The China NCPA Orchestra has named Xian Zhang as its Principal Guest Conductor from the 2025/26 season. While Lü Jia continues to lead the orchestra as Music Director, Zhang’s role as Principal Guest Conductor will further strengthen the artistic development of the China NCPA Orchestra. This appointment also marks a significant milestone and elevation of the decade-long collaboration between the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and Zhang.
As one of the most prominent conductors on the global stage, Xian Zhang is entering her tenth year as Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony and began her tenure as Music Director of the Seattle Symphony in September of this year. With these appointments, she has become the first female Music Director in the Seattle Symphony’s over 120-year history. Following her tenure as Music Director of Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano between 2009-16, she continues as their Conductor Emeritus. Previously, Zhang served as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales, and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
As a guest conductor, Zhang frequently appears with many of the world’s leading orchestras and arts institutions including the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the San Francisco Symphony, and the London Symphony Orchestra. She is widely praised for her dynamic, emotionally charged, and meticulously refined artistic style. The New York Classical Review once noted that she “has an exceptional ear for balance, as well as the ability to draw the softest, most transparent tones imaginable from the orchestra. ”
Having begun her career at the Central Conservatory of Music in China and later ascended to international stages, Xian Zhang has always held a special affection for Beijing. Her cooperation with the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) dates back many years. Throughout this time, she has appeared on the NCPA’s stage with touring international symphony orchestras and has led several of its opera productions, including Turandot. Meanwhile, she has also been a frequent guest conductor with the China NCPA Orchestra, endearing herself to music lovers in Beijing as a world-class Chinese conductor.
Since Zhang first conducted the China NCPA Orchestra in 2015, their decade-long collaboration has produced countless memorable moments. The orchestra’s vitality, discipline, and cohesion left a profound impression on Zhang, while her powerful stage presence and emotional depth made her a highly respected and beloved long-term artistic partner. This mutual appreciation and deep understanding ultimately led the orchestra to invite Zhang to assume the role of Principal Guest Conductor, solidifying their friendship and opening a new chapter in their collaboration.
Upon learning of her appointment, Zhang expressed her gratitude to the NCPA, Music Director Lü Jia, and all the orchestra members for their trust. She said, “The development and rise of the NCPA and its orchestra over the past decade have exceeded all my expectations and filled me with immense pride. This appointment reflects the deep mutual trust between us and is a natural outcome of our shared musical vision and spiritual connection.”
The musicians and team of the China NCPA Orchestra eagerly anticipate Zhang’s arrival as Principal Guest Conductor. Music Director Lü Jia remarked, “On behalf of all the orchestra members and colleagues, I warmly welcome Xian Zhang. I look forward to her sharing the artistic experience and inspiration she has gained on the international stage with the orchestra and our audiences.”
Li Zhe, the Executive Director of China NCPA Orchestra, added, “We hope that Maestro Xian Zhang will infuse the orchestra with fresh energy and diverse artistic styles, drawing on her exceptional artistic achievements and broad international perspective.”
As Principal Guest Conductor, Xian Zhang will appear more frequently on the NCPA stage for Beijing audiences. She aims to lead the orchestra in at least two symphony programs each season. In the China NCPA Orchestra’s newly announced 2025/26 season, Zhang will present two such offerings: one featuring violin concertos by Prokofiev and Bruch performed with violinist Tianwa Yang, alongside Rachmaninoff’s passionately romantic Symphony No. 2; and another showcasing piano concertos by Ravel and Qigang Chen with pianist Haochen Zhang, as well as Mozart’s Symphony No. 39.
Looking ahead to future collaborations, Zhang shared her excitement: “I deeply admire Lü Jia’s dedication to and artistic leadership of the China NCPA Orchestra over the years, which have made it one of the finest ensembles, representing the energy, quality, and vision that you see throughout China today. I look forward to working closely with everyone to explore diverse musical styles and expressions, uncovering endless inspiration and potential together. I also hope to create more deeply moving experiences for our audiences.”
Photo: NCPA
Watch the China NCPA Xian Zhang Principal Guest Conductor Promo Video