January 29, 2012

Today: Cleveland Chinese Music Ensemble: Melodies for the Year of the Dragon

Join the Cleveland Chinese Music Ensemble as it celebrates the 2012 Chinese New Year (the Year of the Dragon) on Sunday, January 29, at 3 p.m. in Saint Francis Chapel. The six-member ensemble, featuring vocalist Xue “Snow” Yu of Qingdao, Shandong, China, will present a selection of favorite melodies, including several pieces about dragons. Instruments include dizi and xiao (bamboo flutes), suona (oboe), sheng (mouth organ), zhonghu and yehu (2-stringed fiddles), gongs, drums, and other percussion instruments. The concert will also feature special guest Liyun (Wu) Lai of Kent, Ohio.

The ensemble is also pleased to welcome the distinguished Chinese painter Guangsheng Wang (王廣生), who will present a special showing of his traditional watercolor paintings at the concert. Wang, who recently retired after 25 years teaching erhu (Chinese fiddle) at the Tianjin Conservatory in China, settled earlier this year in Lakewood, Ohio, to be near his daughter, the concert pianist and Cleveland Institute of Music professor Dr. Shuai Wang. Mr. Wang has graciously provided two of his dragon paintings to be reproduced in the concert program that will be handed out at the performance.

The event is free and open to the public, and no tickets are required. Arrive early to get the best seats.