Inaugural China Now Music Festival under way in New York

The inaugural season of the China Now Music Festival is under way in New York State, presenting seven world premieres by some of the wellknown Chinese composers in the 21st century.

The 2018 China Now Music Festival is presented by the US-China Music Institute of Bard College Conservatory of Music in collaboration with the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing, said institute director Cai Jindong.

The festival for its debut run has as its theme Facing the Past, Looking to the Future: Chinese Composers in the 21st Century. All concerts feature the Bard college’s renowned The Orchestra Now conducted by Cai, also the artistic director of the festival, and Chen Lin, a professor in CCOM’s Music Conducting Department.

“Western classical music is developing in China at phenomenal speed, but just as exciting is the freshness that Chinese composers bring to the Western world,” said Cai.

“With the China Now Music Festival as our looking glass, we hope to bring people and cultures from East and West together through music.”

The opening concert on Friday at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson in New York State included the world premiere of one work by a composer from CCOM. The concert also marked the US premiere of Chen Yi and Zhou Long’s Humen 1839 and Ye Xiaogang’s My Faraway Nanjing for cello and orchestra.

Another concert held on Sunday at the Lincoln Center focused on how Chinese composers examine and interpret the past through music.

A preconcert panel discussion was held on Saturday at the China Institute in New York City, during which time Cai, Zhou and Chen shared their thoughts on the historically-minded works featured during the event.

The festival is part of Bard’s partnership with CCOM, through its five-year Chinese Music Development Initiative.