As New Year's Eve approaches, the city is ready to wave goodbye to 2004 and greet the new year with a mountain of music. Four concerts will be held at the weekend to celebrate the arrival of 2005.

Shenzhen's 12-year-old piano prodigy Jia Zhichao kicked off the year-end concert series last night by holding a piano concert at the Shenzhen Auditorium and will perform again tonight.

The young pianist won the Schumann International Piano Competition earlier this year in Germany where he is currently studying music.

The concerts are billed as a "New Year's gift for children," with ticket prices ranging from 60 yuan to 180 yuan.

Following Jia's concert, a star-studded New Year's concert will be presented by China's Central Opera Theater at the Shenzhen Auditorium Jan. 1 and Jan. 2, 2005.

About 200 musicians, including famous opera singers Wang Xia, Ma Mei, Liu Hongling and Huang Yuefeng will stage various classic Chinese and Western opera pieces.

Tickets prices range from 180 yuan to 880 yuan.

Another choice for a New Year's concert is the Vienna New Year Concert to be held Jan. 2, 2005.

Vienna Strauss Dynasty Orchestra from Austria will perform at the Shenzhen TV Center Theater Jan. 2, presenting Shenzheners with works by Johann Strauss.

Tickets are available at 280, 480, 680 and 880 yuan.

For violin music fans, a New Year's concert performed by one hundred violinists will be staged at the performing hall of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra in Luohu District on Friday evening.

Sponsored by the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra, the New Year's concert will be complimentary and cover violin ensembles, solos and concertos.

All of the performers are aged between three and 19 and come from the orchestra's training center.

The repertoire will include an array of classical music such as the Blue Danube Waltz, Romance and The Four Seasons.

 
Editor: Catherine