Wuxi venue adds to city's harmonic credentials

A New Year's Day concert was held to mark the opening of a new concert venue in Wuxi, Jiangsu province, on Thursday.

The Wuxi Symphony Hall, located in the Wuxi National Hi-Tech District, combines striking architecture with top-tier acoustic design.

The main hall, called "Taihu Lake Bright Moon", features a circular layout with a glass dome. When illuminated at night, it resembles a bright moon over the city, symbolizing music as moonlight rising over Taihu Lake.

The 1,500-seat venue includes a multi-mode lift system and a pipe organ, supporting various performance formats.

The Wuxi Symphony Orchestra, along with the Wuxi Youth Symphony Orchestra and artists from around the world, performed at the 2026 Wuxi Symphony Orchestra New Year Concert.

Tang Ruofu, a renowned music critic, said that having a dedicated concert hall is rare for local orchestras. He praised the New Year celebration for featuring a repertoire that combined Eastern and Western elements, both ancient and modern, while highlighting local opera characteristics.

Motoo Komoda, president of Nagata Acoustics International, praised the hall's sound quality, noting its excellent acoustics, rich reverberation and comfortable listening experience, which fully met expectations.

Wen Deqing, a professor at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, said that as a "World City of Music",Wuxi should introduce outstanding Chinese musical works and gather musical resources globally, bringing in internationally renowned performers.

He said that a venue's maintenance and sustainable development depend on high-quality performances and scientific management. He suggested adopting overseas management practices, such as offering music season ticket packages, including discounts for season ticket purchases, and implementing half-price tickets for retirees and students.

Wen recommended early promotion of the music season, making the repertoire, orchestras and performers widely known. "I believe that as long as the music is of high quality, there will be no concern about filling the venue or underutilizing it," he said.

This New Year's concert marked the third New Year performance by the Wuxi Symphony Orchestra since its establishment in June 2023. It has given more than 100 performances in just over two years.

Its artistic footprint includes collaborations with the Russian National Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra from the United States.

In 2025, Wuxi was recognized as a "World City of Music" by UNESCO, becoming the first city in China to receive the honor.