5 to 8 February the idyllic setting of the Chinese Gardens in Darling Harbour will be the venue for the jewel in the crown of this year s Chinese New Year celebrations. The inaugural Chinese Gardens Chamber Music Festival will unveil connections and unexpected cross-overs between Chinese and European music, old and contemporary. Artistic Director John Z Huie, who has returned to Australia after living and working in China for 18 years, will present the first Chinese Gardens Chamber Music Festival ever held in Australia.

With more than 28 extraordinary musicians from China and Australia performing classics from Debussy to Dvorak, this is a unique opportunity to hear a wide ranging repertoire blending Chinese, Australian and European music, new and old.

Festival highlights include a rare opportunity to hear traditional Suzhou (Chinese) Opera, 'pingtan', a gentle chamber opera which features the superb pentatonic harmonies of the ancient instruments of China; guzheng virtuoso Fang Yu, principal of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra; local Chinese instrumentalists Wang Zheng Ting (sheng) and Changning Chai (dizi); Australian pianists Kristian Chong, Michael Kieran Harvey and Brenda Jones, playing works by Ravel, Debussy and Dvorak; and The Chinese Australian Chamber Ensemble: Lulu Liu (pipa), Ying Liu (erhu), Jin Feng (yang qin) and Tony Wheeler (zhong ruan and guqin).