Recently, the Wenying Jiangnan Sizhu Chamber Orchestra from Zhejiang Conservatory of Music was invited to Romania, Latvia, and Hungary to participate in the 2025 "Happy Spring Festival" series of cultural exchange events organized by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. They successfully held three special concerts featuring Chinese melodies. The concerts used Chinese folk instrumental music as a medium to showcase the unique charm of Chinese traditional culture and Zhejiang regional culture, earning warm welcome and high praise from the local audience.

On January 20, the first "Joyful Spring Festival" Chinese Melody Concert kicked off at the Athena Hall in Bucharest, Romania. The concert was hosted by the Chinese Cultural Center in Bucharest and Zhejiang Conservatory of Music, with the support of the Chinese Embassy in Romania. Nearly 800 people from various sectors, including Hua Yafang, Chargé d'Affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Romania, and representatives from the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, attended the event.

The concert opened with the "Dance of the Golden Snake", a melodious and powerful performance that instantly captivated the audience. Subsequently, "Tea Picking Dance", "War Horse Prancing", "Plum Blossom Rhythm", "Ambush on Ten Fronts", and other wonderful pieces were performed one after another. The audience was immersed in the world of Chinese folk music, truly experiencing the infinite charm of traditional art. The final performance of the Romanian folk music piece "Skylark" brought the concert to a climax. The audience raised their phones to capture this unforgettable moment, and cheers and applause filled the concert hall as the song concluded. The performance was highly praised by the local audience, with some Romanian attendees remarking in interviews, "This was a performance with dramatic effect. When the flute and the erhu imitated the lark's call, the entire audience was thrilled."

On January 23, the second "Joyful Spring Festival" Chinese Melody Concert was held under the joint guidance of the Chinese Embassy in Latvia and the Chinese Cultural Center in Riga. The Wenying Jiangnan Silk and Bamboo Orchestra presented a wonderful artistic feast to nearly 800 attendees, including representatives from the Latvian Parliament, government officials, and friends of China from various sectors.

Following the performance, the orchestra attended the Chinese New Year reception hosted by the Embassy. Guests praised the richness of traditional Chinese culture, extended their New Year wishes, and expressed hope for strengthened friendship and cooperation between the Chinese and Latvian people.

On January 24, the Chinese Embassy in Hungary held a Chinese New Year Reception and a special concert of Chinese melodies titled "Joyful Spring Festival". More than 600 people attended the reception, including Gong Tao, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People's Republic of China to Hungary, senior members of the Hungarian Parliament, government officials, political party representatives, friends from various sectors in Hungary, ambassadors to Hungary, representatives of Chinese-funded organizations, overseas Chinese, and international students.

The event was filled with a festive and friendly atmosphere. The Wenying Jiangnan Sizhu Chamber Orchestra from Zhejiang Conservatory of Music performed both Chinese and Hungarian classical pieces using traditional Chinese instruments, receiving an enthusiastic response from the audience. Hungarian National Television, Center TV, CCTV, Xinhua News Agency, Economic Daily, and other mainstream media from both countries, as well as Chinese media, covered the reception on-site.

During their stay in Romania, the Wenying Jiangnan Sizhu Chamber Orchestra co-organized a cultural exchange event titled "Exploring the Mysteries of Chinese Traditional Musical Instruments" with the Dinu Lipatti National Conservatory of Music in Romania. Teachers from the Department of Chinese Music introduced the yangqin, erhu, and other traditional instruments to Romanian students and performed musical pieces, sparking great interest among the attendees. After the event, both sides discussed potential collaborations and exchanges in Chinese music.

During their time in Latvia, the Wenying Jiangnan Sizhu Chamber Orchestra was invited to conduct activities promoting Chinese folk instruments and music.

During their visit to Hungary, the Wenying Jiangnan Sizhu Chamber Orchestra made a friendly visit to Loránd University. They were warmly received by Imre Hamar, Vice President of ELTE University and President of the Confucius Institute in Hungary, and Xi Tanmei, Vice President of ELTE University. During the symposium, both sides exchanged views on promoting Chinese music culture in Hungary, training musical talents, academic research cooperation, and discussed the establishment of a Chinese Music and Culture Center.

"Joyful Spring Festival" is a cultural exchange initiative launched by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, aimed at spreading Chinese culture and fostering people-to-people connections. Since its establishment, Zhejiang Conservatory of Music has actively sent high-level art groups to various countries and regions to participate in the "Joyful Spring Festival" series of events. These efforts are dedicated to promoting the global dissemination of Chinese music and culture, as well as fostering exchange and mutual understanding between Chinese and foreign musical traditions. It is noteworthy that the Spring Festival of the Year of the Snake marks the first Spring Festival since its inscription on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. At this special moment, the visit of Zhejiang Conservatory of Music holds great significance. The outstanding performances and exchange activities by the Wenying Jiangnan Silk and Bamboo Orchestra not only inspired foreign audiences to appreciate and cherish Chinese traditional music but also made significant contributions to fostering artistic exchange and mutual understanding.