The New York Philharmonic has announced a four-year partnership with the Shanghai Symphony to include a new Orchestral Academy in addition to annual performance residencies by the Philharmonic in Shanghai until the end of the 2017-18 season. The Academy is set to open in autumn 2014, while the first Philharmonic residency will take place in summer 2015.

The Orchestral Academy will provide specialised training in orchestral performance and repertoire by New York Philharmonic musicians. This is an area in need of improvement, according to Shanghai Symphony music director Long Yu and a crucial issue for the development of orchestras in Asia. Academy students at the Shanghai Conservatory will benefit from three week-long sessions each season, beginning in autumn of 2014, plus one session during each of the Orchestra's residencies.

The first New York Philharmonic performance residency in Shanghai will include orchestral concerts in and around the city as well as a Young People's Concert, and additional Academy activities, including masterclasses and educational seminars.

‘China is a very important destination for classical musicians and I am eager to perform for the enthusiastic Shanghai audiences with the Philharmonic,’ said New York Philharmonic music director Alan Gilbert. ‘But this residency takes the idea of cross-cultural influence and enrichment a step further through the creation of the Orchestral Academy; the modern orchestra should be a resource, and we at the Philharmonic are excited about the possibilities of sharing our expertise and love of music with the music students in China.’