East meets West across nature and the rhythm of changing seasons

As the seasons change and the year unfolds, nature's transformations — the shifting winds, the blossoming flowers, and the drifting snow — often seem to echo a deeper rhythm. This rhythm has been part of human existence for centuries.

It was this profound connection to nature that inspired the creation of The Four Seasons of China, an original composition by young Chinese composer Wen Ziyang dedicated to the renowned violinist Lyu Siqing.

Accompanied by the Major Ensemble, a chamber group of young Chinese musicians, Lyu embarked on a European tour from Feb 1 to 8. Performing across five countries — Hungary, Bulgaria, Italy, Austria, and Germany — Lyu and the ensemble introduced The Four Seasons of China to European audiences for the very first time.

The tour also marked the one-year anniversary of the composition's debut, which took place on Dec 31, 2024. In the same way that the Chinese calendar traces the passage of time through its 24 solar terms, the tour, which began just before Spring Festival, symbolized the transition from winter to spring — a fitting mirror to the piece itself, which opens in spring and returns to it.

"We took this unique work, with its rich Chinese heritage and contemporary resonance, across Europe, inviting the world to experience the seasons in a new way," says Lyu.