"Ma said that the pandemic could permanently change the relationship among countries, cities and people. The great bonding between musicians and the audience in a live performance might never come back again," says Yu.

"Only art can bring people back together. That's why we have to keep on with creating. By playing the music of the East and West, we are able to achieve cultural exchanges even when musicians can't travel."

Yu says he received many congratulatory messages when he announced the orchestra was hosting its first ticketed concert after the COVID-19 pandemic on June 13.Internationally acclaimed musicians such as Daniel Harding, Charles Dutoit and Renaud Capucon were among those who texted the conductor, who is also the artistic director of the China Philharmonic and Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra.

"These artists were truly happy for us to be able to give concerts again and have life return to normal," Yu says.

The pandemic, he adds, has brought about unprecedented change in the industry, noting how all live performances were brought to a sudden stop.