On February 15th, 2020 Tan Dun conducted the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra in a very special concert that strove to raise awareness and support for those that are suffering from the coronavirus - Covid-19. In support of the fight against Covid-19, Tan Dun wrote a new work inspired by the well-known percussion instruments from Wuhan. The world premiere of his “12 Sounds of Wuhan” was written for “Wuhan” gongs and “Wuhan” Tam Tam’s paired with symphony orchestra....

The world premieres of Tan Dun's Fanfare Overture and Vocal Concerto: The Deer of Nine Colors were performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra and their Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin on their historic tour to China commemorating the 40th of official U.S.-China diplomatic relations from May 16-28, 2019. As the first American orchestra to perform in China in 1973, The Philadelphia Orchestra helped develop President Nixon's personal request to form bridges of cultural exchange. Tan Dun heard The Philadelphia Orchestra's performance on...

On February 8, 2019, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, led by Gustavo Dudamel, performed the North American premiere of Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion. The “brilliant” work was featured for the L.A. Phil’s Chinese Lunar New Year weekend-long celebration to usher in the Year of the Boar (The LA Times). The audience at Walt Disney Concert Hall gave an enthusiastic response proving the operatic work “a hit… well before it reached the finish line.” From the heart-touching story of...