China National Symphony Orchestra
Xincao Li, conductor / Chuanyun Li, violin soloist
PROGRAM: Xia Guan, First Movement of Earth Requiem; Jean Sibelius, Violin Concerto in D-minor, Op. 47 and Richard Strauss, Ein Heldenleben, Op. 40
WHEN: Sunday, February 17, 3 PM
WHERE: State Theatre, 15 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick
TICKETS: $62, $52, $38, $28
Ticket Office: 732-246-SHOW (7469)
Xincao Li, born in North China's Hebei Province in 1971, is the lead conductor of the China National Symphony Orchestra and the principal conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the National Ballet Orchestra of China.
Influenced by his mother, Li began to study music in his early childhood, and the solid musical education he received laid the foundation for his future career. In 1994, he graduated from the Central Conservatory of Music and had been one of the students of Professor Xu Xin, a prestigious conductor and educator in China. By the age of 20, he had successfully cooperated with many famous domestic orchestras including Central Philharmonic Orchestra and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, performing the works of Mahler, Brahms, Shostakovich, Rachmaninov, Silbelius, and Dvorak. In addition, he also collaborated with faculty and students of the China Conservatory of Music and performed Verdi's opera La Traviata and the Chinese opera Champaign.
Violinist Chuanyun Li is one of the most talented violinists of his generation. Li began playing the violin at the age of three. He studied with Professor Yaoji Lin from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing for 10 years. He then received a full scholarship to study at the Juilliard School of Music under Dorothy DeLay and Itzhak Perlman. Li later furthered his studies with DeLay and Kurt Sassmannshaus at the College-Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati, and Joey Corpus in New York. Li has participated in the Aspen Music Festival for six consecutive years. He has won numerous prizes, including 1st Prize at the 5th Wieniawski International Youth Violin Competition at the age of 11 with a unanimous juror vote, and in the Nakamichi Violin Concerto Competition in Aspen in 1998.
Li tours frequently and extensively throughout Asia, West Europe, North America, and Australia appearing with many famous orchestras such as the Rotterdam Philharmonic under Valery Gergiev, the Detroit Symphony under Neemi Jarvi, Philharmonia Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy, the Hong Kong Philharmonic under Edo de Waart and Jiri Belohlaveh, Singapore Symphony under Lan Shui as well as all the major orchestras and leading conductors from China, among others.
About the Orchestra
China’s national symphony, the China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO), is one of the most outstanding professional symphony orchestras in China. Originally founded as the Central Philharmonic Orchestra of China in 1956, the orchestra was restructured and renamed in 1996. Leading the CNSO into the future are Director Guan Xia (Composer), Laureate Conductor Muhai Tang, Principal Resident Conductor Li Xincao, and Principal Guest Conductor En Shao.
For tickets or more information, call the State Theatre ticket office at 732-246-SHOW (7469), or visit us online at www.StateTheatreNJ.org. The State Theatre ticket office, located at 15 Livingston Ave, New Brunswick NJ, is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 10 AM to 6 PM; Wednesday 11 AM to 7 PM; Saturday 1PM to 5 PM; and at least three hours prior to curtain on performance dates unless otherwise specified. For information on group outings and discounts, call 732-247-7200, ext. 517. Some additional ticket and transaction fees may apply.
State Theatre, a premier nonprofit venue for the performing arts and entertainment. The theater exists to enrich people’s lives, contribute to a vital urban environment, and build future audiences by presenting the finest performing artists and entertainers and fostering lifetime appreciation for the performing arts through education. The State Theatre’s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, and individuals. The Heldrich is the official hotel of the State Theatre. Magic 98.3 is the official radio station of the State Theatre. The Star-Ledger is the official newspaper of the State Theatre.
