For classical music lovers September heralds the start of the 2005-06 concert season.

Aside from the three Beijing-based orchestras China Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra of China and Beijing Symphony Orchestra a number of orchestras from abroad will be entertaining audiences at Chinese venues.

The first of the foreign orchestras to visit is the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra, which will play a concert with a distinctly Latin American flavor at the Forbidden City Concert Hall on September 12.

The orchestra's first stop on its tour of China is Shanghai, where they will play at the Oriental Arts Centre on September 3.

Under the baton of Artistic Director Enrique Batiz, the orchestra will play five Mexican and other Latin American symphonies, all of which will be relatively new to most of the Chinese audience.

The programs include "Chacona in E Minor" by Buxtehude-Chavez, "Zarabanda from 'Black Meadow" by Carlos Chavez, "Danzn No 2" by A. Mrquez, "El Saln Mexico" by A. Copland and "Huapango (3 Songs from Veracruz)" by J. P. Moncayo.

The concert will also feature Russian pianist Mark Zeltser and Egyptian pianist Ahmed Abou-Zahra. The Egyptian pianist will play Saint-Saens' Fifth Piano Concerto "Egyptian."

Conductor Batiz, one of Latin America's best-known musicians, founded the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra in 1971 and made it internationally recognized before he left to serve as Artistic Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic Orchestra in 1982.

Eight years later, Batiz resumed his artistic directorship of the State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra.

Born in Mexico City of mixed Polish and Mexican descent, Batiz learned piano and conducting at the Juilliard School of Music and Warsaw Conservatory and has won international fame as he has conducted more than 500 orchestral symphonies around the world.

(China Daily August 31, 2005)