A scene of the concert at the Kleiner Saal der Meistersingerhalle Nürnberg

At the sincere invitation of the Nuremberg City Government, with the strong support of the Shenzhen Foundation for International Exchange and Cooperation and the Friendship City Shenzhen-Nürnberg Association, Professor Xiaogang YE, Vice Chairman of the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, Chairman of the China Musicians Association, and Dean of the School of Music, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen（CUHK-Shenzhen）, led a group including Prof. Le YU, Acting Head of Strings, Wind, Brass and Percussion, Deputy Director of International Affairs Office; Prof. Yingjia XUE from the Piano and Keyboard Division; Prof. Stanislav Pronin, Prof. Yoon Jung YANG, and Mr. Long YUAN from the Division of Strings, Wind, Brass and Percussion; and Chun Zhan, the School's recent graduate and currently serves to the School’s Young Artist Programme. They brought the unique allure of Chinese music to Nuremberg, presenting a Spring Festival concert full of oriental charm to the local audience. This is the second time that the School has showcased the voice of China on the world stage, following a successful tour in Austria, and adds a brilliant chapter to the cultural and artistic exchanges between the twin cities of Shenzhen and Nuremberg.

Poster of the 2025 China-Germany Spring Festival Concert Celebrating the Year of Snake

On the afternoon of February 13th, Mr. Henning, a councilor of the Nuremberg City Government, on behalf of Mr. Marcus König, the Mayor of Nuremberg, met with the group from the School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen. Mr. Henning expressed high regard for the event and his hope that the people of Shenzhen and Nuremberg would further enhance their understanding and mutual trust through music. He also wished the delegation a successful performance. Dr. Yan Xu, the Dean of the Konfuzius Institut, Nürnberg-Erlangen; Ms. Stephanie Wimmer from Nuremberg Office for International Relations; and Dr. Huanhuan Wang, Chairman of Friendship City Shenzhen-Nürnberg Association, attended the meeting.

Group photo of the participants I 

At noon on the 15th, the group was invited to visit the Nuremberg University of Music for an academic exchange. Professor Rainer Kotzian, the President of the Nuremberg University of Music, warmly welcomed the delegation, and the two sides held an in-depth discussion on cooperation. Professor Kotzian expressed his expectation for more and deeper dialogues and cooperation with our school in the future. The Nuremberg University of Music is a world-renowned music institution that has achieved outstanding achievements in fields such as elemental music pedagogy, vocal studies, and interdisciplinary research on music and artificial intelligence. Dean YE introduced the latest developments and future plans of the School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen. He stated, "The School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen is committed to cultivating professional talents with an international perspective, combining academic research and performance abilities. We hope to maintain a good cooperative relationship with the Nuremberg University of Music to promote the comprehensive and in-depth development of our school."

Group photo of the participants II

The two sides reached a broad consensus on programs such as faculty exchanges, student exchanges, masterclasses, and joint participation in major performances during the International Music Month of the Nuremberg University of Music. To this end, Professor Kotzian and Professor YE signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two institutions, marking that the Nuremberg University of Music has officially become the first German partner institution of the School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen. The two sides will strive to form an important cooperative partnership and promote the popularization and integration of music cultures between the two countries. At the meeting, Professor YE extended an invitation: "The School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen will relocate to a new campus in September. We sincerely invite the teachers and students of the Nuremberg University of Music to come to Shenzhen to jointly witness and participate in the inauguration ceremony of our new campus."

Professor YE (left) and Professor Kotzian (right) signed the Memorandum of Understanding

On the evening of the 15th, the China-Germany Spring Festival Concert was held with great fanfare at the Kleiner Saal der Meistersingerhalle Nürnberg. Musicians from the School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen and the Nuremberg Chamber Orchestra jointly performed eight works by six composers, including Xiaogang YE, CHAN Wing Wah, and YU Pengfei.

Before the start of the second half of the concert, Professor YYEe was invited to the stage to deliver a speech and introduce his pieces. He said that he had long heard that Nuremberg was a very beautiful city, and he was delighted to finally visit as he had wished. This concert represents another in-depth exploration of cultural and artistic exchanges between the two cities. He hoped that through this musical feast, friends in Nuremberg could have a deeper understanding of the charm of Chinese music. He also looked forward to future collaborations between the two sides in more fields such as art education and cultural creation, creating more music that audiences love, and jointly elevating the relationship between the two cities to new heights.

Professor YE (left) delivers a speech and introduces pieces

Programme of the 2025 China-Germany Spring Festival Concert Celebrating the Year of Snake

In the Spring Festival concert, the performance was captivating. Professor YE specially adapted the chamber version of "Capriccio of Jade Buddha" for this concert. This piece fully showcases the unique characteristics and strengths of violin performance. It is technically demanding and achieves a new aesthetic height in emotional expression.

A scene of the concert at the Kleiner Saal der Meistersingerhalle Nürnberg

Group photo of the School of Music, CUHK-Shenzhen and Dr. Huanhuan Wang

This Spring Festival concert is not merely a musical performance. It is the vital bridge for cultural and artistic exchanges between Shenzhen and Nuremberg. Music can traverse vast distances, connecting the emotions of people from different regions and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two cities. It is believed that in the future, with music as the link, the two cities will engage in more diverse cultural exchange activities. This will further enable Chinese music to resonate more powerfully on the global stage.