Kunming International Philharmonic performance - orchestra management case study

Project Information

Project Name: Kunming International Philharmonic Orchestra – Creation and Operation Management

Project Type: Orchestra Operation & Management | Concert Production | International Cultural Exchange Programs

Timeline: 2017-2022 (6 years)

Description: This international orchestra operations management case study shows how the founders of Dengtai Artists created and managed an international symphony orchestra of 90 artists from 12 countries from scratch, with 150+ performances over 6 years in symphonic concerts, chamber music, vocals, and ballet. Projects included international recruitment, visa processing, artistic planning, operations management, tour coordination and educational programs.

Key Achievements:

  • Management of an international team of 90 people
  • 150+ professional performances
  • International music festival participation
  • Collaboration with Lang Lang and other internationally renowned artists
  • Establishment of a sustainable operating system

📍 Kunming, Yunnan | 📅 2017-2022 | 🎼 Symphony Orchestra (90 members)


International Orchestra Performance Company - Dengtai Artists

Project Background: International Orchestra Creation Challenges

The Challenge

In 2016, Kunming College of the Arts presented an ambitious vision: to create a professional symphony orchestra composed entirely of international artists in Yunnan Province, China. This was an unprecedented project in China—establishing a professional orchestra consisting of 100% foreign musicians permanently based in the country.

Key Challenges:

  • Building from Scratch – No existing management model to reference
  • International Recruitment – Need to recruit world-class musicians globally
  • Complex Visa and Employment Process – Processing Chinese work visas for 90 foreign employees
  • Cultural Integration – Coordinating artists from 12 countries working and living in China
  • Artistic Quality Standards – Ensuring international-level performances
  • Rapid Launch – From concept to debut performance in just 12 months

Objectives:

  1. Create an internationally-standard professional symphony orchestra
  2. Establish a sustainable operational management system
  3. Promote classical music culture in Yunnan Province
  4. Facilitate East-West musical cultural exchange
  5. Build a stable performance schedule and educational programs

The role of Oleg Sheremeta, the founder of the Dengtai Artists

Core Responsibilities:

  1. Organizational Structure and Team Building: designed orchestra organizational structure from scratch; developed job responsibilities and hiring policies; managed performance team averaging 90 employees; organized and conducted international musician auditions (12 countries, 350 applications); recruited artistic and administrative team; personnel evaluation and relationship management.
  2. Artistic and creative management: coordinating artistic, creative and production processes; project coordination and programming; repertoire planning; rehearsal and performance schedule management; working with conductors, soloists, composers, agents.
  3. Operations and Production Management: support operations management for local and external run-out concerts; educational events and media partnerships; day-to-day operations oversight; stage management; lead and manage performance and management teams.
  4. Strategic planning: artistic, performance, touring, and media planning; financial, operational, and marketing planning; public relations and audience development; budget design and monitoring.
  5. Finance and Administration: production, operations, and logistical budget management; performance team and stage crew maintenance; employee payroll records and accounting support; funding requests.
  6. Legal and personnel management: processing of work visas and employment formalities for 90 expatriate staff; drafting and issuance of contracts; employment process management; employee benefits and logistics.
  7. External liaison: liaison to College President and administration; negotiations with venue management and national and international arts organizations; document processing and correspondence.
About Dengtai Artists
Collaboration with pianist Lang Lang - orchestra management achievement

Orchestra Operations Management: From Formation to Success

Solutions & Execution

Organization Creation (2016-2017)

First established a complete organizational structure with hierarchical management systems for artistic, administrative, and logistics departments, developing detailed workflows and financial systems. In early 2017, conducted international auditions in 6 cities including Kyiv, Odesa, Minsk, and Saint-Petersburg, selecting 58 outstanding artists from 350 applications received from 12 countries. Simultaneously completed rehearsal facility renovations, instrument procurement, and living facility preparations.

Team Assembly & Launch (2017)

Coordinated the completion of Chinese work visa applications for 58 artists, arranged accommodation and provided cultural adaptation support. Assembled a 60-person symphony orchestra and 6-person vocal ensemble, appointing a Chief Conductor. Chamber orchestra rehearsals began in November 2017, with the first performance at the College’s anniversary celebration later that month. Symphony orchestra rehearsals started in December, and on December 28, successfully held the inaugural concert at Yunnan Grand Theatre, where 62 musicians from 10 countries presented the orchestra’s complete creative achievement for the first time.

