ZHANG Yi is Music Director of the National Ballet of China, and the Artistic Director of the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and the Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra. He is an expert who enjoys a special allowance from the State Council and is included in the “Four Kinds of Talents in the First Batch” by the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee. As one of the most influential conductors in China, he has collaborated with many famous orchestras both at home and abroad in concerts, operas and ballet performances, such as the China National Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, China Macao Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, German Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Württemberg Chamber Orchestra, Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria, Cuba Symphony Orchestra and Kungliga Operan. He has given performances in Europe, America, Australia and Asia, working with renowned artists such as Leonidas Kavakos, Emmanuel Pahud, Wenzel Fuchs, Renaud Capucon, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Myung-Wha Chung, Sarah Chang, and Lang Lang.

ZHANG has conducted the Chinese premieres of many works, including Stravinsky’s L’histoire du soldat (The Soldier’s Tale), YE Xiaogang’s Nine Horses, Qigang Chen’s Extase, Mozart’s Mass in C Minor and Rossini’s Stabat Mater. ZHANG has also recorded extensive Chinese and foreign works, such as YE Xiaogang’s symphonic works on German label WERGO, and an album of Britain works with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and cellist Li-Wei Qin on British label DECCA. He was given the Outstanding Contribution Award at the Beijing Modern Music Festival for his conducting of numerous modern Chinese and Western works.

ZHANG has also appeared in many major national events, such as the performance to celebrate the 10^th Anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China in 2007 and the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he conducted and recorded most pieces for the ceremony, including the theme song You and Me. In November 2015, he led the National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra to the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, where they presented a concert on behalf of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to celebrate the 65^th anniversary of the establishment of China-Switzerland diplomatic relations, the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations and the 70^th Anniversary of the Victory of the World Anti-fascist War. In March 2017, ZHANG led the China NCPA Orchestra to give a concert at the Abu Dhabi Festival in the UAE, which was a tremendous success.

Established in 1959 and affiliated with the National Ballet of China, the National Ballet of China Symphony Orchestra is a symphony orchestra steadfastly dedicated to performing ballet music. The Orchestra’s music director is ZHANG Yi, principal guest conductor is HUANG Yi and permanent conductor is LIU Ju. All members of the Orchestra are graduates of higher music institutions and have received rigorous professional training, possessing great musical proficiency. Some senior talents have studied abroad in professional colleges and universities. In recent years, the overall artistic level of the orchestra has improved rapidly, receiving much attention and praise from the industry, making it the most vigorous and promising national symphony orchestra in the country.

Besides enjoying much prestige in China, the Orchestra has a great reputation in the international arena. In addition to accompanying ballet performances of the National Ballet of China, the Orchestra has also undertaken numerous accompaniment tasks for performances of internationally renowned ballets and opera houses visiting China.

In recent years, under the leadership of FENG Ying, President and Artistic Director of the Orchestra, and Music Director ZHANG Yi, the Orchestra has remained active by expanding its performances of symphonic concerts, presenting numerous excellent works of different eras, styles and forms at the NCPA Concert Hall and theatres across China. The Orchestra has been working closely with international musicians for a long time to hone its talents and raise their standards. It is also worth mentioning that a series of new works by outstanding young Chinese composers have been premiered by the Orchestra in cooperation with the NCPA.

With the development of the orchestra, it has become the focus of its future development to increase the intensity of “bringing in and going global” strategy. More outstanding artists have established in-depth cooperation with the Orchestra, and the Orchestra has also introduced itself to more audiences outside Beijing in various forms. With further progress of the reform of China’s literary and artistic undertakings, it will become a unique and irreplaceable force in the art world.