Debra Li

THE Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has become the first mainland orchestra to have a foreigner as its general music director.

Christian Ehwald, professor of conducting at the Academy of Music Hanns Eisler Berlin, succeeds Yu Feng, professor with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, from the 2008 spring/summer season which will kick off tomorrow night. Ehwald’s appearance gives the troupe a more international feel, as the SSO currently has a dozen musicians from Russia and other countries.

New faces to perform at tomorrow night’s concert at the Shenzhen Grand Theater will also include Zhang Le, the first Chinese violinist to join the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York City, as well as Zhao Yu, former viola player with Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra.

“I love Mahler’s music, though the symphony No. 5 of the opening concert has been assigned by the orchestra,” said Ehwald, an energetic man in his 50s during an interview Tuesday.

The conductor, like most European maestros, is a disciple of classical musical traditions. “I love romanticists like Chopin, Schubert and Shostakovich. …And who wouldn’t love Beethoven?”

He is also open to contemporary works. “You cannot judge things from reading scores. You have to play it to find out whether it can stand the test of time. The Parisians were puzzled and cold to Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ when it was first staged, but you know how this opera is welcome today,” he said

Ehwald, a pupil of Arvid Jansons and Mariss Jansons, is a modest man of profound learning. “Music is not just a hobby, it requires long-time practice and devotion. I never thought I’m ready. Being a conductor means learning and improving all your life,” he said.

Ehwald accepted the job with the SSO after conducting a concert with the orchestra last year. His pupil, young conductor Lin Daye, is also working with the orchestra now.

“This is an orchestra with many young talented players,” he said. “Part of my job is to help them become one big instrument so that you don’t hear 80 soloists playing together. Musicians playing in the symphony have to, to some extent, learn to listen to others in the team as in chamber music. A good orchestra should be able to get organized itself, even without a conductor. The conductor needs to help present the music, to tell people things — the rich sounds, phrase, colors and emotions of the music.”

Zhang agreed with the conductor. “The problem with most mainland orchestras is in fact rooted in music education. Conservatories teach students to play instruments but there’s little chance for them to practice in an orchestra. Not too many of them, however, can become soloists in the end,” he said.

Ehwald suggested keeping a relative unchanged “nucleus” within the orchestra. “It’s good to have new faces, but it’s important that the main body of the orchestra does not change often. Big, old orchestras in Europe each have their own traditions, and traditions form over time.”

Zhao Yu, a Beijing native educated in Oberlin Conservatory of Music and Juilliard School of Music, endorsed the idea. “I’m settling down here. I hope the efforts of a group of musicians who have trained abroad — including me — will help the SSO progress and become one of the best in China. I envision a city that loves music and has its own music festivals,” he said.

Ehwald also mentioned the necessity of having good instruments and notes. “You do not need a big sum of money (compared with the human resource costs) to improve those conditions.”

The conductor will spend March, July, September and the New Year’s holiday with the local orchestra, as he has to divide time between conducting the SSO and his teaching position in Berlin.

“I was impressed by the beautiful beaches and modern skyline of Shenzhen during my first visit last year. China has a rich tradition of cultures that I can draw from, and I have European music traditions to share with you,” he said.

Between March and the end of July, the SSO will perform a total of 17 concerts, covering a rich repertoire of concertos and symphonies. Guest musicians, including conductor Andrea Bonatta, pianist Chen Sa and violinist Chen Xi, will perform in some of the shows.