A musician from Juilliard415, the large ensemble of Juilliard's Historical Performance department, performs at the Tianjin Juilliard School on Oct 12, 2024. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Juilliard415, the large ensemble from Juilliard's Historical Performance department, began its first tour in China on Oct 11, with Tianjin as the first stop. The name comes from the pitch commonly associated with baroque music (A = 415).

The ensemble visited the Tianjin Juilliard School for the first time to perform and conduct residency lectures.

Alongside Juilliard School alumna mezzo-soprano Xenia Puskarz Thomas, the ensemble will have its China tour from Oct 16 to 20, with performances in Beijing, Nanjing, Suzhou, and Shanghai.

"Our program explores the two great languages of music in 18th-century Europe: one of passion, which was brilliantly displayed in their concertos and arias. Meanwhile, the French, who were perfecting the elegant forms of dance, created beautifully poised suites. Our program brings these two styles together for a musical conversation," said Robert Mealy, director of Historical Performance Baroque Chamber Music at Juilliard.

On Oct 12, the musicians took part in a city walk in Tianjin, visited a stylish bookstore renovated from a historical building in the Italian Style Area of Hebei district, and joined a boat trip on the Haihe River.

They also tasted the Gobuli bun, a renowned local-flavor food in Tianjin.