On February 13, the US-China Music Institute presentsed the second annual production of The Sound of Spring, a concert of symphonic music to celebrate the Lunar New Year in collaboration with musicians both here and abroad.
As we wait for concert halls in the US to reopen, The Sound of Spring is free online and features a new performance by The Orchestra Now conducted by Jindong Cai, along with performances from special guests including the Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Chamber Orchestra, the China NCPA Orchestra and the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, and the Contemporary Legend Theater from Taiwan.
The event is hosted by acclaimed pipa performer Wu Man and conductor Jindong Cai, who is the Director of the US-China Music Institute. Musical selections include works by Tan Dun, Bao Yuankai, Wu Man, Julian Yu, Li Shaosheng, and more, plus a selected excerpt of a Chinese opera style adaptation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Featuring Works by
Performances by
The Orchestra Now
Jindong Cai, conductor
Central Conservatory of Music Chinese Chamber Orchestra
Chen Bing, conductor
China NCPA Orchestra
Lü Jia, conductor
Contemporary Legend Theater
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
Yan Huichang, conductor
YouTube Symphony Orchestra
Tan Dun, conductor
and more!…
Soloists include Wu Man performing a World Premiere of her own composition for the pipa, Joyful Tune of Jiangnan; pianist and Bard faculty member Blair McMillan in the US-Premiere of Li Shaosheng’s Spring China Capriccio, and Bard undergraduate erhu major Beitong Liu performing with The Orchestra Now in two arrangements of traditional Chinese folk tunes. Kunqu opera masters Wu Sing-kuo and Wei Han-min are the lead performers in the Contemporary Legend Theater adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Just as the Spring Festival marks the end of winter as a time to look ahead, so we all are looking forward to brighter days. With fellowship and goodwill among musicians from around the world, The Sound of Spring celebrates traditions and innovations in classical music and in the music of China, as well as the togetherness we experience in connecting our traditions and enjoying music in harmony, without boundaries or borders.
“The Sound of Spring” — Calligraphy by Huang Yizhi.
PROGRAM
Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) Chinese Chamber Orchestra
Chen Bing, conductor
Li Bochan 李博禅 Prelude to Celebration《欢庆序曲》
YouTube Symphony Orchestra
Tan Dun, conductor
Tan Dun
Internet Symphony No. 1, “Eroica”
Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra
Yan Huichang, conductor
Tan Dun, arr. Chew Hee Chiat
Internet Symphony No. 1, “Eroica”
Yang Yutong 杨雨桐, guzheng; Li Yang 李洋, pipa; Feng Tianshi 冯天石, dizi
Central Conservatory of Music
Traditional
A Night of Flowers and Moonlight by the Spring River 《春江花月夜》
Wu Man, pipa
Wu Man
Joyful Tune of Jiangnan《乐江南 》
The Orchestra Now
Jindong Cai, conductor
Beitong Liu, erhu, gaohu
Nicole Oswald, violin
Eva Roebuck, cello
Liu Tianhua
A Beautiful Night – Tune for New Year’s Eve 《良宵》
Bao Yuankai
Going to the West Gate 《走西口》
The Amusing Couple《夫妻逗趣》
China NCPA Orchestra
Lü Jia, conductor
Julian Yu
Evolution 《日新》
Contemporary Legend Theater
Wu Hsing Kuo, artistic director and lead actor
Wei Hai-min, lead actor
William Shakespeare; ad. Wu Hsing-kuo
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (excerpt)
The Orchestra Now
Jindong Cai, conductor
Bao Yuankai
Happy Sunrise 《太阳出来喜洋洋》
A Song of Riddles 《猜调》
A Bing
Moon Reflecting on Erquan Pond 《二泉映月》
The Orchestra Now
Jindong Cai, conductor
Blair McMillan, piano
Li Shaosheng
Spring China Capriccio 《青年中国随想曲》
thank you to our event partners
Contemporary Legend Theater
Looking Back
The inaugural concert in 2020 featured The Orchestra Now and guests soloists from the Central Conservatory of Music, performing concertos for traditional Chinese instruments and Western orchestra. Concerts were held at the Fisher Center at Bard College, and at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City.
photos by Fadi Kheir