Photo by Jiang Dong / China Daily

One of the most outstanding pianists and conductors of the 20th century, Vladimir Ashkenazy, will conduct the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, which is performing Dvorak's Cello Concerto in B Minor and Shostakovich's Symphony No 10 in E Minor. Chinese cellist Wang Jian, who has had an international career since 1986, will join hands with the orchestra. As chief conductor of the Czech Philharmonic from 1998 to 2003, Ashkenazy also took up the position of music director of the NHK Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo in September 2004. 7:30 pm, Oct 19. The National Center for the Performing Arts, No 2 West Chang'an Avenue, Xicheng district, Beijing. 010-6655-0000.