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E-mail Xinhua, February 22, 2024
Musicians perform during a concert celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year by the New York Philharmonic in New York, the United States, Feb. 20, 2024. (Photo by Winston Zhou/Xinhua)
The New York Philharmonic (NY Phil) illuminated Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall in New York on Tuesday with a vibrant concert, marking the Year of the Dragon in glorious fashion.
This marked the 12th consecutive year of the NY Phil celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year, a tradition introduced in 2012 by Chinese conductor Yu Long.
Tuesday's celebration brought the orchestra in "a full dragon to dragon lunar cycle, and we're so happy about this," said Gary Ginstling, president and CEO of the philharmonic, in an earlier interview with Xinhua.
The annual event is one of the high points on NY Phil's schedule every year as it welcomes people from all over the world, he said.
"We are sort of connecting the United States and China through our music. Regardless of what's happening in the world, around us, or the challenges between our countries, this connection between music is so important to us and will remain so," said Ginstling.
The centerpiece of the evening was the world premiere of "Lunar Overture" by acclaimed film composer Elliot Leung, a piece that encapsulated the spirit of the New Year festivities.
Additionally, excerpts from Zhou Tian's "Transcend," composed in 2019 to honor the 150th anniversary of the First Transcontinental Railroad, further enriched the program.
Classical violinist Clara-Jumi Kang graced the NY Phil stage for the first time as the soloist in Bruch's beloved "Violin Concerto No. 1."
Adding a touch of whimsy, Saint-Saens's "Carnival of the Animals" came to life with narration by Jamie Bernstein, accompanied by pianists Clayton Stephenson and Serena Wang.
"I thought it was incredibly energetic and exciting," Hayley Bond, a vocalist and NY Phil enthusiast, told Xinhua, reflecting on the evening's program.
"I do think that celebrating the Lunar New Year in New York is a really special thing," said Bond. "The more people can exchange their experience and their traditions and their heritage and their stories, the better music and art becomes."
Bond purposefully wore red for the occasion, a ceremonial color for the traditional Chinese festival that calls for good fortune.
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