Hong Kong orchestra sets UN record for attendance at eco-friendly huqin series

The Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra has set a record under the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals after the collective attendance of the group’s performances of an eco-friendly remake of an ancient string instrument reached about 1 million.

The group started exploring greener alternatives to python skin to cover the huqin’s soundbox in 2005, eventually settling on a thin film made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

The huqin refers to a family of Chinese string instruments dating back more than 1,000 years that come in a wide variety of styles.

The orchestra later started hosting performances that involved the new design, with its show on April 11 drawing more than 1,000 people and setting a record of about 1 million for the cumulative attendance of those experiencing its “eco-huqin” series after years of concerts.

Yan Huichang, the group’s artistic director and principal conductor, touched on why the orchestra had moved towards a more eco-friendly version of the instrument.

“For us, everything starts with music itself. There are certain flaws with traditional materials in creating a uniform orchestral soundscape,” he said.

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