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The Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra is making its debut tour in China by performing 10 concerts in nine Chinese cities, China Daily reports.

The tour, which started with shows on Dec 27 and 28 at Shanghai Grand Theater will end on Jan 9 at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing.

Under the baton of artistic director, Eduard Topchjan, the orchestra will play repertories that include pieces from Russian composers, excerpts of The Nutcracker, the classic ballet composed by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Night on the Bald Mountain by Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky and excerpts of Sergei Prokofiev's ballet work, Romeo and Juliet, Op. 64.

The orchestra will also play Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian's Masquerade Suite and Spartacus ballet suites.

"Khachaturian is considered to be one of the leading composers in Armenia. We included his works during the tour of China to enable Chinese audiences to experience the long history of Armenia through the composer's music, which has distinctive Armenian cultural elements," says Arman Padaryan, the general producer of the Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra.

During the ongoing China tour, the orchestra is cooperating with young Chinese clarinetist, Shen Tianyi, to play Mozart's Clarinet Concerto in A Major at the concerts being performed in Wuxi, Changzhou and Changshu in Jiangsu province, Lishui in Zhejiang province and Beijing.

"I listened to lots of Armenian folk music to learn about the country's profound culture. The country's people are full of passion and the musicians are both influenced by their own folk music tradition and classical music," says Shen. "It is an influential orchestra in Eastern Europe with a distinctive style and strong personality. I am very honored to join the orchestra's first China tour."

According to the Armenian ambassador to China, Sergey Manassarian, the China tour will pave the way for more cultural exchange programs between China and Armenia in the future.

"During the five years of the Belt and Road Initiative, the exchange and cooperation between the two countries not only involved investment projects in economy and trade, but also cooperation in energy, security, culture and other fields," says the ambassador. "The Armenian National Philharmonic Orchestra will come back to China again and again, expanding the geography of tours, attracting larger audiences and establishing stronger bonds."