The China National Traditional Orchestra (CNTO) (; also called China National Orchestra) is a 110-piece orchestra of traditional Chinese musical instruments with an accompanying folk choir. Founded in Beijing, China in 1960, the orchestra is a state-level (national) performing arts institution directly administered and endorsed by China's Ministry of Culture (MOC). Its mission is to promote and advance China's musical heritage. is part of a cultural exchange program called Image China and the orchestra is managed by the China Arts and Entertainment Group (CAEG).
History The China National Traditional Orchestra was founded by composer and conductor Li Huanzhi (1919–2000), the former chair of the Chinese Musicians' Association. 's current president and producer is musician and ethnomusicologist Xi Qiang, who is a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. In 1993, the China National Traditional Orchestra founded Orchestra Asia, together with Ensemble Nipponia of Japan and the South Korean National Orchestra.
In the interest of promoting a larger view of Chinese culture, became the first Chinese orchestra known for combining music performance with other Chinese art forms, such as painting. Its 2015 concert tour Rediscover Chinese Music, was promoted as "a breathtaking multimedia experience" with storytelling, lighting and sound special effects, multimedia backdrops, and moving scenery.
Alternate names The China National Traditional Orchestra has been known by several English names over the years, largely due to challenges with Chinese translation. The orchestra's Chinese name is pronounced in Chinese as Zhōngguó Zhōngyāng Mínzú Yuètuán, where Zhōngguó means "China," zhōngyāng means "central," and mínzú yuètuán means "ethnic nationalities" orchestra.
In English-speaking countries, the has been misidentified as other similarly named Chinese orchestras. The orchestra has also been referred to by different names within the same news article and in the orchestra's own promotional materials.
English variants of the orchestra's name include:
Central Chinese Orchestra Central Traditional Orchestra Central Nationalities Orchestra China Central Chinese Orchestra China Central Folk Orchestra China Central Orchestra China Central National Music Orchestra China Central National Orchestra China Chinese Central National Orchestra China Chinese National Orchestra Chinese National Orchestra China Central Nationalities Orchestra National Chinese Traditional Orchestra National Orchestra of China National Traditional Orchestra of China
Perhaps owing to its favored relationship with China's Ministry of Culture, orchestra leadership might have continually revised the ensemble's English name to reflect its current importance or social status, differentiate it from countless other Chinese orchestras, and emphasize the 's stated mission of "sharing China's musical heritage with the world." In 2015, the orchestra has been consistently billed and promoted as the China National Traditional Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center, as evidenced by venue calendars and ticket sales webpages.
Notable orchestra members Xi Qiang, producer and president of the orchestra
Musicians Wang Chaoge, director Jiang Ying, composer and arranger Liu Sha, conductor Tang Feng, Erhu Jin Yue, Erhu Wang Ciheng, Dizi and Xiao Wu Yuxia, Pipa and deputy president of the orchestra Zhao Cong, Pipa Yu Yuanchun, Pipa Wei Yuru, Ruan Feng Maintain, Ruan Niu Jiandang, Suona Zhu Jianping, percussion Yu Xin, percussion Chen Shasha and Ding Xiaokui, Dizi Zhang Jiali, Guan Lu Ning, Guqin
Creative team Li Bin, stage design Wang Yugang, lighting design Gan Hua, multimedia design Zheng Zejian, multimedia design Zuo Huanyu, costume design Shen Tian, sound design
Performances The orchestra has performed throughout China and visited dozens of nations on five continents.
Highlights In 1984, American classical composer Shen Sinyan, a member of the Chinese Music Society of North America, invited the orchestra to tour the United States. The orchestra became "the first Chinese orchestra of Chinese instruments" to do so. In 1996, the Carnegie Hall Corporation commissioned Chinese-American composer Bright Sheng to create Spring Dreams, a concerto for Yo-Yo Ma and the orchestra. In 1997, Spring Dreams was performed by the orchestra and the famed cellist. In 1998, the orchestra performed for the first time at a special New Year concert in the Vienna Golden Hall (a.k.a. Wiener Musikverein). In 2004, the orchestra cancelled its appearance at a concert that contained Christian content. In 2011, the orchestra became the first traditional Chinese music group to perform at Austria's Salzburg Summer Festival. In 2014, American pop music artist Katy Perry visited the orchestra to hear an arrangement of her song "Roar" played on traditional Chinese instruments. In December 2015, members from the orchestra performed for and with students of Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School in a school assembly; the first time the orchestra had performed for local primary school students. The school's chorus – 40 singers, ages 9 to 11 – also performed a song with the orchestra during its Kennedy Center concert dates.
