The Wiener Philharmoniker will perform at the new symphony hall. [Photo/Shanghai Daily]

A brand-new 1,200-seat symphony hall, designed by Isozaki Arata and Yasushisa Toyota, will greet the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra (SSO) as it begins its 2014-15 season on September 6.

The season will include more than 100 concerts either performed or organized by the orchestra, and pianist Lang Lang will be the artist in residence.

Well-known conductors like Zubin Mehta, Charles Dutoit, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Krzysztof Penderecki will cooperate with SSO during the season, while top visiting orchestras will include Wiener Philharmoniker, Orchestre de Paris, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Munchener Philharmoniker and NDR Sinfonierorchester.

The schedule is a big step up for the orchestra, as it performed only 30 concerts a year in the past, mainly at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center and Shanghai Grand Theater.

This year the full orchestra will play 35 times, and its smaller chamber orchestra and other sub-groups will give additional performances. Scheduling so many events can be stressful, but it’s worthwhile, says Zhou Ping, SSO’s vice president.

"As an orchestra with a symphony hall, it is our obligation to bring our own artistic aspiration to the works that we present, rather than leaving most of our schedules to venue-renting programs," says Zhou.

He says the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra plans to perform about one-third of all events at the symphony hall and arrange another one-third of the events itself. The remaining will be produced by others who rent the facility.

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