Baotou Symphony Orchestra played the symphony Cao Yuan Zhi Ge (Songs from the Steppe) for the first time, alongside the China National Symphony Orchestra, at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing on June 28.

The symphony, composed by Ye Xiaogang, aims to present the grassland and nomadic culture of Inner Mongolia autonomous region to the audience, employing a diverse range of musical instruments including the morin khuur (a traditional Mongolian bowed string instrument also known as the horsehead fiddle) and bamboo flutes.

The concert was conducted by Hu Yongyan, and included performances by Wang Chuanyue, one of the International Tchaikovsky Competition winners; Liu Songhu, a Chinese baritone; and Wang Wei, a Chinese soprano.

Ye Xiaogang (third from right), composer of Cao Yuan Zhi Ge (Songs from the Steppe), poses with musicians and vocalists from the symphony, June 28. [Photo/chinanews.com]