ORANGE COUNTY- Pacific Symphony orchestrates a cultural symphony of sights and sounds with its highly anticipated Lunar New Year celebration, welcoming the Year of the Dragon. Now in its 7th season, this annual event is a testament to the Symphony’s commitment to cultural diversity and community involvement, featuring hundreds of local performers, as well as internationally acclaimed guest artists. Audiences can expect an evening filled with the rich traditions of Asian cultures, brought to life through dynamic dance performances, soulful vocals, and a blend of Eastern and Western instrumentation. This celebration is more than a concert; it’s an immersive cultural experience that highlights traditional Asian folk melodies alongside modern compositions and timeless orchestral masterpieces.
The Lunar New Year concert takes place on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, at 8 p.m. in the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall with doors opening at 7 p.m. To reserve your seats, with ticket prices beginning at $28, please call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org for further details. Pacific Symphony extends its gratitude to esteemed sponsors Charlie and Ling Zhang, Carol Choi, Mei-Yen Chang, and the Jade Society for their support.
Guided by the baton of Music Director Carl St.Clair, Pacific Symphony’s Lunar New Year performance is set to be a vibrant festivity of sight and sound. Maestro St.Clair has shared his vision, saying, “Our mission at Pacific Symphony is to unite diverse communities through the power of music, inviting everyone in Orange County to partake in the rich tapestry of pan-Asian music and dance. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to board member Charlie Zhang for originating the concept of the Pacific Symphony hosting a special Lunar New Year concert. This year marks the seventh annual performance of this beloved community celebration.”
Charlie Zhang commented, “It is both an honor and a privilege for my wife Ling and me to sponsor the Lunar New Year celebration along with the Jade Society. This concert symbolizes a bridge of harmony between the East and West. Through the universal language of music, we not only celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Lunar New Year, but also forge a shared future, united in diversity and strengthened by our collective spirit. We are all committed to nurturing this cross-cultural exchange and fostering an inclusive society that resonates with the principle of oneness.”
An expansive guest artist roster for this celebratory concert includes: the Yaya Dance Academy, Wendy Hua’s Violin Studio at Orange County Music and Dance, Armonia Singers, longtime artistic partner Pacific Chorale, and the American Feel Young Chorus, led by Sam Wei-Chih Sun. Chinese pianist Fei-Fei Dong, winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition and a top finalist at the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, performs as soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. Also featured are acclaimed pipa player Yu Liu and Zither player Brian Bùi. The Lunar New Year concert presents a number of Eastern traditional and classic folk songs, such as Huanzhi Li’s Spring Festival Overture and Zhanhao He and Gang Chen The Butterfly Lovers Concerto, and the program closes with the traditional “America the Beautiful.”
In Chinese astrology, each of the twelve animals of the zodiac is believed to bestow certain characteristics on individuals born in its year. The dragon is the only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac and is seen as the most auspicious and powerful of all the animals. People born in the Year of the Dragon are often attributed to be confident, intelligent, enthusiastic, and charismatic.
About Pacific Symphony
Pacific Symphony, led by Music Director Carl St.Clair since 1990, has been the resident orchestra of Orange County’s Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall for over a decade. Founded in 1978, the Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the U.S. in the last 50 years and is not only a fixture of musical life in Southern California, but also is recognized as an outstanding ensemble making strides on both the national and international scenes. In April 2018, Pacific Symphony made its debut at Carnegie Hall, where it was invited to perform as part of a yearlong celebration of composer Philip Glass’ 80th birthday. The Symphony made its first-ever tour to China that same year, with performances in five cities, including Shanghai and Beijing. In Orange County, the orchestra presents more than 100 concerts and events each year and a rich array of education and community engagement programs, reaching more than 300,000 residents of all ages. The Symphony has been recognized with multiple ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and included among the country’s five most innovative orchestras by the League of American Orchestras. The Symphony’s education and community engagement activities have also been recognized by the League, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts. Celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, Pacific Symphony’s purpose is to nourish and lift the human spirit and forge a community where everyone belongs.
Event Details
Title: LUNAR NEW YEAR CONCERT
Dates: Sat., Feb. 10, 2024, at 8 p.m.
Location: Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall located at 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
ARTISTS
Carl St.Clair, conductor
Ronald Banks, emcee
Yu Liu, pipa
Brian Bùi, Vietnamese plucked zither (đàn tranh)
Fei-Fei Dong, piano
Wendy Hua’s Violin Studio at Orange County Music and Dance (OCMD)
Armonia Singers
Yaya Dance Academy, Yaya Zhang, artistic director
American Feel Young Chorus, Sam Wei-Chih Sun, conductor
Pacific Chorale,
Robert Istad, artistic director
Pacific Symphony
PROGRAM
HUANZHI LI: Spring Festival Overture
Yaya Dance Academy
TSU-CHIANG WU, THE-HAI LIU, and YEN-CHIAO WANG: Little Sisters of the Grassland
“Remembering the Parties Concerned”
“Myriad Red Flowers Blooming Everywhere”
Yu Liu, pipa
SHIGERU UMEBAYASHI: Polonaise from 2046
Yaya Dance Academy
TRADITIONAL: Fantasy on Arirang and Amazing Grace
GIORGIO MORODER: “Hand in Hand”
Armonia Singers
ZHANHAO HE AND GANG CHEN: The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto
Wendy Hua’s Violin Studio at Orange County Music and Dance
– Intermission –
TRADITIONAL: Wanquan River
BRIAN BÙI: Vietnamese Folk Song Medley
Brian Bùi, Vietnamese plucked zither (đàn tranh)
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: Fantasia in C Minor for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 80 (“Choral Fantasy”)
Adagio
Finale
Fei-Fei Dong
American Feel Young Chorus
Pacific Chorale
WEIDONG MENG: “Same Song”
American Feel Young Chorus
Pacific Chorale
SAMUEL WARD (arr. Prechel): “America the Beautiful”
American Feel Young Chorus
Pacific Chorale
Tickets: Tickets for Pacific Symphony can be purchased via PacificSymphony.org or by calling the box office at (714) 755-5799
