The Philadelphia Orchestra Ushers in the Year of the Horse with Lunar New Year Celebration in Collaboration with China’s Central Conservatory of Music
January 06, 2026Lunar New Year concert led by Assistant Conductor Naomi Woo and featuring soloists Yu Hongmei, erhu, and Zhang Hongyan, pipa, from China’s Central Conservatory of Music
January 28, 2026
China’s Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Orchestra to perform FREE Spring Festival concert in Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
January 29, 2026
(Philadelphia, January 6, 2026)—The Philadelphia Orchestra is collaborating with China’s Central Conservatory of Music for two days of people-to-people exchange through music in Philadelphia to celebrate the Lunar New Year and usher in the Year of the Horse.
Assistant Conductor Naomi Woo will lead The Philadelphia Orchestra and soloists from the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM), erhu virtuoso and CCOM President Yu Hongmei and pipa virtuoso Zhang Hongyan, in a Lunar New Year Concert on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. The Philadelphia Orchestra will present the Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Orchestra in a free Spring Festival concert on Thursday, January 29, 2026, in Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center.
The Lunar New Year program, thoughtfully curated to embody the energetic and perseverant spirit of the Horse in Chinese astrology, will include Li Huanzhi’s Spring Festival Overture; Chan Ka Nin’s Welcoming Spring; Selections from Tan Dun’s Crouching Tiger Concerto, for erhu and chamber orchestra with Yu Hongmei; Lili Boulanger’s Of a Spring Morning; Zhou Long’s King Chu Doffs His Armor, for pipa and orchestra with Zhang Hongyan returning to Marian Anderson Hall for her second Lunar New Year concert in a row; Aaron Copland’s “Hoe-Down,” from Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo; Gustav Holst’s “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jolity,” from The Planets; and Gioachino Rossini’s Finale, from Overture to William Tell.
The Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Orchestra will perform a one-night-only concert in Perelman Theater under the direction of conductor Liu Sha. The ensemble will perform several Chinese pieces featuring soloists on a diverse array of traditional Chinese instruments, including bamboo flutes, sheng, yangqin, guzheng, banhu, pipa, and erhu. The Spring Festival program includes the world premiere of Zhang Zheng’s Feng·Ya·Song (Ballad, Court Hymn, Eulogy).
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s annual Lunar New Year celebration pays tribute to Philadelphia’s diverse Asian American community and is part of the ensemble’s ongoing relationship with the people of China. In 1973, under the direction of Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra became the first American orchestra to perform in China. Since that first visit, the full Orchestra has returned 13 times—most recently in 2024—and small ensembles have returned often for residency activities—most recently in October 2025. The Orchestra has developed deep, impactful connections throughout China that serve as a cultural bridge for people-to-people exchange.
With over 60 years of history, the Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Orchestra is one of the most representative traditional orchestras in contemporary China. Affiliated with the nation’s premier music institution, the orchestra embodies exceptional artistry, academic rigor, and professionalism. It brings together distinguished faculty and award-winning doctoral and graduate musicians, who uphold a spirit of both preservation and pioneering exploration. Through performances that seamlessly blend ancient and contemporary aesthetics, they continuously advance the heritage and innovation of Chinese traditional music. Renowned for its distinctive interpretations of classical masterpieces and contemporary works, the ensemble has premiered numerous landmark compositions. As a cultural ambassador, it has performed across Asia, Europe, North America, Africa, and Oceania. Through participation in major international music festivals and academic collaborations, the orchestra has become both a model for higher education in Chinese traditional music and an important force in showcasing the unique charm and contemporary vitality of Chinese music, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and artistic exchange worldwide.
The Philadelphia Orchestra’s Lunar New Year Concert and the FREE Spring Festival Concert are sponsored by the China National Tourist Office New York.
Lunar New Year
January 28 at 7:30 PM—Wednesday evening—Marian Anderson Hall at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Naomi Woo Conductor
Yu Hongmei Erhu—Philadelphia Orchestra debut
Zhang Hongyan Pipa
Li Huanzhi Spring Festival Overture
Chan Ka Nin Welcoming Spring— First Philadelphia Orchestra performance
Tan Dun Selections from Crouching Tiger Concerto, for erhu and chamber orchestra— First Philadelphia Orchestra performance
L. Boulanger Of a Spring Morning
Zhou Long King Chu Doffs His Armor, for pipa and orchestra—First Philadelphia Orchestra performance
Copland “Hoe Down,” from Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo
Holst “Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity,” from The Planets
Rossini Finale, from Overture to William Tell
China Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Orchestra
January 29 at 7:00 PM—Thursday evening—Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
Liu Sha Conductor
Li Bochan Celebrating Overture
Traditional/arr. Li Shangqian A Moonlit Night on the Spring River
Feng Zicun Joyful Encounter, for bamboo flutes and shengs
Fan Linfeng, Feng Tianshi, bamboo flutes
Wang Yi, Liu Yihao, sheng
Yan Shaoyi/arr. Li Heng Huabangzi, for banhu
Hu Yu, banhu
Sun Jing Love Song from the Horizon, for the Plucked Instruments Ensemble
Li Bochan The Ancient Tea-Horse Road
Peng Xiuwen & Cai Huiquan Harvest Gongs and Drums
Wei Ran, Yin Fei, leading percussion
Li Yuejin Sheng—Lin Qi Jing (Sheng—Into a Wonderland)—World premiere of orchestration
Wang Lei, sheng
Zhang Zheng Feng·Ya·Song (Ballad, Court Hymn, Eulogy)—World premiere
Wang Danhong Eternal Red Lilies