Performance chronology Year Dates Location Venue Event and/or Concert Notes Source 1984 11 August Washington, DC National Museum of Natural History Concert presented by the Smithsonian Resident Associate Program. The Washington Post Smithsonian Institution Archives 1989 September Beijing, China Beijing Concert Hall In collaboration with the Han-Tang Yuefu Ensemble. Taiwan Today 1997 19 February Worcester, MA Mechanics Hall premier of Spring Dreams Performance of concerto commissioned for Yo-Yo Ma and the orchestra. Worcester Magazine ISSUU ScoresOnDemand 20 February New York, NY Carnegie Hall premier of Spring Dreams Performance of concerto commissioned for Yo-Yo Ma and the orchestra. New York Times ISSUU ScoresOnDemand 1998 27 January Vienna, Austria Vienna Golden Hall (Wiener Musikverein) Chinese Lunar New Year Concert / Grand Chinese New Year Concert Chen Xieyang, conductor South China Morning Post Beijing Review 2000 24 August New York, NY United Nations (UN) General Assembly Hall China Cultural Exchange 2000 BeijingTheatre.com The China Report 26–27 August Washington, DC Eisenhower Theater, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Washington City Paper 31 August Chicago, IL Orchestra Hall, Symphony Center China National Orchestra Gala Concert Chicago Reader Chinese Music Society of North America 3 September St. Louis, MO Powell Symphony Hall Faces of Love Towards the East St. Louis Mayor Clarence Harmon proclaimed 3 September 2000 as China National Orchestra Day. St. Louis Chinese American News 10 September San Francisco, CA Davies Symphony Hall San Francisco debut. Sold-out performance. Standing ovation. At the end of program, the orchestra played three encores. AsianWeek San Francisco Classical Voice 17 September New York, NY Lincoln Center The Bronze Culture Festival Yo-Yo Ma performs. The Wall Street Journal 2010 29 January Brussels, Belgium BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts Europalia China Art Festival Concert organized by Europalia International and the Chinese Ministry of Culture. BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts Calendar China.org.cn 30 January Paris, France UNESCO Headquarters or Maison de l'UNESCO Chinese New Year Concert By invitation, limited seating capacity.Chen Xieyang, conductor UNESCO 1 November Beijing, China Concert Hall of the NCPA (National Center for the Performing Arts) Month-long series of stage performances to celebrate the country's cultural achievements Chen Xieyang, conductor China Central Television 2011 5 August Salzburg, Austria 91st Salzburg Festival / Salzburg Summer Festival Marks the first time a traditional Chinese music group played at this event. Chen Xieyang, director Xi Qiang, orchestra chair China Central Television Xinhua News Agency 7 December Beijing, China Concert Hall of the NCPA (National Center for the Performing Arts) Part of concert series: One Hundred Concerts of Chinese Music BeijingTheatre.com 2012 14 June Beijing, China Concert Hall of the NCPA (National Center for the Performing Arts) Bamboo in Blues BeijingTheatre.com 2013 4 February Los Angeles, CA Spring Festival Celebration 8–10 February Stanford, CA Bing Concert Hall, Stanford University Pan-Asian Music Festival; Friday Night's Concert: Masters and Masterpieces Three-day residency at the university culminated in live performance, with several standing ovations and four encores... Stanford Report Stanford Pan-Asian Music Festival 2013 (program) Official Press Release 17 February Raleigh, NC Meymandi Concert Hall, Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts China on String Stars of the National Chinese Traditional Orchestra in a program with the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra. Program sponsored by Confucius Institute at NC State University and the Carolina China Council. CVNC: An Online Arts Journal 26 August Beijing, China Concert Hall of the NCPA (National Center for the Performing Arts) Impression of Chinese Music Wang Chaoge, director CITS 2 October Sanford, NC Dennis A. Wicker Civic Center, Central Carolina Community College Chinese Music Exhibition & Seminar Xi Qiang, artistic director US Fed News Service Central Carolina Community College News 22 November St. Petersburg, Russia Mariinsky Theater, Theatre Square Chinese Tourism Year in Russia China Central Television 2014 13 January Beijing, China Roar Katy Perry visited. Getmusic Asia China Central Television14 February San Francisco, CA Chinese New Year Concert Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco 2015 15 February Chicago, IL Symphony Center Sounds of China: A Chinese New Year Celebration Presented in collaboration with the Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS) Jiuyue Ma, artistic director Chicago Tribune Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce E-News 15 April Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, University of British Columbia China-Canada Year Opening Ceremony China Daily US 7 May Atlanta, GA The World of Coca-Cola Free concert to launch the Qin-Tai – Chinese Music Program Brought to Atlanta by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the State Council Information Office of the People's Republic of China. GCIV Exchange Newsletter 27 November Shanghai, China Shanghai Grand Theater Rediscover Chinese Music An experimental program. Xi Qiang, orchestra president Wang Chaoge, director Jiang Ying, composer Shanghai Daily11–13 December Washington, DC Kennedy Center Opera House Rediscover Chinese Music The Washington Yu Ying Public Charter School Chorus performed with the orchestra. Jiang Ying, composer and arranger Li Bin, stage design Wang Yugang, lighting design Gan Hua and Zheng Zejian, multimedia design Zuo Huanyu, costume design Shen Tian, sound design Xi Qiang, producer Kennedy Center Washington Post Magazine DC Outlook Washington Chinese Media Metro Weekly NewsChannel 8 (cable) 18 December New York, NY Lincoln Center China National Traditional Orchestra: Splendor of Folk Music Tang Feng, Erhu (Chinese Fiddle) Wu Yuxia, Pipa (Chinese Lute) Wang Ciheng, Dongxiao (Chinese Bamboo Flute) Wu Lin, Konghou (Chinese Harp) Zhao Cong, Pipa (Chinese Lute) Lincoln Center Broadway World New York Classical Review 20 December New York, NY Carnegie Hall Impression Guoyue: Traditional Master Works Orchestra was invited by the Princeton International Chinese Music Festival. Jiang Ying, composer and arranger Liu Sha, conductor Tang Feng and Jin Yue, erhu Wang Ciheng, dizi and xiao Wu Yuxia, Zhao Cong, and Yu Yuanchun, pipa Feng Maintain, ruan Niu Jiandang, suona Zhu Jianping and Yu Xin, percussion