A single programme, two orchestras, three worlds
Folk Reimagined — East in Symphony brought together the Colourful Guizhou Troupe (Guizhou Chinese Orchestra) and The Australia Orchestra in a single, ambitious cross-cultural programme. The evening opened with Xian Xinghai's iconic Yellow River Piano Concerto, performed by ARIA-award-winning Tamara-Anna Cislowska, and a symphonic suite drawing themes from the four great classical Chinese novels.
The second half journeyed deep into Guizhou's ethnic musical traditions — UNESCO-listed Kam Grand Choir polyphony, the breathy textures of leaf flute and lusheng, and the dazzling colours of suona, pipa and jinghu virtuosity — before climaxing in the Australian premiere of Black Myth: Wukong, a symphonic fantasy drawn from the hit video game. Conductors Long Guohong and Luke Spicer led the combined forces.
Colourful Guizhou Troupe (Guizhou Chinese Orchestra)
Provincial ethnic orchestra of Guizhou, with Long Guohong as Chief Conductor & Artistic Director.
The Australia Orchestra
Emerging Sydney-based ensemble. Guest conductor: Luke Spicer (Sydney Conservatorium MA, mentored by Maestro Gianluigi Gelmetti). Concertmaster (Sydney): Dominique Guerbois.
Tamara-Anna Cislowska
Piano soloist. ARIA Best Classical Album 2015; ABC Young Performer of the Year; Freedman Fellowship recipient; ABC Classic presenter.
Black Myth: Wukong
Australian premiere of Zhai Jinyan's symphonic fantasy, orchestrated by Liang Siyu — drawn from the celebrated video-game score.
Programme
East in Symphony
Monday, 7 July 2025 · Sydney Opera House Concert Hall · 1 hour 45 minutes
About the Ensembles
The Colourful Guizhou Troupe is the provincial ethnic orchestra of Guizhou in southwest China — a region renowned for its UNESCO-recognised Kam (Dong) Grand Choir, leaf flute, lusheng and traditions of ethnic minority music. The orchestra has toured internationally under the National Arts Fund and "Time-Era Symphony" project.
The Sydney programme combined forces with The Australia Orchestra — an emerging Sydney-based ensemble — under conductors Long Guohong and Luke Spicer. Featured soloists included ARIA-award-winning pianist Tamara-Anna Cislowska, suona soloist Zhang Qianyuan (Golden Bell and Wenhua Award winner), pipa principal Wu Di, and renowned huqin virtuoso Jiang Kemei.
Meet the Soloists →
The Venue
Sydney Opera House — Concert Hall
Address
Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000
Capacity
~2,679 seats · Concert Hall
Getting There
Circular Quay, 5 min walk
Accessibility
Fully accessible · hearing loops
Folk Reimagined — Sydney
Dec 12, 2025 · 7:30 PM- Digital programme booklet
- Welcome drink (Premium & VIP)
- Pre-concert artist talk (VIP)
- Complimentary parking (VIP)
Gallery
Moments from the Stage
A glimpse of Folk Reimagined — East in Symphony at the Sydney Opera House, 7 July 2025.