U.S. radio stations air Chinese symphony orchestra programs

CHICAGO, July 14 (Xinhua) -- With Chicago's WFMT Radio taking the lead, public radio stations across the United States started airing a new series of symphony orchestra programs from China's National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) on Monday.

Blending Eastern and Western musical traditions, the series promises an immersive listening experience for American audiences. It also serves as a prelude to the NCPA Orchestra's upcoming European tour in August.

"Symphony and opera are idealistic media for cultural exchanges between the East and the West," said Lv Jia, music artistic director of the center. "Chinese music not only has its beautiful melodies, but also contains the cultural heritage and the essence of thousands of years of Chinese civilization."

"Through the common language of symphonic music, we can let the world better experience the broadness and depth of Chinese music," he added.

Roger Wight, head of programming and operations at WFMT, said the station is proud to continue its partnership with the NCPA, which began in 2022.

"We are honored to continue our relationship with China's NCPA and thrilled to share four new programs of outstanding NCPA performances as part of the WFMT Orchestra Series," Wight told Xinhua.

Hearing these concerts from China's top orchestral musicians is "a unique opportunity for American audiences," he said. "Listeners are looking forward to these exciting new programs."

The WFMT Radio Network's Orchestra Series airs on more than 300 radio stations nationwide.