— Over 100 Artists Electrify the "International Music City" at the Prestigious Chengdu City Concert Hall, Acclaimed Across Sectors as a Resonant Convergence of Youth and the Yellow River Spirit

On the evening of May 1st, thunderous and prolonged applause erupted at Chengdu City Concert Hall, a renowned venue in China's "International Music City" of Chengdu. As the final note of "Roar! Yellow River" faded, the baton of 24-year-old post-00s conductor Ye Wenbo froze in mid-air. The entire audience rose spontaneously, with cheers and ovations lasting over three minutes.

At that moment, a new page was written in Chinese music history. Ye Wenbo, hailed by a renowned literary and art critic as a "rising star conductor of China's new generation," successfully led the prestigious Lai Zhi Yin Symphony Orchestra and Lai Zhi Yin Ge Xing Chorus to a flawless performance of the "Yellow River Cantata" in his personal large-scale choral and symphonic concert. Thus, Ye Wenbo officially became the first-ever current university postgraduate conductor in Chinese history to present this national classic in a grand, complete, comprehensive, mature, and high-quality musical masterpiece at the top-tier, high-standard Chengdu City Concert Hall since the "Yellow River Cantata" was first created.

With the resounding success of its Chengdu debut, the national tour now sets sail.

1. Live Report – Under That Baton, the Yellow River Surges and Youth Blooms

At 19:30 that evening, the nearly 2,000-seat Chengdu City Concert Hall was packed. The symphony orchestra and choir, with a magnificent lineup of over 100 members in full vigor, brought together versatile and accomplished artists from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, Sichuan, Italy, the United States, Austria, and beyond—pianists, singers, string players, hosts, and more—for a powerful collaboration in this special theme concert blending symphony and choral grandeur.

Dressed in a stately Zhongshan suit, young conductor Ye Wenbo walked calmly onto the stage, bowed deeply to the audience, and turned around. As he raised both arms and his baton cut through the silence, the surging introduction of "The Yellow River Boatmen's Song" burst forth like crashing waves, leaving the audience breathless and spellbound.

From the solemn profundity of "Ode to the Yellow River" to the tearful poignancy of "Lament of the Yellow River"; from the folk charm of "Dialogue by the River" to the heart-wrenching "Lament to the Yellow River"; and finally to the overwhelming chorus of "Defend the Yellow River" and "Roar! Yellow River" — "Defend our homeland! Defend the Yellow River! Defend North China! Defend all of China!" — Ye's conducting combined thunderous power with delicate layering, moving both the live audience and online viewers alike.

Before this performance, Wang Chijiu, the 75-year‑old renowned lyricist and former director of the Creation Office of the Navy Political Department's Art Troupe, sent his blessings from Beijing and offered guidance. He has written many beloved songs for famous singers such as Song Zuying, Lyu Jihong, and Li Danyang, including "Red Moon," "Our China’s Songs Are Sweet with Flowers," "All Hands Pull Together," and "Sea Girl." He is also Ye Wenbo’s mentor in music composition, having guided him in creating excellent works of various styles such as "Forever the Striving Youth," "Reporting to the Motherland," "Aya," the theme song for the large-scale art documentary "Retracing Zhang Daqian’s Journey" — "Zhang Daqian," "Harmonious Ode," and "Little Tadpoles Find Mom." After watching the performance, the veteran lyricist exclaimed with tears: "Listening to the Yellow River through Wenbo’s baton, his music moves the Land of Abundance. Just four months ago, this post-00s young man stepped onto this same stage. This time, he brought not only the shock of music but also a declaration: the inheritance of national classics by the new generation has borne rich fruit."

After the performance, the entire audience rose in a standing ovation, wave after wave of applause. Ye Wenbo returned for four curtain calls, yet the audience lingered, reluctant to leave.

2. A Historic Breakthrough – From University Postgraduate to Conductor, He Earns His Steady Stride with Strength

Many thought this was "the sudden rise of a prodigy," but those who know Ye Wenbo well understand that the success of the night was the result of years of painstaking dedication and repeated refinement.

