In the opening ceremony of the “Charming Harbin” travel festival on June 18, young soprano Gao Zige  performed a themed concert — “Affectionately Waiting for You” — in the Harbin Concert Hall in the Qunli New Zone hosted by the Harbin Conservatory of Music and accompanied by the Harbin Symphony Orchestra. Her set list included 16 songs, such as Dank sei Dir, Herr. by German composer George Friedrich Handel, the piano concerto Yellow River and the folk song Changxiangzhi.

The opening ceremony of Harbin Travel Festival.

Originating from Harbin, Gao first enrolled in the Central Conservatory of Music, China’s leading school of music in Beijing and earned her bachelor degree in both voice and opera. She then graduated from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and was praised as “the sweetest-toned oriental soprano” with a master’s degree in music performance under the tutelage of famous Britain singer and conductor, Jeff Howard.

Gao singing in the opening ceremony.

In 2006, Gao recorded “My Dear Father” for CCTV and independently wrote and composed a musical entitled, “Rose Thorn.” Later, the musical was chosen as an outstanding educational outcome for the Central Conservatory’s 60th anniversary performances.

Two years later, Gao participated in a performance of “Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony,” which was conducted by Yu Long at the Great Hall and in 2009, a year later, she participated in Tchaikovsky’s opera, “Ye Pu Gaini ? Onegin.”

Then, In 2010, Gao soloed “Requiem,” working with conductor Mr. Xia Xiaotang and two years later Gao held a concert which featured pianist Wang Yang — the father of folk music in China — and Du Rusong — the “flute king of Jiannan.” Later that year, Gao held a concert with the dean of the Italian Donizetti Conservatory, Marco Giobanetti.