"Music in Splendid Attire," an aural and visual feast newly presented by the National Orchestra of Traditional Chinese Music, is currently being performed in Australia with its fusion of traditional and modern elements.

It is the orchestra's first visit to Australia and the 12 concerts in Sydney, Melbourne and other cities are part of the Experience Chinese Culture in Australia Festival.

The show not only features the dazzling attire of the 28 young players, but also the splendor of new high-tech instruments and mix of traditional Chinese music and modern genres.

After returning to Beijing from Australia, the 28 young players will give two shows at the Century Theatre on April 30 and May 1.

"In 'Music in Splendid Attire,' we combine traditional and modern Chinese instruments to deliver a fresh and more colorful music experience, lovely melody, dynamic visual experience and innovative sounds. The instruments are modified to make them good looking in shape and color," said Gu Xiayang, director of the orchestra.

Audiences could enjoy the music played on such traditional Chinese instruments as erhu, guzheng, bamboo flute and crystal pipa, a modern adaptation of an ancient lute-like instrument using a crystal-like material.

"The sound of crystal pipa is a bit different from the traditional pipa," said Zhao Cong who plays the brand-new pipa.

"It is innovative, its tone is clearer and melodious, which is very suitable for modern music performance," she added.

Some of the musicians also have transformed the Chinese numbered notation into the Western system using staves.

"This has pushed forward the awareness of China's traditional music both in theory and practice," said director Gu.

"Greatly challenged by pop music and Western classic music, the traditional Chinese music is losing fans from year to year," he said.

He said young people who think traditional Chinese music is something old and out of date actually know little about the music.

"We are trying to make some innovation in our concerts to make the 'old music' more appealing to today's audience," he said.

"In addition, we have commissioned musicians to compose new pieces or re-arrange classic pieces. In this way, we introduce to today's audience more repertoires and convince them that traditional music could be very modern."

Under Gu's direction, in 2004 the orchestra invested 6 million yuan (US$739,800) to produce "Music In Splendid Attire," which combines traditional Chinese instruments with modern electronic music and high-tech multi-functional equipment to create a dynamic visual experience and fresh innovative sound in this inspiring presentation.

Premiering in Beijing in February 2005, the National Orchestra of Traditional Chinese Music has performed more than 40 sold-out shows throughout China.

When it performed last August in Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, the show agents from Australia showed great interest in it and therefore took it abroad.

Established in 1960 by the late renowned composer Li Huanzhi in Beijing, the National Orchestra of Traditional Chinese Music is devoted to collecting and developing traditional Chinese music.

It has more than 100 solo and ensemble works in its repertoire and has performed in over 40 countries, including the Carnegie Hall in New York and the Golden Hall in Vienna.

(China Daily April 7, 2006)