As a middle school student, Ye already dreamed of bringing classic contemporary musical works to the public stage through artistic innovation. Since entering university, he has deliberately prepared and conducted several personal special concerts of "Yellow River & Butterfly Lovers" in Chengdu, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Xi’an, Hangzhou, and elsewhere, repeatedly honing his skills for this ultimate test. It is revealed that for this independent concert, he conducted no fewer than eleven full‑scale, full‑ensemble experimental rehearsals, each followed by meticulous re-planning.

Reporters learned that Ye Wenbo ranked first in his major and near the top academically in his university and postgraduate entrance exams, majoring in conducting, songwriting, and music art and education. His principal teachers include renowned conductor, composer, and music educator Professor Li Xilin (former vice president of Sichuan Conservatory of Music, vice chairman of the Chinese Chorus Association, and chairman of Sichuan Chorus Association), veteran lyricist Wang Chijiu (former director of the Creation Office of the Navy Political Department's Art Troupe), as well as Professor Yao Chuncheng and associate professors Chen Tao, Deng Tingting, and Liu Qiqi at Sichuan Conservatory of Music. In his early university years, he founded chamber ensembles, symphony orchestras, and choirs, allowing them to complement and enhance each other, and through market forces he continuously practiced, innovated, and developed. After years of accumulation, he has gradually become a distinctive young conductor and a vibrant ensemble active on China’s stage. In recent years, he has organized and conducted nearly one hundred large‑scale special symphonic or choral concerts, including "Yellow River & Butterfly Lovers," "New Year’s Eve Night," "Castle in the Sky," as well as works by Beethoven, Strauss, Bach, Mozart, Brahms, and others. His work has been featured in over 100 media outlets, including People’s Daily, China Weekly, China.com, Global Weekly, Hong Kong Satellite TV, Hong Kong Morning Post, Taiwan Headlines, American Fashion Magazine, American Times News, American Science Magazine, Wired (US), New York Daily News, New York Daily Times, New York Times News, Chicago Times, World Postal English Net, UK Flying TV, The Guardian (UK), Austria Times, Singapore Chinese Net, ASEAN Times News; Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun and NHK; South Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo and Chosun Weekly; as well as UAE English Net, UAE News English Net, Sichuan Radio and Television, West China City Daily, The Cover, and Sichuan Online, among others. His meticulously produced concerts have earned Ye Wenbo a loyal audience and fan base, now totaling over one million people, with online media plays exceeding fifty million. His mentor, Professor Li Xilin, once commented: "He remains low‑key in manner and steadfast in enterprise, performing a symphony of personal integrity and a steady, far‑reaching career." After the concert, Professor Li Xilin excitedly said, "Wenbo achieved a perfect unity of technique and emotion, proving that my earlier assessment was correct — steadiness is the path to distance."

Earlier this year on New Year’s Day, as a representative of China’s young musicians, Ye Wenbo was personally appointed by the 80‑year‑old renowned composer and lyricist Wu Songjin — known as the "music industry’s tireless ox," "golden‑ear mentor," and "Grandpa of Children’s Songs" — to successfully conduct the "Shenzhou Soundscapes – Wu Songjin Large Orchestral Suite Concert." In just four months, from honoring a veteran artist to independently conducting a national classic, this post‑00s artist completed a remarkable transformation.

3. Testimonies of Esteemed Personalities – Acclaim Across Sectors: The Powerful Voice the Era Needs

After the performance, figures from various fields, both on site and online, expressed their excitement and congratulated Ye Wenbo:

(Arranged in order of interviews)

▶ Meng Fanyun, Deputy Executive Editor of Baisi Think Tank (Sichuan) and Special Researcher of Chengdu Investment Promotion Research Center:

"The Yellow River Cantata is not only a classic in music history but a monument to the national spirit. Watching young conductor Ye Wenbo lead tonight, I saw a cross‑generational ‘dialogue of youth.’ As a think tank researcher, we have always focused on cultural talent cultivation. Ye’s growth path proves that Sichuan needs not only top imported talents but also homegrown young power rooted in tradition yet embracing the times. This is the hope for high‑quality development in our cultural performance industry."

