国际英语新闻:Feature: Music resonates through Lunar New Year celebrations despite pandemic

NEW YORK, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Music is re-connecting people from the United States, China and beyond as Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations are gaining steam in an untraditional manner.

Musicians from the United States and China are presenting a season of online performances as the ongoing pandemic makes it impossible to crowd a concert hall.

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) kicked off a weeklong festival featuring music performances from Feb. 1 to Feb. 5.

The virtual festival would highlight community performers and cultural groups, traditional performances, cooking demonstrations and others, said NJSO.

Moreover, a virtual concert will be held on Saturday evening to celebrate the year of the Ox, according to the website of NJSO.

The Peking University Alumni Chorus and Starry Arts Group Children's Chorus will return to the virtual stage, said NJSO.

The Philadelphia Orchestra unveiled its 11-day Lunar New Year Celebration Concert starting from Thursday, according to its website.

"Nu Shu: The Secret Songs of Women," a symphony by Chinese composer Tan Dun and "The Butterfly Lovers," a concerto by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao, are featured on the digital stage.

ICBC US Region, a financial service group comprising ICBC New York Branch, ICBC USA, ICBC Financial Service LLC and ICBC Standard New York, stuck to its tradition and presented a virtual ICBC Night in cooperation with Carnegie Hall on Thursday.

Invitees could have free access to the online program for a period of 30 days, according to Niu Xiaoying, head of administration department with ICBC New York Branch.

With a tribute to healthcare workers, the ICBC program features performances of many healthcare professionals, members of National Virtual Medical Orchestra as well as a dialogue between violinist Joshua Bell and Anthony Vine, assistant clinical professor at Mount Sinai Health System.

Meanwhile, musicians from the United States and China also join hands in bringing out online performances or programs to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

Qianci Liu, a cellist and producer, who lives in Jersey City, will unveil a program named "Little Reunion" in cooperation with Luo Wei, a pianist from China's business hub Shanghai.

"Many people can't reunite with their family members due to the pandemic or other reasons and the piece of Little Reunion is meant to ease homesickness," said Liu.

Young artists from Chinese conservatories of music and U.S. partners would jointly present a virtual concert with the theme of "Sounds of Spring" on Saturday evening, under the auspices of Chinese Embassy in the United States as well as Chinese consulate generals in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Chicago.

The "Sounds of Spring -- China-U.S. Musicians Virtual Concert 2021" is scheduled to be live streamed on the website of Chinese Embassy in the United States, key social media platforms and will be broadcast live on China's leading TV channels.

The U.S.-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music is also set to roll out its second annual concert of symphonic music to celebrate the Lunar New Year on Saturday evening.

Bard's concert will be offered free online in a live stream from the Fisher Center at Bard and feature a new performance by The Orchestra Now, conducted by Cai Jindong, director of the U.S.-China Music Institute.

"The Lunar New Year is celebrated by people all around the world. This is the year of the Ox, which symbolizes strength and determination. We created this year's program to give people some feelings of hope and of looking forward to the future. We hope through music we can give you inspiration," said Cai.

The beginning of Bard's concert will feature Tan Dun's Internet symphony "Eroica" to honor the many heroes worldwide who are working to combat the pandemic, said a release by the U.S.-China Music Institute on Friday.

The Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, is the most important holiday for Chinese around the world. This year's Spring Festival falls on Feb. 12.