Beijing Youth Orchestra (BYO) of China and the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America (NYO-USA) gathered at the Chinese Consulate General in New York recently for a special joint concert themed “Join Hands for a Shared Future”, on the occasion of BYO’s participation in “WOW! World Youth Orchestra Week” held in New York. Over 400 people including overseas Chinese students, representatives from various sectors such as culture, politics, business, technology, and media in the eastern United States and young musicians from China and the United States attended this China-U.S. youth exchange gala.

Musicians from both countries took to the stage in succession. The young American musicians opened the performance with a passionate rendition of Western Horn. The Chinese performers followed, using Western instruments to perform the traditional Chinese piece of A Moonlit Night on the Spring River, showcasing the unique and melodious Oriental charm. The youths of both countries then played the Largo of Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, which was adapted by Chinese poet Li Shutong into Goin’ Home, a well-known song reflecting China-U.S. cultural exchanges a century ago. The concert concluded with the string ensemble You and Me adapted from the 2008 Beijing Olympics theme song. As the event came to a close, members from both sides expressed their well wishes to each other and exchanged contact information, and promised to meet again in Beijing. This youth exchange event breathed new life into the development of China-U.S. relations.

This concert was the last event of “WOW! World Youth Orchestra Week”. Huang Ping, Consul General of China in New York; Sir Clive Gillinson, Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall; Gale A. Brewer, Council Member of the New York City; Alton Murray, Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs; Zhang Yao, Vice President of the National Centre for the Performing Arts of China (NCPA) attended the concert and delivered remarks. Wang Ning, President of the NCPA, addressed via video. 

The NYO-USA is scheduled to perform in China next year. 

(Edited based on relevant information from the Chinese Consulate General in New York)