NEW YORK, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The sixth annual "Sound of Spring" concert took place at the Lincoln Center here on Sunday to celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Conducted by Jindong Cai, director of the U.S.-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music, the Orchestra Now performed a vibrant program featuring traditional Chinese instruments and contemporary symphonic works in a packed house.

Distinguished soloists included Wang Lei, professor of Sheng at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and Yan Guowei, winner of the Golden Prize at the China Music Golden Bell Award for Erhu as well as Zhang Jingli, a renowned percussionist and Bard graduate student and pipa virtuoso JinOu Anastasia Dong.

A standout piece was the pipa concerto "Sisters of the Grassland," inspired by Wu Yingju's animated film and Inner Mongolian folk songs. Composed in 1972 by Wu Zuqiang, Wang Yanqiao and Liu Dehai, the work is about two Mongolian sisters protecting their flock during a blizzard. Its 1979 performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa marked a milestone in U.S.-China cultural exchanges.

In keeping with tradition, the concert included three concertos for Chinese instruments and orchestra, blending traditional and modern elements. A pre-concert demonstration allowed attendees to explore traditional instruments and engage with the musicians.

The concert concluded with an encore of "Beijing Tidings" by Zheng Lu and Ma Hongye, sending heartfelt New Year's blessings to the audience.

Founded in 2017, the U.S.-China Music Institute promotes the study, performance and appreciation of music from contemporary China and supports musical exchanges between the United States and China.

In partnership with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the U.S.-China Music Institute offers the first degree-granting program in Chinese instrument performance in a U.S. conservatory. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)