▶ Wang Zhixin, renowned tenor, Party Secretary and Dean of the Music College of Shenzhen Technology University, Dean of the School of Continuing Education, doctoral supervisor, professor:

*"I am delighted and inspired to hear that post‑00s conductor Ye Wenbo has successfully led the red classic Yellow River Cantata, wielding the baton with youthful vigor and passing on the powerful voice of the era with artistic integrity. The Yellow River Cantata is an immortal artistic treasure engraved with the national backbone and bearing the spirit of home and country. As a new generation of young conducting talent, Ye Wenbo is deeply rooted in his profession, quietly exploring, infusing the classic with the youthful vitality and contemporary interpretation of the post-00s generation. Let the red melody transcend time, and let the young generation sound the clarion call of responsibility. A thriving youth leads to thriving art; a strong youth leads to a strong cultural lineage. Ye Wenbo demonstrates the mission of the new‑era young musician — upholding tradition while innovating, continuing the cultural vein. May he take this as a starting point, remain true to his artistic heart, cultivate the art of conducting, continue to pass on red classics and promote national music, achieve further success on his artistic journey, tell China’s stories with youthful voices, and contribute to the flourishing of China’s literary and artistic endeavors!"*

▶ Qiu Hua, President of the Yi Society of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, Model Worker:

"The Yellow River spirit and the Yi spirit share one thing — boundless love for our homeland and a vow to defend it. Tonight’s music transcended region and ethnicity, striking straight at the heart. Thank you, Ye Wenbo, and all the artists, for allowing someone from Daliangshan to find resonance in the roar of the Yellow River."

▶ Zhuoma, Tibetan compatriot from Ruoergai County, the source of the Yellow River:

"I grew up by the Yellow River. My mother said the Yellow River is our mother river. Tonight, I cried uncontrollably during Lament to the Yellow River, and during Defend the Yellow River I wanted to sing along. For such a young man to express the feelings of us river‑side people — I’m convinced. Tashi Delek!"

▶ Wang Chijiu, renowned lyricist, former director of the Creation Office of the Navy Political Department’s Art Troupe:

"I need to correct what I once said — I thought he would hand in a good answer sheet, but he handed in a perfect one. The Yellow River Cantata has been performed countless times, but tonight, from a 24‑year‑old conductor, I truly heard the ‘Soul of the Yellow River.’ This is not just skill; it is the spirit, the conscious breathing with the nation’s fate."

▶ Ding Jiageng, Vice Chairman of the Calligraphers Association of Central State Organs, Vice Chairman of Beijing Calligraphers Association, "General Calligrapher":

"Calligraphy values ‘force penetrating the paper’; tonight Ye Wenbo achieved ‘force penetrating notes.’ His conducting flowed like clouds and water yet carried a thousand pounds of power — disciplined yet passionate. I give him eight characters: ‘Yellow River flows to the sea, Youthful dragon soars.’ He is not just the back wave of China’s art world — he is a giant wave!"

▶ Professor Li Xilin, renowned conductor, composer, and music educator:

"Wenbo’s greatest strength is his ‘heartfelt’ approach to maturity, not merely wielding a stick. He is completely immersed in the spiritual world of the Yellow River, yet with the explosive energy unique to youth. This is a textbook‑level interpretation and a milestone victory in his life."

▶ Han Bangyan, former Vice Governor of Sichuan Province:

"Truly exhilarating! Hearing the Yellow River in my youth was one emotion; hearing these young people perform it tonight is another — exhilarating, gratified, hopeful. Ye Wenbo and his team have delivered a perfect May Day tribute to the people of Sichuan and the nation. May his tour triumph all the way!"

▶ Ye Tiande, descendant of a marshal:

"After hearing Defend the Yellow River, I was deeply moved for a long time. Our fathers defended the Yellow River and all of China amid gunfire. Today, a young man in a concert hall ‘defends’ this classic with his baton, and also ‘defends’ the spiritual torch. Ye Wenbo, well done!"

