Times Chronicle & Public Spirit
Lunar New Year Gala was visual spectacle
Lunar New Year is the most important holiday for many Asian communities. On February 10, the first day of the Lunar New Year, people of all ages from different ethnicities filled the seats of the Upper Dublin High School Performing Arts Center auditorium to enjoy a visual and audio spectacle, celebrating the Year of the Dragon, which symbolizes good fortune and success in Chinese culture.
The gala event was co-sponsored and presented by the Upper Dublin Chinese American Association, the Upper Dublin Asian American Students
and Families committee and Guanghua Chinese School, with support from the Upper Dublin School District.
Directed by Bei Li and Honggang Zhang, the gala was a fascinating tour of various cultures, featuring a vast variety of performances from Chinese, Korean, and Indian traditions. Some performer highlights included a collaboration between Hai-Ye Ni, the principal cellist of the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra, and renowned pianist Dr. Chong Fan. They captivated the audience with their rendition of “Festival of Tianshan,” a piece that beautifully represents the majestic Tianshan mountain range.
O-mei Shaolin Kung Fu Wushu Academy from Washington D.C. showcased a spectacular performance of Chinese martial arts. Silambam Dance School demonstrated two traditional Indian dances, “Bomma Bommatha” and “Aanandakoothadinaar.”
The Korean School of Southern New Jersey performed traditional Korean fan and drum dances. The Dance Troupe from Guanghua Chinese School performed a classical Dunhuang dance: “Kalavinka.” Performing artist Feihong Song demonstrated different styles in the evolution of Peking Opera. Soprano Siyu Huang delivered a rendition of “Raise Your Glass, Friends,” a beloved Chinese song.
The event organizers invited many esteemed guests including current and retired Upper Dublin School Board members, UD school district administrators and faculty/ staff, members of the UDSD Equity and Empowerment Steering Committee, the UD library director, the president of the board of directors of UDPL, the president of the UD Education Foundation, and presidents of various Chinese American community organizations.
Dr. Ling Liang, the president of UDCA, and Dr. Laurie Smith,