Chinese New Year Concert held in Brussels

The Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra took the stage to celebrate the Year of the Horse and mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Belgium. Opening with the lively Chinese instrumental ensemble piece Good Days, the beloved melody resonated warmly with the audience and evoked the spirit of the Spring Festival, immediately setting a jubilant tone.

The 2026 Chinese New Year Concert was held in Brussels. The festive event, jointly organized by the Brussels Chinese Cultural Center and the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra, took place at the Novum Theatre and drew nearly 1,000 guests.

Among those in attendance were Chinese Ambassador to Belgium Fei Shengchao, Minister Zhu Jing of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, Brussels regional parliamentarian Latifa Ait-Baala, Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce Bernard Dewit, Etterbeek Deputy Mayor Frank Van Bockstal, EU officials, cultural figures, community representatives, and members of the public.

The evening's program alternated between Eastern and Western classics, showcasing both Chinese and European musical traditions. Highlights included the traditional Chinese folk song Jasmine Flower, the overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila by Mikhail Glinka, and The Moldau from Má vlast by Bed?ich Smetana.

Pianist Jiang Tian joined the orchestra to perform two movements — Ode to the Yellow River and Defend the Yellow River — from the Yellow River Piano Concerto, as well as Mozart's Piano Concerto No 23, blending Chinese revolutionary classics with Western repertoire.

Chinese lyric soprano Song Jiacheng added vocal brilliance to the evening, performing Mayila Variations, adapted from a Kazakh folk song, and the aria Quando me'n vo from La bohème by Giacomo Puccini.

The concert concluded with Beijing's Good News Reaches the Border Village, inspired by Miao and Yi folk melodies, vividly portraying scenes of celebration among China's ethnic communities. Amid enthusiastic applause, the musicians returned for an encore performance of the Spring Festival Overture, filling the hall with joy, warmth, and New Year blessings.

Founded in 2002, the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra provides a platform for young Belgian musicians to demonstrate their talent and build their artistic reputations through high-level performances. Its members come from 23 countries across four continents, with musicians from Belgium's three regions forming the core of the ensemble. The orchestra is led by Belgian-Chilean conductor David Navarro-Turres, who serves as music director and principal conductor.