Two of Asia’s most prestigious orchestras are joining forces for an unprecedented musical exchange.
On 23 March 2026, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra will make its long-awaited Singapore debut, while the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) will return to Shanghai for the first time in nearly two decades on 13 October 2026 — marking the start of a new 2026 artistic partnership.
The announcement was made during the 6th Singapore-Shanghai Comprehensive Cooperation Council meeting, where SSG CEO Kenneth Kwok and Shanghai Symphony President Fedina Zhou signed the agreement to deepen cultural ties through music.
A tale of two cities, two concerts
Asia’s oldest orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, will perform at Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore, with their celebrated Music Director Long Yu leading a repertoire that blends Western classics and contemporary Chinese flair. Fans can look forward to Tchaikovsky’s 'Piano Concerto No. 1', Rachmaninoff’s 'Second Symphony', and selections from Elliot Leung’s culinary-inspired suite Chinese Kitchen: A Feast of Flavours, featuring pianist Serena Wang.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra returns to Shanghai after 19 years for a performance at Jaguar Shanghai Symphony Hall, conducted by Music Director Hannu Lintu, with rising Singaporean violin star Chloe Chua joining the bill.
This Shanghai performance will be part of a larger China tour — following on the heels of the SSO’s successful visits to Australia and Japan.
Celebrate music with SG Culture Pass
Fans in Singapore can redeem tickets to many upcoming SSO shows with the SG Culture Pass, including:
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Hannu Lintu’s first concert as Music Director-designate (14–15 November)
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SG60: Stephen Hough Piano Concerto + Organ Symphony (7 November)
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SG60: Hans Graf & Churen Li (19 December)
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SNYO 45th Anniversary Gala (6 December)
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Temasek Foundation × SSO Christmas Concert (12–13 December)
For full concert listings and ticketing info, visit sso.org.sg.
