The fifth Hangzhou Contemporary Music Festival kicks off on Oct 9 at ArtInno Town in Xihu district, bringing together 222 artists from 11 countries. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

The fifth Hangzhou Contemporary Music Festival kicked off on Oct 9 at ArtInno Town in Xihu district, bringing together 222 artists from 11 countries, including China, the United States, Germany, Italy, France, and Japan.

The festival, running until Oct 15, features 10 concerts, an international orchestral composition final with Vienna's Global Music Publishing, and five lectures by composers and scholars.

This year, the festival will present 59 modern works, including six world premieres and 42 Chinese premieres, showcasing a blend of orchestral, chamber, and solo performances. All events are accessible to the public via the official WeChat accounts of the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music and Hangzhou Contemporary Music Festival.

The festival also includes lectures on compositional techniques and the relationship between sound and art. The ArtInno Award International Orchestral Composition Competition has attracted 76 entries from 14 countries, with six finalists from China, South Korea, and Malaysia.

Wang Rui, president of the Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, stated that the festival highlights Hangzhou's commitment to cultural innovation and has become a significant cultural event in Zhejiang, gaining international recognition over the past five years.

This year's festival presents 59 modern works, including six world premieres and 42 Chinese premieres. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]