Thank you! The performance was fantastic! Can I shake hands with you? "On September 7th local time, at the Tchaikovsky Residence Museum Concert Hall in Klin, Moscow Oblast, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra's theme concert commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti Fascist War in 2024-2025 China Russia Cultural Year came to an end. A Russian female audience member rushed to the stage and gave a thumbs up to young pianist Yi Yi. The concert was conducted by renowned conductor Zhang Liang and opened with an impassioned tone. The orchestral overture "Ode to the Red Flag" by Lv Qiming was played, as if a dialogue between masters spanning time and space. Russian violinist Andreyeva and viola player Zhang Kailin performed Bruch's "Violin and Viola Double Concerto" together, showcasing the perfect collaboration between Chinese and Russian musicians. The piano concerto "Yellow River" performed by Yi Yi reproduces the struggle process of the Chinese nation with a majestic momentum. Shostakovich's film "Conquer Berlin" suite showcases the resilience and fearlessness of the Soviet people in the anti fascist war. The concert concluded with "Motherland, Kind Mother" and "Ah, Goodbye Friend", using symphonic language to express the appreciation for peace. The superb performances of the performers resonated strongly with the live audience. Under the warm and continuous applause invitation, the orchestra returned twice before everyone bid farewell reluctantly. Band leader Gao Shanfeng stated in an interview with reporters that Mr. Lv Qiming's "Ode to the Red Flag" premiered in 1965 and this year marks its 60th anniversary. The 60th anniversary commemorative edition of 'Ode to the Red Flag' performed in Russia this time is also the first time this edition has been performed in Russia. 2024-2025 is the Cultural Year of China and Russia, and this year marks the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japan. On this special day, the orchestra chose "Ode to the Red Flag" as the opening piece and collaborated with pianist Yi Yi to perform the piano concerto "Yellow River". Through these two Chinese works and classic Russian works, the orchestra hopes to use symphonies to play the common historical memory of the two peoples and inject deeper connotations into strengthening cultural exchanges and inheriting friendship. Speaking of the performance experience, Yi Yi couldn't hide her excitement. She said that the piano concerto "Yellow River" is well-known in China, and it is very meaningful to have the opportunity to collaborate with the orchestra to perform in Russia and introduce it to the local people. Although the language and cultural background are different, as soon as this music is released, Russian audiences have a deep sense of identification and resonance with the same frequency, which is very rare - they do understand and feel it. It vividly interprets the charm of 'music knows no borders' and also allows Chinese music to enter the hearts of Russian people in a more down-to-earth way. "As a pianist, Yi Yi not only frequently performs in China, but also has performed in many countries such as Europe and America. She believes that in order for foreign audiences to better understand Chinese music, it is necessary to have more communication and cooperation, using the "music language" as a bridge to fully showcase the beauty of Chinese music. It requires the integration of cross-cultural communication and artistic innovation, and through multi-level and multi-dimensional communication and cooperation, the creative transformation of Eastern and Western music languages can be achieved, so as to achieve mutual spiritual resonance and two-way travel. "Gao Shanfeng introduced that in addition to four themed performances, the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra's Russian music tour also featured flash mob performances around Red Square and Arbat Street in Moscow, bringing local people closer in a relaxed and lively way. (New Society)