Chinese culture festival closed in New York
By admin on 2014-12-23

     It is late fall in New York with the trees sporting almost no leaves. The breath of early spring, however, could be smelled at Carnegie Hall over the last three weeks.

    "Ancient Paths, Modern Voices: A Festival Celebrating Chinese Culture," which opened 21 days ago, dropped its final curtain on Tuesday.

    At the closing concert of the art festival, Lang Lang, the incomparable pianist played Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2, drawing thunderous applause from the audience.

    With the accompaniment of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, LangLang finished the masterpiece flawlessly.

    "Iris devoilee," a tour de force by noted composer Chen Qigang, music director of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, captivated the audience.

    Integrating female voices, as well as three traditional Chinese instruments alongside a modern symphony orchestra, Chen's piece embodies the fascinating fusion of Eastern and Western musical perspectives.

    J. Stapleton Roy, the former U.S. ambassador to China, told Xinhua that "Iris Devoilee" was "very interesting" and "unique."

    "It is 'very China,' and 'very world' as well," he said. "I was particularly interested in the way how Peking Opera was introduced into the piece."

    Clive Gillinson, the executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall, who threw full support behind the festival, called the event a "great success."

    He said that long-standing and well-established Chinese culture and arts are increasingly extolled by Carnegie audiences and the Western world as well.

    "We hope more and more outstanding Chinese musicians to show their talents at Carnegie Hall," Gillinson said.

    While the stage shined with stars, the audience glittered as well. In addition to American celebrities, Vice Culture Minister Chen Xiaoguang made a special trip to New York to watch the closing concert.

    Zhang Yesui, the Chinese ambassador to the United Nations, joined the huge audience as well. In addition, Ieoh Ming Pei, 93, known as the last master of high modernist architecture, was also seen at the concert.

    The festival paid tribute to China's diverse and vibrant culture and its influence around the world.

    "Perhaps more than ever before, the incredibly vibrant aspects of China and its culture have captured the imagination of the world today," Gillinson said.

    "China's extraordinary cultural heritage is one of the oldest and most remarkable in the world -- a fact made even more impressive when you consider how the country's ancient folk traditions inform its equally dynamic contemporary music and arts scene," Gillinson said.

    The director said China had made a huge impact on artists around the world and Carnegie Hall wanted to take the opportunity to explore that ongoing influence within the festival.

    The festival, which opened Oct. 21, featured performances by leading Chinese musicians and showcased many genres of music -- from Western symphonic and chamber music influenced by Chinese culture to Chinese traditional folk music and contemporary music, including premieres by internationally recognized Chinese composers.

    The festival also included a wide variety of other offerings, including traditional marionette theater, dance, film screenings, calligraphy, panel discussions, and art exhibitions, offering insights into a world that mixes the ancient and the modern, the traditional and the cutting-edge.

    With more than 30 events, the reach of the festival was extended throughout New York through partnerships between CarnegieHall and other prestigious cultural institutions, including the Asia Society, the China Institute, and Works & Process at the Guggenheim.

    Lang Lang made three appearances at Carnegie Hall as part of the festival.

    Additional highlights at partner institutions included seven performances by the Taiwan-based The Han Tang Yuefu Music and Dance Ensemble at The Joyce Theater. The performances recreated traditional music and dance of the 10th century Tang Dynasty with sumptuous costumes and sets by Oscar winner Tim Yip.

    Modern Voices was accessible to all. Neighborhood Concert performances were given by the percussion group Ba Da Chui, the Zhang Family Band, Ensemble ACJW, and pianist Haochen Zhang.

    Also part of the free Neighborhood Concert series, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra presented two Chinese instrument workshops prior to its performance at Carnegie Hall.

    In addition to Lang Lang, Youyou Ma, Chen Qigang, Tan Dun, Yu Long and Wu Man and many other globally acclaimed Chinese musicians performed at the festival as well.

    Erhu player Guo Gan performed a gorgeous Hua Yanjun piece that is slow and poignantly melodic, and "Horse Racing" which was surprisingly reminiscent of Stephen Foster's "Camptown Races."

    The tenor GeQun Wang performed two folk songs, "That is Me, Mama," and an Ussuri fisherman's song, accompanied on piano by Lang Lang, for whom any role, from supportive accompanist to super star, was welcome.

    Tan Dun's Organic Music, an exhibition devoted to a site-specific exploration of the composer's deep attachment to the sounds and materials of the natural world, was held at Chambers Fine Art.

    Sinomania has shown no indication of waning despite the conclusion of the Chinese art festival. The unforgettable Chinese melodies played by Chinese musicians on Chinese instruments will long reverberate at Carnegie Hall.