Discover a whirlwind programme of French and Chinese pieces. Myung-Whun Chung conducts the resident orchestra of the National Centre for the Performing Arts, Beijing along with Bruce Liu, winner of the 2021 Chopin International Piano Competition.

First up on the programme is Wu Xing (The Five Elements) by Qigang Chen. This ten-minute work comprises five short portrayals of metal, wood, water, fire and earth. Then, Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major opens with a playful, percussive whip-crack. Ravel cited Camille Saint-Saëns as a stylistic inspiration for this light-hearted, jazz-infused work.

Finally, we move onto one of Saint-Saëns’s own works: his famous Third Symphony. The organ plays a starring role, with its iconic C major chord heralding the finale. Here, the music is jolted out of the previous movement’s reverie, setting into motion the triumphant conclusion of this spectacular symphony.

Listen on Soundcloud or Spotify.

Supported by Léan Scully Endowed Fund,
the Korean Cultural Centre UK and The High Commission of Canada in the UK and Beaverbrook Canadian Foundation