The closing ceremony of the 2019 Hangzhou International Music Festival is held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on July 20. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

The 2019 Hangzhou International Music Festival came to an end in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on July 20, with a performance of Symphony No. 8 in E-flat, or the "Symphony of a Thousand" by Gustav Mahler.

Running from July 5, the 16-day musical feast brought together 700 world-class musicians and composers from 20 nations across the world for a series of musical performances and activities including symphony concerts, public charity performances, master classes, music lectures and solo concerts.

Compared with previous editions, this year's festival is unprecedented both in terms of the number of participating artists and the size of the audience. The number of artists participating increased 40 percent from the previous year. About 17,000 people attended the festival.

Successfully held for two years, the grand cultural event has developed into a bridge between Hangzhou and the outside world and is helping to raise the international profile of the city.

The Hangzhou Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the closing ceremony of the 2019 Hangzhou International Music Festival in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on July 20. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]

Musicians perform Symphony No. 8 in E-flat, or the "Symphony of a Thousand" by Gustav Mahler at the closing ceremony of the 2019 Hangzhou International Music Festival in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province on July 20. [Photo/hangzhou.com.cn]