Deutsche Grammophon China and Xinghai Concert Hall Present the Inaugural DG Music Festival in Guangzhou
Curated by Daniel Hope, the four-day festival celebrates classical music, cross-cultural collaboration and China’s emerging musical voices, November 15–18, 2026
GUANGZHOU, CHINA — Deutsche Grammophon China and Xinghai Concert Hall will jointly present the inaugural DG Music Festival in Guangzhou from November 15 to 18, 2026. The first officially presented in-person music festival in the label’s nearly 130-year history will bring together leading Chinese and international artists for four days of concerts, exhibitions and encounters with audiences.
With the globally renowned violinist and DG artist Daniel Hope serving as the festival’s Curator and Guest Artistic Director, the programme features three headline concerts alongside a wide-ranging series of exhibitions and public events. Participating artists include cellist Jian Wang, pianists Xiaofu Ju and Yingjia Xue, guzheng artist Yang Yang, vocalist Linna Gong and the AIR Ensemble. Immediately preceding the core festival performances, longstanding DG artist Yuja Wang will be appearing at Xinghai Concert Hall with Mahler Chamber Orchestra and kicking off the celebration.
Spanning solo recitals, chamber music, vocal performances and cross-cultural collaborations, the festival places classical masterworks alongside traditional melodies, new arrangements and original compositions. It invites audiences across the Greater Bay Area to experience music as a living dialogue between cultures and generations.
A Historic Partnership, a Long-Term Vision
Founded in 1898, Deutsche Grammophon has long been one of the world’s most prestigious classical music labels. With nearly three decades of history, Xinghai Concert Hall is an internationally renowned, world-class concert hall and one of China’s most influential performing arts venues.
Launched in 2025, DG China is dedicated to discovering and supporting Chinese musical talent in keeping with DG’s artistic standards, and bringing China’s voices to the world. The festival marks an important step in that commitment. More than a touring event, it is envisioned as a lasting cultural initiative developed together with Xinghai Concert Hall.
Guangzhou’s longstanding openness to international exchange provides a fitting setting for this collaboration. Bringing DG’s recording heritage into dialogue with Xinghai Concert Hall’s dynamic artistic programme, the festival will create a shared space for established masters, emerging artists and audiences to listen, discover and connect.
Dr. Clemens Trautmann, President Deutsche Grammophon and New Business Strategy Global Classics at Universal Music: “For nearly 130 years, Deutsche Grammophon has championed exceptional artists and brought their music to audiences around the world. The inaugural DG Music Festival in Guangzhou opens a new chapter in that mission, creating a space where our artistic heritage meets the energy and imagination of Chinese musicians. With Daniel Hope as Curator and Xinghai Concert Hall as our esteemed partner, we look forward to celebrating the power of live music to connect cultures, generations and communities.”
“We hope that what we create over these four days at Xinghai Concert Hall will be more than a few concerts: a truly open musical space that welcomes all music and conveys hope and energy,” says Daniel Hope, Curator and Guest Artistic Director of DG Music Festival. “Music’s most precious power is not to show us how different we are, but to remind us to share, understand and discover together.”
Three Concerts, Three Musical Journeys
Salut d’Amour
November 16, 2026 | 8:00 p.m.
Jian Wang and Yingjia Xue
The festival’s opening headline concert pairs celebrated cellist Jian Wang with pianist Xue Yingjia in a programme of lyrical miniatures spanning the Classical era, Romanticism and the twentieth century.
Highlights include works by Schumann, Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Tchaikovsky, Piazzolla and Elgar, alongside Chinese composer Liu Rongfa’s Pastoral Song. Daniel Hope will also make a special appearance.
The first Chinese musician to sign an exclusive contract with DG, Jian Wang embodies a longstanding connection between the label and Chinese artistry. His newly recorded Bach Cello Suites, released in 2025, also marked DG China’s first album release.
Music in Harmony
November 17, 2026 | 8:00 p.m.
International Masters Meet DG China
Daniel Hope and Jian Wang join Nicola Mosca, principal cellist of the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, and DG China artists Xiaofu Ju and Yang Yang for an evening of musical exchange across generations and traditions.
Bringing together violin, cello, piano, guzheng and Irish harp, the programme includes selections from Tan Dun’s Hero Concerto, Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, and Xiaofu Ju’s arrangements of Dowland’s In Darkness Let Me Dwell and Mozart’s Lacrimosa from Requiem.
Yang Yang contributes her original work Tianmu Yin and her own arrangement of Ludovico Einaudi’s Nuvole Bianche. Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake, arranged by Paul Bateman, and Piazzolla’s Winter in Buenos Aires further expand the evening’s cross-cultural conversation.
A Night of Brilliance
November 18, 2026 | 8:00 p.m.
Daniel Hope, AIR Ensemble and Special Guest Linna Gong
The final headline concert brings Daniel Hope together with the AIR Ensemble and acclaimed vocalist Linna Gong for a journey across more than four centuries of music.
Rooted in the Baroque tradition, the AIR Ensemble moves fluently between early music, folk traditions and cross-cultural arrangements. The programme travels from Renaissance and Baroque Europe to Ireland and China, featuring music by composers including Ortiz, Corelli, Purcell and Vivaldi, alongside Irish traditional melodies and special arrangements of Chinese favourites such as Jasmine Flower, Colourful Clouds Chasing the Moon and The Moon Reflected in Erquan.
Beyond the Concert Stage
Throughout the four-day festival, exhibitions and public events will invite audiences to explore the stories, ideas and craftsmanship behind the music.
Four themed exhibitions will showcase performances and artist interviews from DG STAGE+ platform; trace the evolution of DG’s album-cover design; celebrate vinyl recordings and the label’s recording heritage; and introduce official DG merchandise to China.
The public programme will include a talk marking the 120th anniversary of Dmitri Shostakovich’s birth, alongside artist conversations, music-sharing salons, a session exploring concert etiquette, city walks, signing events and an after-party.
These activities will offer opportunities for audiences to meet musicians beyond the concert stage, extending the festival into a broader cultural experience that encourages curiosity, participation and a deeper connection with classical music.
Full programme details, activity announcements and ticketing conditions are available through Xinghai Concert Hall’s official channels.
DG Music Festival 2026
November 15–18, 2026
Xinghai Concert Hall, Guangzhou, China
presented by Deutsche Grammophon China and Xinghai Concert Hall
Public Tickets Contact：program@concerthall.com.cn