▶ Wu Songjin, renowned musician:

"I came today as an ‘old fan.’ When he conducted my works on New Year’s Day, I could already see that this young man has ‘big things’ in his heart. Tonight’s Yellow River, he brought out all that spirit of defending the homeland and the nation’s indomitable will. For a post‑00s to grasp such depth — remarkable! I am proud of him."

▶ Shen Youling, Executive Vice Chair of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang (RCCK) Sichuan Provincial Directly‑Affiliated Committee and Director of its Legal Service Center:

"This concert has high ideals, warmth, and depth. Not only is its artistic standard high, but it also weaves patriotic education into every note. Ye Wenbo, as a current university postgraduate, daring to take on such a responsibility fully embodies the sense of duty of the new‑era youth."

▶ Tang Xudong, Vice Chairman of the China International Marine Photography Association:

"I documented the entire concert with my camera. Frankly, I have shot over a hundred performances, flown over the Yellow River’s source, Hukou Waterfall, the river’s estuary, and many cities and scenic spots along the river — but tonight’s performance was the most exhilarating, feeling the unique power of music. Every gesture and expression of Ye Wenbo was a dialogue with the Yellow River and the nation. I captured the moment when his eyes reddened at the end of Lament to the Yellow River — that was the soul resonance between conductor and singer, the conductor’s selfless immersion in the song."

▶ Zhou Xiangsheng, Director of Sichuan Provincial Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Center:

"The Yellow River Cantata itself is a national‑level intangible cultural heritage. Tonight’s performance shows that intangible heritage is not just about protection but also about ‘activation’ by young people. Ye Wenbo and over a hundred young artists have breathed new life into this more than eighty‑year‑old classic. This is a perfect example of living transmission of intangible heritage."

▶ Lee Jae-seok, President of Korean Chamber of Commerce in Sichuan:

"I have watched several concerts organized and conducted by Ye Wenbo on site. Music has no borders. I was thoroughly shaken. Especially during Lament to the Yellow River, many Chinese friends beside me were crying. For such a young conductor to mobilize the emotions of over a hundred artists and capture the hearts of the entire audience — this is world‑class."

▶ Gou Hongbo, painter from Langzhong Ancient City and representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage paper‑cutting:

"In my paper‑cutting, I carve out a world on paper and tell stories with lines; in Ye Wenbo’s conducting, he sculpts sound in the air and carves emotions with rhythm. Watching him conduct the Yellow River tonight, I saw a huge, flowing scroll of paper‑cut art — every note like a clean snip, crisp and affectionate. With his youthful hands, he ‘cut’ the soul of the Yellow River and the bones of our nation into each of our hearts. After this concert, I especially want to create a paper‑cut of ‘The Yellow River Boatmen’s Song,’ using the moment Ye Wenbo raised his baton as the blueprint. Intangible heritage needs craftsmen; classics need transmitters — tonight, we were actually doing the same thing: passing down the heritage of our ancestors to the next generation."

▶ Deng Shiguang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the Propaganda Industry of Ziyang City, Sichuan Province, and Full‑time Vice Chairman of the Ziyang Federation of Literary and Art Circles:

"I have heard countless versions of this work, but tonight’s version moved me the most. Because the conductor is a young man, but in his eyes and gestures there is no immaturity — only determination. The Yellow River spirit and the Long March spirit have found living transmission in him. Congratulations on a resounding success!"

4. First Stop Triumph – National Tour Officially Underway, Next Stop Awaiting Announcement

Following the successful conclusion of the Chengdu debut, Ye Wenbo will lead the same dual‑ensemble lineup to multiple cities across China. Themed "Paying Tribute to National Classics and Promoting the Yellow River Spirit," the tour will present all movements of the "Yellow River Cantata" in their entirety, infused with the contemporary interpretations of young artists.

It is reported that subsequent tour cities and schedules will be announced gradually via official channels, with timely coverage by Hong Kong Integrated Media.

Chengdu City Concert Hall, a famous hall of high standard, high quality, and high visual impact in China, witnessed history tonight. And Ye Wenbo — this post‑00s powerhouse young conductor — has declared to the world with his baton: national classics, youthful heritage; the Yellow River surges, and the next generation has arrived.

【Concert Concludes with Great Success · National Tour Officially Sets Sail】