“Happy Chinese New Year” New York City Festival Press Conference

By Erica Hui

The 2016 “Happy Chinese New Year” New York City Festival Press Conference was held on November 18th 2015 at the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. This press conference released the events and activities to celebrate Lunar New Year as the new official school holiday.

Announced by The China Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) and the U.S.-China Cultural Institute and the Cultural Associate of the Committee of 100 had announced the partners for the second annual “Happy Chinese New Year: Fantastic Art China” festival, which are Tan Dun, the New York Philharmonic, National Dance Institute, Fireworks by Grucci, and the New York School of Interior Design.

The second annual “Fantastic Art China” festival will start from February 5 to February 10, 2016 for more extraordinary events within New York City.

Tan Dun, a conductor and composer mentioned that he is “glad that Chinese New Year is [now] a national holiday and is [also] glad to celebrate [Chinese New Year] with New York”.

The highlight are listed below from the press release:

● Opening Concert: A kick-off concert, open to the public, by composer and conductor Tan Dun (Academy and Grammy Award-winner for his original score of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and featuring NYC school children from the National Dance Institute, on February 5th at the Jacob K. Javits Center.

● Art and Creative Exhibition: A free week-long public exhibition of Chinese Art at the Jacob K. Javits Center from February 5-10th, featuring the works of celebrated contemporary Chinese artists Pan Gongkai, Jiang Jie, and Duan Haikang, a pavilion featuring art from several Chinese cities never before exhibited in the U.S., and a pavilion featuring works from young U.S. and Chinese artists from prestigious New York and Chinese art universities.

● Fireworks Spectacular Over the Hudson: Multiple barges on the Hudson will launch a true fireworks spectacular on February 6th. Designed and organized by CAFA, and executed by world-renowned Fireworks by Grucci, the display, titled “The Voice of Fantasy”, will utilize groundbreaking firework designs from CAFA and a live simulcast of music by Tan Dun to tell a New Year’s story of celebration and conservation.

● Empire State Building Lighting: A special lighting show on the Empire State Building will illuminate New York City during Lunar New Year.

New York Philharmonic Chinese New Year Concert and Gala and Community Dance Event: The New York Philharmonic will present its fifth annual Chinese New Year Concert and Gala on February 9th. The concert, conducted by Long Yu, will feature violinist Maxim Vengerov playing the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto, and will be highlighted by the New York Premiere of Tan Dun’s Nu Shu: The Secret Songs of Women, for harp and orchestra, featuring the Philharmonic’s Principal Harp, Nancy Allen. (Tickets are available at http://nyphil.org). Young dancers from 75 NYC public schools sponsored by the National Dance Institute will also perform in a free community event preceding the concert, and a public art exhibit by Su Xinping will be featured.

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