DRAGONS DANCE AND MUSIC SOARS: Pacific Symphony’s Lunar New Year Spectacular!

Greetings, cultural adventurers! Get ready to swoop into the Year of the Dragon with Pacific Symphony’s 7th Annual Lunar New Year Spectacular. It’s a night where East meets West in a jubilant symphony of sounds and an explosion of cultural flair. Imagine the air, vibrant with the strum of the pipa and the melodious chords of Beethoven, as we celebrate diversity through a harmonious blend of music and dance.

As the curtain rises on February 10, 2024, the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall will be a kaleidoscope of traditions. Maestro Carl St.Clair will lead a parade of mesmerizing performances, from the graceful twirls of the Yaya Dance Academy to the harmonious strings of Wendy Hua’s Violin Studio. The Pacific Chorale’s voices will soar, the Armonia Singers will enchant, and the American Feel Young Chorus will fill the hall with joy.

Sit back as Chinese pianist Fei-Fei Dong takes to the stage, breathing life into Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and let the soulful pluck of Yu Liu’s pipa transport you to distant lands. You won’t want to miss Brian Bùi’s artistry on the Vietnamese plucked zither (the đàn tranh) or the colorful choreography of the Yaya Dance Academy performing to the Spring Festival Overture.

And because we’re all about the fun facts here—did you know the dragon is the only mythical beast in the Chinese zodiac and is a symbol of power and greatness? It promises a year of good fortune!

So, don your festive attire and join us for a night where every note is a celebration, every dance step a story, and every melody a bridge between worlds. Let’s ring in the Lunar New Year with symphonic sounds and a dragon’s roar! For tickets and more mystical details, visit our website or call our box office at (714) 755-5799. See you in the glow of the dragon’s fire!

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, pip
Brian Bùi, Vietnamese plucked zither
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: Little Sisters of the Grassland 
(Yu Liu, pipa)
         “Remembering the Parties Concerned”
         “Myriad Red Flowers Blooming Everywhere”
TANG YING (arr): Polonaise from 2046
(Yaya Dance Academy)
TRADITIONAL (arr. Tim Hill): Fantasy on Arirang and Amazing Grace 
(Armonia Singers)
KOREANA: “Hand in Hand”
(Armonia Singers)
ZHANHAO HE AND CHENG CHEN GANG: The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto
(Wendy Hua’s Violin Studio at Orange County Music and Dance)
– Intermission –
TBD: Wanquan River
BRIAN BÙI: Vietnamese Folk Song Medley 
(Brian Bùi, Vietnamese plucked zither | đàn tranh)
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN: “Choral Fantasy” in C Minor for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 80
 (Fei-Fei Dong | American Feel Young Chorus | Pacific Chorale)
Adagio | Finale
VARIOUS (arr. Shirunyu Li): “Same Song”
(American Feel Young Chorus | Pacific Chorale)
SAMUEL WARD (arr. Prechel): “America the Beautiful”
(American Feel Young Chorus | Pacific Chorale)

Programs and artists subject to change.