The Chinese Chamber Orchestra of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music (ZJCM) was invited to the Czech Republic and Slovakia to perform at the 2024 Happy Chinese New Year celebrations for cultural exchange performances organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China.

   On the evening of February 2, the special concert of the 2024 “Happy Chinese New Year” was held at the Grand Hall of the Municipal Library of Prague. Chinese Ambassador to the Czech Republic, Feng Biao, was present at the event and delivered a speech.

   The concert presented an artistic feast for celebrating the Chinese New Year and marked the inaugural event commemorating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the People's Republic of China and the Czech Republic. This concert incorporated solo performances, duets, ensembles, and various forms of artistic expression, showcasing orchestral pieces with traditional instrumental melodies. The repertoire included a selection of 12 classic tracks, such as Zhejiang's traditional song Dancing Song for Tea Picking, the Southwest folk song Joy of the Rising Sun, and Going Home, the second movement of Czech composer Dvořák's Symphony No. 9. Notably, the Czech Folklore Group Matenik joined the concert, which culminated in a collaborative rendition of the Czech folk song Tancuj, Tancuj (Dance, Dance).

   Following the concert, Petr Vasicek, president of the European Union of Arts, awarded ZJCM with its most prestigious accolade, the Golden Europea, in recognition of the artists' exceptional performance. ZJCM's vice president Xi Liping and the artistic director of ZJCM's Chinese Chamber Orchestra Wang Fujian, accepted the award on behalf of ZJCM.

   On the evening of February 3, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the Czech Republic hosted the 2024 Spring Festival Conference at the banquet hall of the headquarters building of CITIC Europe Holdings. ZJCM's Chinese Chamber Orchestra enchanted the overseas Chinese community in the Czech Republic with their renditions of classic Chinese folk music like the guzheng solo Evening Song from the Fishing Boat, the erhu piece Horse Racing, and pipa solo Ambush on All Sides.

   On the evening of February 4, the concert of the 2024 “Happy Chinese New Year” was held by the Radio and Television of Slovakia. Cai Ge, China's ambassador to Slovakia, and Eštok, state secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic, delivered speeches respectively.

   ZJCM's Chinese Chamber Orchestra took the audience on a cultural journey through the captivating landscapes and traditional customs of diverse regions in China by performing regional folk songs across China like the ancient Zhejiang opera San Wu Qi, the Jiangnan ditty Wuxi Scenery from Jiangsu, Yangzhou folk song Green Willow, the Sichuan folk song Joy of the Rising Sun, Hunan's famous folk song Liuyang River, the Henan ditty Weaving Flower Baskets, the Shandong folk song Bao Leng Diao, the Northeast folk song Embroidered Lantern, and Guangdong’s renowned song Rising Higher Step by Step. A profound sense of nostalgia permeated the exquisite musical notes, which bridged Chinese and Western musical influences in a shared appreciation of music and the emotions it evokes. A distinct and captivating charm was thus fostered.

   The “Happy Chinese New Year” is a cultural exchange brand initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, with a history spanning over 20 years. Ever since its inception, ZJCM has been actively engaged in the “Happy Chinese New Year” event series, dispatching its Chinese orchestra, jazz band, and comprehensive art troupe for cultural activities worldwide. The Chinese Chamber Orchestra's visits to the Czech Republic and Slovakia this time were just five years after ZJCM assembled a group to partake in the “Happy Chinese New Year” activities.