Renowned conductor Lu Shao-chia and the National Symphony Orchestra will stage an outdoor performance of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" today at the campus of National Taiwan University, offering an artistic feast for music lovers.

Conductor Lu Shao-chia, cellist Wang Jian, and the National Symphony Orchestra's performance of a Dvorak cello concerto recently opened the NSO's "Master and New Frontier" concert series.

Wang is often mentioned in the same breath as Yo-Yo Ma, and many regard him as Ma's successor.

Because his performances are natural yet contain an inherent dramatic flair, he has been nicknamed "The Poetic Cellist."

Wang and Lu's first collaboration took place in Europe in 2003, and their upcoming performance at the National Theater Concert Hall will mark their first collaboration in Taiwan.

Lu, who was previously based in Germany, became the music supervisor of the NSO in August.

This weekend, he will be returning to his alma mater, National Taiwan University, and stage the first outdoor classical concert in NTU's 82-year history.

A psychology major at NTU, Lu says that his four years at the university confirmed to him that music was the path he wanted to pursue.

On Saturday evening at 7 p.m., music fans will be treated to a performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.