Yu Long

Yu Long (Chinese: 余隆; pinyin: Yú Lóng; born July 1, 1964) is a Chinese conductor. He is currently artistic director and chief conductor of the China Philharmonic and of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and principal guest conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Yu is also the Chairman of the Artistic Committee of the Beijing Music Festival and co-director of the Music in the Summer Air Festival (MISA).

Not to be confused with Yulong or Longyu.
Yu Long
Maestro Long Yu following the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany award ceremony in 2016
Maestro Long Yu following the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany award ceremony in 2016
Background information
Born (1964-07-01) July 1, 1964
Shanghai, China
GenresClassical
Occupation(s)Musician, conductor
Years active1990s–present
In this Chinese name, the family name is Yu.

Biography

The son of a pianist mother Ding Jiannuo and a choreographer father Yu Lixun[1] Yu was born into a family of musicians in Shanghai, China and grew up during the Cultural Revolution. Yu received his early childhood music education beginning with piano studies from his grandfather, the composer Ding Shande.[2] He continued his piano studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and also began conducting studies, graduating from the conservatory in 1987. He further studied music in Europe at the Berlin University of the Arts.

After returning from Europe, Yu was appointed principal conductor of the Central Opera Theatre in Beijing in 1992, serving for three years. He produced operas for the Urban Council of Hong Kong for five years. He was a founder of the Beijing Music Festival (BMF) in 1998, becoming its first artistic director.

In 2000, the Chinese government invited Yu to assume leadership of the China Broadcasting Symphony (also called the China National Symphony[3]). Yu held open auditions, becoming the first Chinese orchestra to recruit all its performers this way. The symphony was renamed the China Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2008, Yu and the China Philharmonic performed for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, as part of increased diplomatic initiative between China and the Vatican.[4] In July 2014, the China Philharmonic was the first Chinese orchestra to perform at the BBC Proms.[5]

In 2003, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra appointed Yu its music director.[6] In 2009, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra appointed Yu its music director. During his tenure, the orchestra has begun its Music in the Summer Air Festival (MISA) in August 2010, constructed a new home for the orchestra (the Shanghai Symphony Hall) in 2014, established the Shanghai Orchestra Academy in 2014, and begun the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition in 2016.[7] Yu has shared the position of Artistic Co-Director of the Music In the Summer Air Festival (MISA) with Charles Dutoit since the festival's launch in 2010. In January 2015, Yu was named principal guest conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the first appointment of a mainland Chinese conductor to the position.[8]

In June 2018, Deutsche Grammophon announced an exclusive recording deal with Yu and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (SSO).[9]

Select discography
YearAlbumLabel
1996 The Hall of Fame with the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra[10] Marco Polo
1997 Korngold / Goldmark: Violin Concertos with Vera Tsu and the Razumovsky Symphony Orchestra Naxos
1997 Greatest Movie Classics with the Razumovsky Symphony Orchestra Marco Polo
1998 The Centre, Vol. 2 Naxos
1999 Discover the Classics, Vol. 3: The Concerto Naxos Educational
2000 Classics at the Movies: Drama Naxos
2003 Love and Peace Naxos
2004 Ding Shande: Long March Symphony with the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra Marco Polo
2006 Dragon Songs with Lang Lang and the China Philharmonic Orchestra[11] Deutsche Grammophon
2008 Tchaikovsky: Romeo & Juliet; Strauss: Don Quixote with the China Philharmonic Orchestra[12] Decca
2009 The Very Best of Cinema Classics Naxos
2012 Bao Yuankai: Five Orchestral Pieces; Lu Qiming: Ode to the Red Flag; Liu Tingyu: Susan Suite with the China Philharmonic Orchestra Deutsche Grammophon
2013 Klassik Ohne Krise: Ganz grosses Kino Naxos
2015 Epics of Love with Song Zuying and the China Philharmonic Orchestra[13] Stockfisch Records
2019 Gateways with Maxim Vengerov and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (works by Chen Qigang, Fritz Kreisler, Rachmaninov) Deutsche Grammophon
2021 The Song of the Earth with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Michelle DeYoung, Brian Jagde, and Zhang Liping (works by Gustav Mahler and Ye Xiaogang)[14] Deutsche Grammophon

Honors and awards

References
  1. "麦基、罗宾和狐狸". Xinmin Evening News. 21 July 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  2. David Barboza (9 November 2009). "Shanghai Players Arrive, Driven On by Their Titan". New York Times. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  3. Sheila Melvin and International Herald Tribune (13 September 2000). "Battle of the Orchestras in Beijing". New York Times. Retrieved 16 January 2017.
  4. Elisabetta Povoledo (8 May 2008). "China Orchestra Plays for Pope for First Time, Hinting at Thaw". New York Times. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
  5. Ivan Hewett (20 July 2014). "BBC Proms: China Philharmonic, review: a triumph of programming". Telegraph. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  6. Ken Smith (25 September 2011). "Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore". Financial Times. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  7. "Shanghai Symphony launches $100,000 Isaac Stern Violin Competition". The Strad. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  8. Oliver Chou (14 January 2015). "Shanghai conductor appointed to No 2 spot at Hong Kong Philharmonic". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  9. "Long Yu and Shanghai Symphony to Join DG'S Family of Artists". Deutsche Grammophon. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  10. "Long Yu Albums". Naxos. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  11. "Lang Lang: Dragon Songs". Deutsche Grammophon. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  12. "Long Yu". All Music. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  13. "Song Zuying Epics Of Love". Elusive Disc. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
  14. Nan, Chen. "Yu Long and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra unveil new album The Song of the Earth". China Daily. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
  15. Kevin Kwong (23 September 2015). "Shanghai conductor appointed to No 2 spot at Hong Kong Philharmonic". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  16. "Atlantic Council Awards Honorees Urge International Cooperation to Tackle Global Challenges" (Press release). Atlantic Council. October 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
  17. "2016 Fellow and Foreign Honorary Members with their Affiliations at the Time of Election". American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 21 July 2016.
  18. "Bundesverdienstkreuz für Yu Long". deutschland.de (in German). 5 October 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2020.
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