NEW YORK, Sept. 15 (Xinhua) -- The U.S.-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music will hold its inaugural season of the China Now Music Festival in October, presenting seven world premieres by some of the well-known Chinese composers in the 21st century.

The festival's concerts will take place at the Richard B. Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York State, and at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in New York City from Oct. 19 to 22.

The theme of the 2018 China Now Music Festival is Facing the Past, Looking to the Future: Chinese Composers in the 21st Century. All concerts feature Bard College's The Orchestra Now, conducted by Jindong Cai, artistic director of the festival and director of the U.S.-China Music Institute.

The creation of the China Now Music Festival, according to Cai, was inspired by the richness and vitality of music in Chinese society.

"Western classical music is developing in China at phenomenal speed, but just as exciting is the freshness that Chinese composers bring to the Western world," said Cai in a press release. "With the China Now Music Festival as our looking glass, we hope to bring people and cultures from East and West together through music."

The festival is part of Bard's partnership with China's Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, through its five-year Chinese Music Development Initiative.

Seven composers from the faculty of the Central Conservatory have been commissioned to compose new works that will receive their world premieres during the festival.

The opening concert, at 8 p.m. on Oct. 19 at Bard's Fisher Center for the Performing Arts, includes world premieres of two works by composers from the Central Conservatory of Music. The concert also includes the U.S. premiere of the contemporary compositions by Ye Xiaogang, Zhou Long, and Cheng Yi inspired by the Opium Wars and the Nanjing Massacre.

The festival will present two concerts in New York City: at 3 p.m. on Oct. 21 in Lincoln Center's Geffen Hall and at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 22 in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall.

A preconcert panel discussion will be held from noon to 2 p.m. on Oct. 20 at the China Institute in New York City.