After its successful first concert season, the China Philharmonic Orchestra will carry on its efforts to build an orchestra that is "first-class in China, among the best in Asia and well-known in the world."

Founded in May 2000, the orchestra will hold its second season from August 27 this year to July 11 next year. The orchestra will play 37 concerts, 32 different programmes.

Among them will be some big projects, such as the series of Beethoven concerts covering all of his symphonies and concertos. The orchestra will also perform Mahler's "Symphony No 8 in E Flat Major (Symphony of a Thousand)" and Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana."

Other important programmes include the world premieres of Chen Qigang's "Un Temps Disparu" and John Sharpley's "Concerto for Zheng and Orchestra."

The orchestra will hold New Year concerts from December 31 to January 2 and the Children's Concert on June 1 next year.

During its second season, the orchestra will also tour Japan and the Republic of Korea and perform at the fifth Beijing Music Festival.

Yu Long, the orchestra's artistic director, said: "Last July, when we announced the programme of our first season, some experts doubted whether this young orchestra would be able to finish such a heavy programme. Now we have finished it successfully and we are going to present another high-quality season."

The first season lasted from September 2001 to July this year and the orchestra had a number of important performances, such as the world premiere of renowned composer Philip Glass's Cello Concerto, the premiere of the orchestra's first commissioned work - the Peking Opera symphony "Women Generals of the Yangs" - and Mahler's "Das Lied von der Erde."

The programme of the orchestra's second season is characterized by both variety and continuity.

To perform all of Beethoven's symphonies and concertos is an unprecedented undertaking among Chinese orchestras.

Moreover, the performances of Mahler's fourth, eighth and 10th symphonies in the upcoming season are part of the orchestra's plan to perform all of Mahler's symphonies in three seasons.

This season will be a star-studded season. Many renowned musicians will take part, including composer/conductor Krzysztof Penderecki, pianist/conductor Mikhail Pletnev, pianist/conductor Leon Fleischer, violinist Itzhak Perlman, pianist Joerg Demus and conductor Tang Muhai.

( China Daily July 15, 2002)