Chinese-American conductor Hu Yongyan.

Two conducting maestros will deliver a melancholy rite for this chilly spring weekend featuring the "Butterfly Lovers" concerto and "Petroushka" at the Shanghai Concert Hall.

Tonight Chinese-American conductor Hu Yongyan will play the famous Chinese concerto "Butterfly Lovers" and "Spring Festival Prelude" with his EOS-Orchestra Academy performance ensemble. "Butterfly" soloist will be award-winning violinist Gao Shen.

The musicians from the Central Conservatory of Music have been newly assembled to develop young musicians from across the Asia-Pacific region.

"In ancient Greek, 'eos' means 'dawn,' and dawn foresees hope and a bright future, which is the blueprint of this Chinese orchestra in my mind," says Shanghai-born conductor Hu.

"Most Chinese conservatories only focus on training soloists or musical geniuses, instead of training orchestras," says Hu. "The students are busy in big or small competitions, which limits their musical career. EOS will deliver an intensive, practical program of orchestral training."

After the performance at Shanghai Concert Hall, EOS will move on to Shanghai Times Square for a free concert.

The show will open with American composer George Gershwin's vigorous piece "Rhapsody in Blue," then Mozart's brisk "Divertimento No. 17," Johannes Brahms' "Hungarian Dance No. 5" and Franz Waxman's "Carmen Fantasy."

Cheerful classics from Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and Puccini are also on the program, fueling the season's energy.

"It is easy for people in Shanghai to feel the fusion of Western and Oriental arts and culture," says Cathy Hau, deputy general manager of Shanghai Times Square. "We hope the performance can promote classical music among young people."

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