Hot on the heels of announcing that David Robertson will take over as music director from Vladimir Ashkenazy in January 2014, the Sydney Symphony has made public a three-year agreement with the Xinghai Conservatory of Music in Guangzhou China. The two organisations have signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding' aimed at 'strengthening connections between musicians from each city' and 'forging a deeper understanding of each others' cultures'.

The Sydney Symphony as a mature, leading organisation is now in a position to forge new links in an economically and politically mobile world, according to its managing director Rory Jeffes.

'By creating meaningful cultural exchange through music, the Sydney Symphony is again demonstrating its role as one of Australia's major cultural ambassadors, supporting the Federal and State governments in their endeavours to create closer political, economic, social and commercial ties with China,' he said.

At the heart of the agreement is a desire to foster and develop orchestral playing in China by training a new generation of classical musicians. The first activity will take place during the Sydney Symphony's two-week tour of China in October 2012 led by principal conductor Vladimir Ashkenazy. A number of the orchestra's musicians and cellist Jian Wang will conduct instrument tutorials for Xinghai students focusing on orchestral technique and tradition. The students will also take part in a rehearsal conducted by Ashkenazy. In the long term, the programme will offer a series of masterclass exchanges, orchestral workshops, commissions and tour performances.