Phoenix Orchestra

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Contemporary Chinese orchestra

From futuristic tech sprawl to ancient Daoism—China has many faces. Chinese musical culture is equally diverse, and offers countless ways to inspire and build new worlds. With Phoenix Orchestra, we give you a vibrant palette for creating authentic Chinese music—both ancient and modern—for your scores and productions.

Created in collaboration with composers Harry Gregson-Williams and Richard Harvey, Phoenix Orchestra is a rich and detailed celebration of Chinese musical culture.

Highlights:

• 21 individual instruments, 7 instrument ensembles, and 4 orchestral sections.
• A wide range of Chinese instruments, including gaohu, erhu, zhonghu, guzheng, yangqin, and pipa.
• Detailed solo instruments—each with characteristic articulations, swells, and ornaments.
• 100% playable, with true legato.
• Recorded in situ, with the players in traditional seating arrangement.
• Four mic positions.

Authentic instrumentation

Phoenix Orchestra presents a wide range of traditional Chinese instruments, captured in the context of a classical chamber orchestra. Explore new textures through four orchestral sections: plucked strings, bowed strings, wind instruments, and percussion. Create individual parts with 21 solo instruments, including guzheng, yangqin, erhu, zonghu, dizi, and sheng. Enhance the richness of individual parts with seven instrument ensembles, which group several players of the same instrument.

All instruments were recorded in situ, with players in typical chamber orchestra seating positions, to ensure a 100% authentic sonic image when using the instruments together.

Attention to detail

With Phoenix Orchestra, we wanted to create a nuanced library that reflects a true understanding of these original Chinese instruments. We worked closely with Richard Harvey—a composer and multi-instrumentalist with deep expertise in traditional and unusual instruments.

The resulting library captures the exceptional playing technique of master musicians. You can reproduce all of the dynamic articulations, swells, and ornaments unique to each instrument. With true legato for all melodic instruments, you can craft expressive sustaining parts with heightened realism.

And everything is completely playable. There are no pre-recorded phrases.