According to Maestro Andras Keller, conductor of the show, Bela Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra is central to the symphony's tour of Asia. "The wonder of Bartok is that, through folk music, he discovered those energies of the Earth that allowed him to address that ancient, elementary side of humanity," Keller says.

The festival will conclude on Nov 17 with a concert at the Shanghai Grand Theatre by the NDR Radiophilharmonie conducted by Andrew Manze. The performance will also feature Chinese violinist Huang Mengla.

The festival will also include 12 exhibitions, including Retrospectrum, the first showcase in China of Nobel Literature Prize-winning songwriter Bob Dylan's creations. The exhibition will take place through Jan 5 at the Modern Art Museum Shanghai.

A festival that has been well-received by international counterparts and institutions over the years, the CSIAF will host nine symposiums during a trade fair at the festival, one of the regular fixtures of the event every year. During the fair, industry insiders will share their experiences of introducing Chinese productions to overseas markets and vice versa.