"As China's classical music scene continues to mature, this release represents a crucial intersection between the rich traditions of the West and the emerging dynamism of Chinese musical culture, ensuring Bruckner's symphonies will continue to inspire and captivate audiences for generations to come," he notes.

The orchestra was launched in March 2010 to meet the demands of its busy schedule at the national center, which opened in 2007. It became the first theater in China to have a resident orchestra drawn from all over the world.

Invited to take up the position by Chen Zuohuang, the founding music director of the national center, Lyu returned to his home country and joined the theater after living and working in Europe for about two decades.

Lyu's relationship with Bruckner's music is built on admiration for its vast, profound nature. He describes the composer's symphonies as the "pinnacle of Romanticism". These works, with their complex emotional landscapes, have long captivated Lyu, who feels a deep resonance with the spiritual and philosophical dimensions of the composer's music.

"This is not a casual musical project for me. It is an exploration into the essence of human emotion, where strength and fragility coexist, and where the grand expressions of human thought and belief are translated into sound," Lyu says.

The recording of Bruckner's nine symphonies is also the culmination of over 10 years of collaborating with the orchestra, Lyu says, who witnessed its growth from a young, inexperienced orchestra to a mature ensemble with its own style.

"Only through the accumulation of time could we complete this recording," he says, adding that this release is also an important birthday gift for him as he turned 60 last year.