Press
“… shaped by LÜ Jia’s sensitive baton, the slow second movement was a study in magically hushed moments and grave, dignified woodwind song. Even in the final movements, excited outbursts, we had a sense of the orchestra as a cohesive unit, players at the top of their game immersed in heady conversation”
Wynne Delacoma, Musical America
“Under the baton of LÜ Jia, they played at a high technical level, with assured precision and energy, particularly at home in music by Ravel and Qigang Chen”
Daniel Webster, The Inquirer
“…the pungent harmonies and complex rhythms, the imitations of nature and allusions to Chinese traditional melodies all combined in a bravura performance that left one wanting more. The musicians easily conquered the hurdles of this intricate score, and LÜ Jia was firmly in command”
Stuart Isacoff, Musical America
“The Brahms performance under music director LÜ Jia was a good litmus test for how far the orchestra has come since its 2014 American tour, when it played well but with a sound that was somewhat colorless and lacking personality”
David Patrick Stearns, The Philadelphia Inquirer
“LÜ Jia’s conducting art has reached a state of transparency, able to delve into the subtle details of the music while also being able to detach and give the music a soul. Over time, LÜ Jia and NCPAO will undoubtedly become a Chinese force among the world’s top orchestras”
CHEN Xinkun, classical music critic
“LÜ Jia and NCPAO have repeatedly surprised me: that’s actually the level of domestic orchestra!… However, the fusion of technique and style in the “Bruckner style” charm is indeed the great achievement of the conductor’s more than ten years of hard work”
ZHANG Keju, classical music critic
“A set of pieces, which filled with Chinese elements, but presented in the form of a symphony, and highlighting the voice of the times in 2023, this may be the answer LÜ Jia and NCPAO bring us”
GAO Boqiao, Music Weekly