New Concert Hall Hosts Pan-Asian Music Festival during Lunar New Year

Celebrate Chinese New Year with a new festival in a new concert hall this week.

The nine-year-old Stanford Pan-Asian Music Festival will bring the audience a new level of enjoyment, thanks to the newly-opened Bing Concert Hall, which prides itself on the most technologically advanced acoustics of the world.

Designed in a vineyard style, the 842-seat concert hall has the audience seated on all sides of the stage for a more dynamic and immersive ambiance.

Professor Jindong Cai, founder and artistic director of the music festival, raves about the new facilities based on his performing experience with the concert hall’s opening weekend in mid January.

“When I was on stage here, I could hear the audience’s breath,” he said. “I’m sure the amazing acoustics will make this year’s Pan-Asian Music Festival better than ever.”

The music festival has featured music from different countries of Asia. This Feburary it will showcase the China National Orchestra (CNO), a 90-person ensemble of musicians who perform on traditional Chinese instruments. The Feb. 8-10 weekend was chosen to coincide with Chinese New Year, which falls on Feb. 10 this year.

The CNO, founded in 1960, was modeled after a Western-style symphony orchestra and intended to introduce traditional Chinese music to the world. It has performed in more than 50 countries.

The Feb. 8 opening concert of the music festival is entitled, “Masters and Masterpieces,” featuring the most renowned pieces of Chinese instrumental music from ancient to contemporary. There will also be a pre-concert lecture by Stanford professor Ronald Egan about the relationship between poetry and music in Chinese culture.

On Feb. 9, there will be an open rehearsal from 3 to 4 pm for children of all ages to attend, providing them a learning experience about Chinese musical instruments.

The Saturday evening concert will feature a festive theme for Chinese New Year’s Eve. There will also be a pre-concert lecture, entitled “Music Serves the People,” by Dr. Barbara Mittler, University of Heidelberg.

Concert tickets can be purchased on line by clicking here.

In addition, there will be panel discussions and workshops on Chinese and Tibetan music over the weekend of Feb 9 and 10. These are free events open to the public, but RSVP is required for admission by contacting pamfinfo@gmail.com.