The Guiyang Symphony Orchestra. [Photo/Guiyang news network]

The Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, joined by pianist Song Siheng, performed a special concert at Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall on May 6 commemorating the 50th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich's passing. This concluded the orchestra's participation in the "Symphony of the Times-National Outstanding Orchestras Showcase".

As part of the showcase, the orchestra presented two concerts. In Ballads from Afar, three original compositions combined the essence of traditional Chinese music with Western concerto forms, reflecting Chinese composers' evolving interpretation of the "Chinese sound". In the Shostakovich-themed concert, conductor Zhang Guoyong and pianist Song Siheng led the orchestra in a moving performance that bridged time and culture, underscoring the enduring connection between art and its era.

As China's only professional symphony orchestra operated by a private enterprise with local government support, the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra has pioneered a new model for orchestral development.

Since its founding in 2009, the orchestra has performed over 1,000 concerts, delivered 16 seasons, hosted music lectures, and participated in local events such as Guiyang Roadside Concerts and the Confucius Academy Concert Series. It has also brought the "symphony of Guiyang" to audiences in Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and internationally in Singapore and South Korea.