The Yuzhen Jinsheng Yayue Orchestra of Beijing Normal–Hong Kong Baptist University (BNBU) presented two performances in the eastern US as part of its world tour, staging concerts on 31 January at Cary Hall in Lexington, in the Greater Boston area, and 6 February at Flushing Town Hall in New York.
Travelling with a full set of ritual instruments, which are reconstructed to the same scale as those unearthed at the Nanyue King’s Mausoleum, the Yuzhen Jinsheng Yayue Orchestra introduced audiences of around 600 people overseas to the sound of traditional Chinese yayue (ancient Chinese court music) in the two concerts. The orchestra is the first university student yayue orchestra from China to perform in the US in a mainstream American cultural setting.
This completely reconstructed set of instruments was officially housed by BNBU in October 2017, with instruments such as bianzhong (bronze bells) and bianqing (stone chimes), reconstructed at a one-to-one scale, marking the beginning of a renewed journey in the preservation and revitalisation of Lingnan ritual music. One year later, the Yuzhen Jinsheng Yayue Orchestra was established at BNBU. In 2025, the orchestra initiated its world tour.
The tour programme featured nine works that reflected dialogue between ancient and contemporary traditions, including reconstructions of early Chinese court rituals and modern interpretations that integrated music and dance. Together, the works demonstrated that yayue is not merely music, but an integrated cultural system encompassing ritual, philosophy, ethics and aesthetics, reflecting the historical convergence of Central Plains and Lingnan cultures.
In the opening address, Huang Yu, BNBU Associate Vice President, noted that yayue is rooted in ancient Chinese civilisation. “It was created not for spectacle, but for reflection—not to dominate, but to harmonise,” he said.“Its purpose was to seek balance within difference, order without rigidity, and unity without erasing diversity.”
Yue Jingsheng, Former Chairman of Renmin University of China North America Alumni Association, remarked that the farther culture travels, the closer friendships grow; this performance not only showcases culture but also conveys friendship.
Cai Jindong, Director of the US-China Music Institute and a professor of music and the arts at Bard College, commented that music is a language that transcends borders. He expressed admiration for the orchestra in reviving ancient court music and bringing it to the international stage.
To help international audiences engage more deeply with the music, the programme was carefully structured to highlight contrast and progression, allowing listeners to follow changes in timbre, rhythm and ritual expression. Bilingual (Chinese–English) guided listening sessions were also provided, led by Yeh Chia-Ying, the orchestra’s chief director, along with student performers.
Yeh Chia-Ying (right) with a BNBU student
“We begin with shared human experience: rhythm, breath, tension, and spatial sense,” Yeh explained. “Once the audience can hear and feel the music, cultural understanding follows naturally.”
A themed exhibition accompanied the performances, offering further insight into the instruments and stories behind the music, and inviting audiences to explore the depth and elegance of China’s ritual and musical heritage.
Among the audience were Allen LeVines of Berklee and his students, who heard the full set of traditional Chinese yayue instruments live. Driven by his passion for Chinese music, LeVines currently teaches an elective course on Chinese music at Berklee. “These instruments are part of my teaching,” he said. “The performance will enrich my future courses with fresh insights.”
Guests who joined the tour included James O’Dell, Professor at Berklee College of Music, Judge and Chair of the Boston International Music Competition; Winston Langley, Professor Emeritus and Former Provost of the University of Massachusetts Boston; Harry Zhu, Founder of WeStar Music Academy and the Boston International Symphony Orchestra. Representatives from BNBU, including senior management, Vice President Zhou Yongming, and Dean of BNBU’s School of General Education Guo Haipeng, were also present.
The US tour was also a formative experience for the young performers. Zhou Yanpu, majoring in Financial Mathematics, and Xiong Yutong, Applied Economics, are both of the Class of 2023, and they served respectively as leaders of the percussion ensemble and the dance team for both performances. The responsibilities of leadership extended far beyond performance, sharpening their organisational skills, teamwork, and problem-solving abilities. “I am no longer just a dancer,” Xiong reflected. “I am learning how to lead and manage a team.”
Student performers on stage
Dong Shenminghui, the leader of the instrumental ensemble, is from the Class of 2022 in Digital Social Science. She shared that the greatest challenge during the tour was transporting and assembling the large-scale instruments and repeatedly retuning them as temperature and humidity changes affected their pitch. “I realise that leading a team is not just about what happens on stage, but also about dealing with challenges behind the scenes,” she said.
Comprising students from diverse academic backgrounds, the BNBU Yuzhen Jinsheng Yayue Orchestra has adopted a learning–research–performance approach that integrates artistic practice with the university’s liberal arts education, promoting cultural literacy and global engagement. Over the past eight years, the orchestra has grown steadily from a dozen members to more than a hundred musicians and dancers.
The US performances mark another step in BNBU’s efforts to share Chinese traditional culture internationally through education and artistic exchange. Through this tour, the orchestra aims to build trust with local venues, communities, and academic cultural institutions, establishing sustainable connections to provide more opportunities for yayue to flourish in diverse formats.
Orchestra members in the US, visiting local academic institutions
From MPRO
Reporter: Cecilia Yu
Photographer: Jack Xiao, Liu Yinjia, Kong Xinying
