Hayrapet Arakelyan, Armenian saxophonist.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Giving details about his upcoming show, Hu, 41 and an award-winning suona player with the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra, says he invited rock and electronic musicians to join him, and they created compositions and new arrangements.

"We didn't want to use the suona as part of the rock band, so we decided to use it as the lead vocal.

"I had great fun creating new compositions and new arrangements with the suona.

"I didn't want to simply add some electronic sound to well-known classical pieces, which would be easy, but less exciting."

The suona has been played in China for more than 1,500 years. And the instrument is best known for its loud and high-pitched sounds, especially at festival celebrations and ceremonies such as weddings and funerals.