By 
By Yi Tian
TORONTO — The China National Symphony Orchestra (CNSO) Chamber Ensemble will launch a concert tour across Canada from Sept. 19 to Sept. 29, marking a key milestone in the orchestra’s 70th anniversary celebrations, organizers announced at a press conference on Sept. 4.
The 11-day journey marks the orchestra’s first Canadian tour in years. The ensemble will perform four concerts in major venues across Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.
Organized by the Canada-China Cultural Development Association and the China National Tourist Office in Toronto, the tour is sponsored by Bank of China (Canada) and supported by the Chinese Embassy and Consulates-General in Canada. The project is integrated into the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s 2026 “A Moonment to Remember” global Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.
Led by Associate Concertmaster Liu Zhiyong, a First-Class National Actor, the ensemble will present a program blending Western classical repertoire and traditional Chinese works. The first half features Western classics, including Edvard Grieg’s Holberg Suite and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings in C Major.
The second half showcases re-arranged Chinese classics such as Dance of the Golden Snake, The Butterfly Lovers, and Dance of the Yao People, alongside the original composition Qipao and Harmonious Resonance, a work combining Chinese and Canadian folk melodies. To honor the Mid-Autumn Festival, the program also includes pieces themed around reunion, such as Clouds Chasing the Moon and Full Moon and Blooming Flowers.
Dignitaries attending the press conference included Bian Zhouzhou, Deputy Consul General of China in Toronto; Wang Yanjun, Cultural Counsellor; and Gao Rudong, President of the Canada-China Cultural Development Association. CNSO Deputy Director Yang Ying and Associate Concertmaster Liu Zhiyong delivered video remarks.
Directly affiliated with China’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the CNSO traces its origins back to the Central Philharmonic Orchestra founded in 1956. As one of China’s premier orchestral institutions, it plays a leading role in promoting classical music domestically and advancing international cultural exchange. Composed of elite musicians from the main orchestra, the chamber ensemble regularly performs at the Beijing Concert Hall and frequently participates in major state diplomatic events.
Audiences can visit the official website of the organizer, the Canada-China Cultural Development Association (https://www.cccda.net/), or the ticketing systems of partner venues in each city to access detailed performance schedules, venue locations, and ticket information.