Operational development (2018-2022)

Established a stable performance season system, completing 100+ performances annually, including university concert series throughout Yunnan Province and tours to other provinces. Organized diversified projects: in 2018 held the Kunming International Music Festival & Workshop (11 concerts), innovatively launched The Viennese Ball and other special events, and completed CD series recordings of world classical masterpieces.

Achieved significant breakthroughs in international collaboration: in 2019 performed with international pianist Lang Lang, participated in the Uzeyir Gadjibeyli XI International Music Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, performing at the State Philharmonic Hall, and provided performance services for the Fortune Global Sustainability Forum. Also recorded music for the opera “Battle for Xiang River” and developed educational programs including children’s subscription concert series.

The orchestra established long-term collaborations with internationally renowned conductors, including Ayyub Guliyev from Azerbaijan, Arman Tigranyan from the USA, and Gaddiel Dombrowner from France-Israel, ensuring international-standard performances.

Project Results

Over 4 years, successfully established and managed a 90-person international team including symphony orchestra, chamber orchestra, vocal ensemble, and ballet troupe, with professional musicians from 12 countries maintaining long-term stable collaboration. Completed over 100 high-quality performances covering symphonic concerts, chamber music, vocals, and ballet, with performances throughout Yunnan Province and surrounding regions, including successful international tours.

The orchestra established a sustainable operational system, including stable performance season systems and diversified revenue sources. The repertoire covered a wide range from Beethoven and Tchaikovsky to Chinese composers’ works, completing multiple contemporary work premieres and recording projects.

In terms of cultural impact, the orchestra successfully introduced high-quality Western classical music to Yunnan audiences, promoting music education through children’s concerts and university tours, truly becoming a bridge connecting Eastern and Western musical cultures. The project enhanced Kunming and Yunnan’s cultural image and made significant contributions to local music education.

From project initiation to debut took only 12 months, demonstrating efficient execution capabilities. Through collaborations with venues like Yunnan Grand Theatre and Yunfang Museum Concert Hall, as well as institutions like Poly Theatre Group and Provincial Federation of Literary and Art Circles, established an extensive partner network.

Core Capabilities Demonstrated

This international orchestra operations management project fully demonstrated competence in the field of professional orchestra management. Designed and established complete organizational architecture and management systems from scratch, successfully implemented cross-border recruitment and managed multicultural teams, processing complex visa and employment procedures for 90 foreign employees. In artistic management, responsible for repertoire curation, collaboration with international conductors and soloists, optimizing rehearsal and performance schedules, while coordinating multiple concurrent projects.

The project showcased strong operational capabilities, including daily operations and stage management, tour logistics coordination, technical production management, and crisis response. In financial management, completed budget planning and control, cost optimization, and development of diversified revenue sources. Strategically, successfully established sustainable operational models and stable performance season systems, expanded audience base and market, and built long-term partnerships through collaborations with venues, government, and educational institutions.

Additionally, the project demonstrated large-scale event planning capabilities, end-to-end management experience from concept to execution, and innovative project development capabilities, such as successful implementation of cross-genre collaborative projects like The Viennese Ball.

Demonstration of core competencies in international orchestra management

Significance for Dengtai Artists

The Kunming International Philharmonic project provided Dengtai Artists’ founder with 4 years of hands-on experience in comprehensive management of a 90-person international orchestra, with these capabilities directly applied to Dengtai Artists’ current service offerings. Complete project lifecycle management experience from zero to 100+ performances demonstrates the capability to handle large-scale complex projects. Cross-cultural, multilingual team management capabilities, combined with deep understanding of China’s classical music market and operational environment, enable Dengtai Artists to provide truly international-standard professional services while deeply understanding the Chinese market’s unique requirements.

This project proves Dengtai Artists’ professional capabilities in concert production, orchestra operations management, and corporate and private event planning, along with an extensive international artist resource network. Dengtai Artists can offer clients international-standard professional services, deep China market understanding, large-scale complex project execution capabilities, and innovative cross-genre project experience.

Tags: Concert Production / Cultural Exchange / Educational Programs / International Collaboration / Large-Scale Events / Orchestra Management / Organization Building / Strategic Planning