THE Unicorn Symphony Orchestra will present a grand orchestral concert this month, celebrating the legendary partnership of filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and composer Joe Hisaishi. With 45 skilled musicians on stage, this is no ordinary tribute — it is a sweeping, 100-minute musical journey through some of the most beloved animated films ever made.

From the moment the baton rises, audiences will be transported into the fantasy worlds they have known by heart. Led by acclaimed conductor Huang Zulin — a young pianist and conductor who serves as principal conductor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Orchestra, principal guest conductor of Portugal’s Antonio Fragoso Symphony Orchestra, and visiting professor at the Cleveland Institute of Music — every gesture feels like a magic wand, awakening the soul of each instrument.

Audiences can look forward to hearing beloved melodies from “Castle in the Sky,” “Spirited Away,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea,” “My Neighbor Totoro,” and “Princess Mononoke.”

The concert is designed not merely to recreate Hisaishi’s iconic scores, but to reveal new dimensions of Miyazaki’s storytelling through the power of live orchestration. Familiar tunes take on fresh emotional weight when heard from within a hall full of fellow dreamers.

Having performed more than 200 concerts and collaborated with renowned musicians and conductors worldwide, the Unicorn Symphony Orchestra seamlessly blends classical foundations with electronic music, folk instruments, film scores, and even pop culture elements. Whether interpreting Beethoven or “Interstellar,” they have become a leading voice in a new generation of symphonic performance.

Time: 3 p.m., May 24

Venue: Shenzhen Poly Theater, Nanshan District (深圳保利剧院)

Metro: Line 2, 11, or 13 to Houhai Station (后海站), Exit E(Tang Li)