Beijing opens 1st China Symphony Music Spring

The Beijing Symphony Orchestra opened the first China Symphony Music Spring, Monday night. There was a double bill of internationally acclaimed pieces at the National Grand Theatre. The performance begins a symphony season that aims to open classical music through budget-priced tickets.

The concert opened with Reba Dance. It's a staple piece that has been performed in more than a hundred shows abroad. The symphony number, has typical Tibetan roots. It rose to international acclaim after it was performed by the Mozart Symphony Orchestra at the Golden Hall in Vienna.

The concert then segued into more familiar tunes. There was a triple bill of Chinese folk songs with orchestral adaptation. The three songs were chosen from "Selected Chinese Folk Suites" That was an adaptation project that started in the early 1990s. Tan Lihua, the conductor of the Beijing Symphony Orchestra helped with the compositions.

The centrepiece of the concert: Olympic Fire -2008 saw a guest appearance by renowned Chinese percussionist Li Biao. The commissioned piece comes at an opportune moment as the Olympic torch relay prepares to head back to China later this week.