To attract first-rate talent, the municipal government allocated 100 million yuan for finding a new home for the orchestra, 15 million yuan annually in salaries and rent subsidies. Deng says paying orchestra members' rent is a first for China. It's a young orchestra, the average age around 25 years.

"Everyone is active and so are the leaders, they are open to new ideas," says Zhai Huili, the principal cellist. "Being part of the orchestra is like creating our own business."

The aim is to make the Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra a first-class orchestra, with a repertoire of 1,000 classical works within three to five years.

It is expected to perform at least 80 times a year.

The first part of the 2009-10 season will run through next July. There will be around 20 performances, around 80 percent of which are in the Hangzhou Grand Theater and the rest in the Hangzhou Theater.

"Butterfly Lovers Concerto"

Date: September 16, 7:30pm

Chamber music concert

Date: October 1-2, 7:30pm

Grand Canal Symphony Concert, including "Yellow River Cantata" and "Ode to the Red Flag"

Date: October 13-14, 7:30pm

Venue: Hangzhou Grand Theater, 66 Zhijiang Rd E.

Tickets: 15-120 yuan

Tel: 800-857-1780

Booking on the theater's English Website:

www.hzdjy.com/english/ticket.asp

How to get there:

Take K84, K517 and stop at the Hangzhou Grand Theater;

Take B2 to the Citizen Center stop.