Suzhou has a rich history of ancient art forms, such as ping tan－ancient Chinese singing and storytelling that is some 400 years old－and Kunqu Opera, one of the oldest forms of Chinese opera that dates back more than 600 years.

Chen said the birth of the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra was a unique experience and helped create special bonds with musicians from around the world.

In 2018, the orchestra launched the Jinji Lake International Composition Competition, inviting composers from around the world to create music inspired by the city of Suzhou.

In July, the orchestra launched its 2021-22 season, which will feature more than 50 concerts and celebrated musicians such as composer Tan Dun, violinist Ning Feng, pianist Zhang Haochen and tenor Shen Yang.

Chen, who is in his 60s, said: "I had never built a symphony orchestra from scratch. It's very rewarding, but challenging."

Japanese clarinetist Tomoyo Kobayashi, 35, who joined the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra when it was launched, said: "It was very exciting to come to Suzhou, because the orchestra was completely new and I thought it would be very interesting. I searched on the internet for information about Suzhou before I auditioned, and it is a very beautiful and traditional city."

Kobayashi started to play piano when she was 3 and learned the clarinet at age 15. She graduated from the Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo and furthered her music studies in Paris. Before joining the Suzhou orchestra, she played with the Haifa Symphony Orchestra in Israel, the Nanjing Symphony Orchestra and at Shanghai Opera House.

With young and talented colleagues, Kobayashi has played not only in China but around the world with the Suzhou Symphony Orchestra during the past five years.

"I used to live in Paris, where I saw classical music concerts attracting many people from different age groups. It's also exciting to see classical music gaining more fans in Asia, especially younger audiences," she said.