Philadelphia Orchestra performs in China on 50th anniversary of icebreaking trip, shows 'people the ballast' in China-US relations

The Philadelphia Orchestra, a renowned US art group which embarked on a historic art icebreaking trip 1973, is scheduled to perform on Friday night in Beijing with China National Symphony Orchestra as an opening episode for a tour which will also make stops in Tianjin, Shanghai and Suzhou.

As the first American art group to perform in the People's Republic of China half a century ago, the orchestra has returned to China for their 12th visit after unexpected hiatus due to the pandemic.

"The pandemic is not the fault of either government, but has separated us," US ambassador to China Nicholas Burns said on Thursday addressing a reception commemorating the half century of friendship marked by music.

Both China and the US agree that we are in need of greater connections between the peoples, as the ballast of any relationship between two great countries is the people, Burns said.

The reception is hosted by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC). Yang Wanming, president of the CPAFFC, sensed American friends' concerns about the recent China-US relations through communication with them.

"Yet I have also felt the strong desire of various sectors in the US, especially from the people and local communities, to improve the current situation and the earnest hope for stable and healthy development of the bilateral relationship," Yang said in his speech on Thursday.

Despite many complications in the US-China relationship, the people of China and the US have a lot in common and need to come together, Burns told the Global Times.

"We need more of this [music exchanges], and we need sports diplomacy," the ambassador said, citing his latest experience of watching Shanghai Sharks, with American players, in basketball game with Beijing Ducks on Sunday.

Burns expressed his hope that more tourists, students and businesspeople could go back and forth between China and the US, as people are an integral part of any diplomatic relationship.

Matías Tarnopolsky, the orchestra's president and CEO, said that music has the power to connect and to build bridges.

"It has been our privilege to contribute in a meaningful way to US-China understanding and connection for the past half-century. We hope that our music-making will continue to build bridges between our people and cultures for another 50 years," Tarnopolsky said.

Violinist Davyd Booth, 74, was on the historic tour in 1973 and every China visit since then. He shared with the Global Times in an earlier interview his vivid memories of the first tour and the development he has witnessed over the past 50 years.

"The friendship between the two countries bridges all sorts of gaps as music brings everyone together. Now we have many Chinese members in the Philadelphia Orchestra. China is really a part of us," said Booth.
Musicians from the Philadelphia Orchestra performed excerpts from "Flax and Charlock" Fantasie Quartet, an excerpt from "Lan Hua Hua," adapted from traditional Chinese folk music that originated in Northwest China's Shaanxi Province.

They also cooperated with children from Beijing Philharmonic Choir to perform the traditional Chinese song "Jasmine Flower."

It is hoped that the children, and more people of younger generations, will inherit the cause of China-US exchanges and carry on the mission of friendship for the next half century and beyond, a reception attendee told the Global Times.