, both in China and abroad. She places strong emphasis on nurturing students’ individual strengths and career development, guiding them in formulating future learning plans, and has repeatedly prepared students to win awards in competitions.
As an adjudicator, she has played a significant role in domestic and international music competitions. Lu Xi has also published several academic papers, including “How to Overcome Performance Anxiety on Stage” and “Violin Tone Production and Timbre,” contributing actively to the field of music education.
Beyond teaching, she is deeply involved in socio-cultural activities, delivering music lectures, organizing concerts, and participating in charity performances to enhance public understanding and appreciation of music. She was also invited to conduct a masterclass at Shenandoah University in the United States, demonstrating her high-level pedagogical expertise.
Lu Xi has presented solo recitals at venues including the Xinghai Concert Hall, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Shenzhen Concert Hall, Guangzhou Opera House, and Wenzhou Poly Theater. She has also collaborated with orchestras such as the Shanghai Opera Symphony Orchestra, Shenzhen Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Youth Symphony Orchestra, Xinjiang Philharmonic, Xinghai Conservatory Symphony Orchestra, and Mantianxing Ensemble, promoting cross-disciplinary musical cooperation and cultural exchange. Additionally, she actively engages in charity performances to raise funds for underprivileged children, supporting their living and educational needs. Through organizing and promoting musical and cultural activities, she continues to foster the dissemination and development of music within society.
2025.11.14 (Friday) 20:00
