Yu Long
{{short description|Chinese conductor|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{distinguish|Yulong (disambiguation){{!}}Yulong|Longyu}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Yu Long
| image = Long Yu - Bundesverdienstorden.jpg
| caption = Maestro Long Yu following the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany award ceremony in 2016
| image_size =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|mf=yes|1964|07|01}}
| birth_place = Shanghai, China
| background = non_performing_personnel
| genre = Classical
| occupation = Musician, conductor
| years_active = 1990s–present
| website =
}}
{{family name hatnote|Yu|lang=Chinese}}
Yu Long ({{zh|s=余隆|p=Yú Lóng}}; born July 1, 1964) is a Chinese conductor. He is currently artistic director and chief conductor of the China Philharmonic and of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, music director of the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and principal guest conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Yu is also the Chairman of the Artistic Committee of the Beijing Music Festival and co-director of the Music in the Summer Air Festival (MISA).
Biography
The son of a pianist mother Ding Jiannuo and a choreographer father Yu Lixun{{cite web|url=http://xmwb.xinmin.cn/html/2012-07/21/content_33_2.htm|title=麦基、罗宾和狐狸|work=Xinmin Evening News|date=2012-07-21|access-date=2019-10-30}} Yu was born into a family of musicians in Shanghai, China and grew up during the Cultural Revolution. Yu received his early childhood music education beginning with piano studies from his grandfather, the composer Ding Shande.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/10/arts/music/10long.html | title=Shanghai Players Arrive, Driven On by Their Titan | work=New York Times | author=David Barboza | date=2009-11-09 | access-date=2016-07-21}} He continued his piano studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and also began conducting studies, graduating from the conservatory in 1987. He further studied music in Europe at the Berlin University of the Arts.
After returning from Europe, Yu was appointed principal conductor of the Central Opera Theatre in Beijing in 1992, serving for three years. He produced operas for the Urban Council of Hong Kong for five years. He was a founder of the Beijing Music Festival (BMF) in 1998, becoming its first artistic director.
In 2000, the Chinese government invited Yu to assume leadership of the China Broadcasting Symphony (also called the China National Symphony{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/13/style/battle-of-the-orchestras-in-beijing.html | title=Battle of the Orchestras in Beijing | work=New York Times | author=Sheila Melvin and International Herald Tribune | date=2000-09-13 | access-date=2017-01-16}}). Yu held open auditions, becoming the first Chinese orchestra to recruit all its performers this way. The symphony was renamed the China Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2008, Yu and the China Philharmonic performed for Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican, as part of increased diplomatic initiative between China and the Vatican.{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/08/world/europe/08vatican.html | title=China Orchestra Plays for Pope for First Time, Hinting at Thaw | work=New York Times | author=Elisabetta Povoledo | date=2008-05-08| access-date=2016-12-11}} In July 2014, the China Philharmonic was the first Chinese orchestra to perform at the BBC Proms.{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/proms/10979129/BBC-Proms-China-Philharmonic-review-a-triumph-of-programming.html | title=BBC Proms: China Philharmonic, review: a triumph of programming | work=Telegraph | author=Ivan Hewett | date=2014-07-20 | access-date=2016-07-21}}
In 2003, the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra appointed Yu its music director.{{cite news | url=https://www.ft.com/content/82b39b7a-df7e-11e0-845a-00144feabdc0 | title=Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore | work=Financial Times | author=Ken Smith | date=2011-09-25 | access-date=2016-07-21}} In 2009, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra appointed Yu its music director. During his tenure, the orchestra has begun its Music in the Summer Air Festival (MISA) in August 2010, constructed a new home for the orchestra (the Shanghai Symphony Hall) in 2014, established the Shanghai Orchestra Academy in 2014, and begun the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition in 2016.{{cite web|title=Shanghai Symphony launches $100,000 Isaac Stern Violin Competition|url=http://www.thestrad.com/cpt-latests/shanghai-symphony-launches-100000-isaac-stern-violin-competition/|website=The Strad|access-date=21 July 2016}} Yu has shared the position of Artistic Co-Director of the Music In the Summer Air Festival (MISA) with Charles Dutoit since the festival's launch in 2010. In January 2015, Yu was named principal guest conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the first appointment of a mainland Chinese conductor to the position.{{cite news | url=http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1679685/shanghai-conductor-appointed-no-2-spot-hong-kong-philharmonic | title=Shanghai conductor appointed to No 2 spot at Hong Kong Philharmonic | work=South China Morning Post | author=Oliver Chou | date=2015-01-14 | access-date=2016-07-21}}
In June 2018, Deutsche Grammophon announced an exclusive recording deal with Yu and Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (SSO).{{cite web |title=Long Yu and Shanghai Symphony to Join DG'S Family of Artists |url=https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/gb/artist/ |website=Deutsche Grammophon |access-date=11 June 2018}}
Select discography
Honors and awards
- 2002: Arts Patronage Award of the Montblanc Cultural Foundation
- 2003: Chevalier dans L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, France
- 2005: L'onorificenza di commendatore, Italy
- December 2014: Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, France
- October 2015: Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award{{cite news | url=http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-entertainment/article/1860701/chinese-conductor-yu-long-get-top-honour-bridging-east | title=Shanghai conductor appointed to No 2 spot at Hong Kong Philharmonic | work=South China Morning Post | author=Kevin Kwong | date=2015-09-23 | access-date=2016-07-21}}{{cite press release | url=http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/events/global-citizen-awards/2015-global-citizen-awards | title=Atlantic Council Awards Honorees Urge International Cooperation to Tackle Global Challenges | publisher=Atlantic Council | date=October 2015 | access-date=2016-07-20}}
- April 2016: Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences{{cite web|title=2016 Fellow and Foreign Honorary Members with their Affiliations at the Time of Election|url=https://www.amacad.org/content/members/newFellows.aspx?s=a|website=American Academy of Arts and Sciences|access-date=21 July 2016}}
- June 2016: Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany{{Cite web|date=2016-10-05|title=Bundesverdienstkreuz für Yu Long|url=https://www.deutschland.de/de/topic/kultur/kuenste-architektur/bundesverdienstkreuz-fuer-yu-long|access-date=2020-12-17|website=deutschland.de|language=de}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.maestrolongyu.com/}}
- [http://www.askonasholt.co.uk/artists/long-yu/ Askonas Holt management biography of Long Yu]
- [http://www.compose2020.com/ Compose 20:20 Project]
- [http://www.shsymphony.com/page-index-id-32.html Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Chinese-language biography of Long Yu]
- [http://www.gso.org.cn/en/portfolio/artist-long-yu/ Guangzhou Symphony biography of Long Yu]
- [http://www.misa.org.cn/director/index/en Music in the Summer Air page on Long Yu]
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{{succession box | title=Artistic Director, China Philharmonic Orchestra | before=Chen Zuohuang (China Broadcasting Symphony) | years=2000–present | after=incumbent}}
{{succession box | title=Music Director, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra | before=Chen Xieyang | years=2009–present | after=incumbent}}
{{succession box | title=Music Director, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra | before=Yip Wing-sie | years=2003–present | after=incumbent}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yu, Long}}
Category:Deutsche Grammophon artists
Category:Musicians from Shanghai
Category:Shanghai Conservatory of Music alumni
Category:Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour
Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Category:Recipients of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Category:21st-century Chinese conductors (music)