Presenting beautiful traditional Chinese music for over three decades and beyond
The Macao Chinese Orchestra, established in 1987. Upholding the tenet “Based in Macao while embracing the world and promoting culture with East-meets-West repertoire”, the Orchestra has been presenting traditional Chinese music reflecting the spirit of the times, bringing excellent works to Macao fans, and allowing the public to access the genre at ease while also promoting Macao’s positive image to the world. Themed on fusion and integration, and based on cooperation.
In the 2021-22 season the Orchestra strives to create a more inclusive artistic world through Chinese traditional music. Rooted in Chinese traditional culture, the Orchestra has worked with top conductors, performers and music groups at home and abroad, facilitating cultural dialogues while creating many distinct auditory feasts.
Cultivating Art with Rich Fruits
Shortly after its establishment, the Macao Chinese Orchestra was invited to perform in many countries and cities, with a dedication to promote Macao as a place where Chinese and Western cultures coexist and has since become an iconic cultural signature for the city.
Since Macao’s return to the motherland, the Orchestra has strived to boost the popularity and local development of traditional Chinese music by promoting music education among students and the public and by fostering young musicians through musical engagements in schools and communities. With our music we show care to the community, support non-governmental associations, and stage performances in world heritage sites, museums, libraries, parks and gardens, to enhance the artistic atmosphere of almost every corner of Macao.
In order to further promote Chinese traditional culture and carry out arts education, the Macao Chinese Orchestra has undergone a professional reform since 2003, adding more complete sections and thus reaching a higher artistic level. As such, the Macao Chinese Orchestra has been strengthening its performance skills and concepts, upgrading its performance and developing into an outstanding orchestra with distinctive vitality and style that makes Macao proud.
Creation of wonderful works to showcase Macao’s cultural traits
Having worked with many prestigious conductors, performers and artists, the Macao Chinese Orchestra is committed to creating extraordinary works. It has actively participated in the Macao International Music Festival, the Macao Arts Festival, and the annual gala celebrating Macao’s return to the motherland, among other major local events, with a repertoire combining traditional Chinese music and original pieces fusing Chinese and western elements.
It is the Orchestra’s resolute goal to deliver musical works locally inspired. The Orchestra has been regularly presenting commissioned works rich in Macao’s cultural flavour, and has thus accumulated quite a number of pieces, all well received. These include the suite Macao Love Story, the Macao Rhapsody series by Kuan Nai Chung, Macao Impressions by Zhao Jiping, Macau Suite by Tang Jianping, as well as works by younger composers, namely Wang Danhong’s Macau Capriccio, Luo Maishuo’s The Song of the Seven Sons for female voice and ensemble, Wang Chenwei’s Postcard of Macao, Jamie Lin’s Fantasia of Macao, and Li Bochan‘s Macao Sketch. Some of them were recorded and published as representative works showcasing Macao’s artistic and cultural character.
As the cultural ambassador of Macao, the Macao Chinese Orchestra also tries to publicize Macao’s cultural achievements in the Mainland, showing the city’s East-meets-West features while contributing to building Macao into a cultural city. To much acclaim, the Orchestra has toured in Portugal, Belgium, India, Goa, Singapore, Kingdom of Bahrain, and nearly 20 mainland provincial capitals plus major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing. The aim is to promote international exchanges and cooperation through Chinese music blending Chinese and Western elements with contemporary moods.
The Macao Chinese Orchestra was the only professional Chinese orchestra in Macao, under the auspices of the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government. From February 1, 2022, it is managed by the Macao Orchestra Company, Limited, which is wholly owned by the Macao S.A.R. Government.
