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To celebrate the Chinese New Year and to showcase Hong Kong's artistic talent, the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in New York (HKETO) yesterday (February 25, Chicago Time) hosted a multi-media concert in Chicago, featuring the United States debut of the Windpipe Chinese Ensemble of Hong Kong.
The concert, titled, "Hong Kong at the Fulcrum Point Celebrates the Year of the Tiger", was held at Thorne Auditorium of Northwestern University in Chicago and followed the HKETO's annual Spring Reception. Partnered with the Fulcrum Point New Music Project in Chicago and performed to a full house, the concert was a fusion of Chinese and Western music with two world premieres commissioned specifically for the occasion. One composition, "Tiger Sketch", was accompanied by a video presentation of award-winning Chinese manga comic artist Lee Chi-ching creating a unique tiger-themed painting with montage of Hong Kong scenery.
The second premiere, "Drumming Ridge", evoked the time of the Qing Dynasty, in which villagers beat a huge drum on the hill top to alert fellow villages to invasion.
The concert also featured a multi-media finale entitled "Cat and Rat - Legend of the Chinese Zodiac", based on the illustrated book by Caldecott Award winner Ed Young, and was performed with reading and video. The story was narrated by NBC5 reporter and health editor, Nesita Kwan, an Emmy-winning anchor and reporter.
Wishing the audience a happy new year, Hong Kong Commissioner for Economic and Trade Affairs, USA, Mr Donald Tong, said that the tiger is a symbol of energy, strength, great stamina and opportunities. And the Year of the Tiger is perceived as one that will bring health, wealth and personal achievements.
Mr Tong said the concert offered a new look at contemporary Chinese music, which was a "fruition of the tireless exploration by Hong Kong musicians of new frontiers in a world of unlimited creativity."
He said, "Hong Kong is a vibrant city much ornamented by its rich traditions and culture, a legacy inherited from our colourful past. Today, Hong Kong is truly Asia's world city, not only famously known as an international financial centre, but also for our potential as Asia's art and cultural hub.
"Embracing this future position, in our development blueprint, art and culture are featured highly among our major investments.
"It is an exciting time for Hong Kong, as we press ahead with the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) project whose phase one development is scheduled to open in 2014/15. The WKCD, a 40-hectre prime site on our beautiful harbourfront, is to be developed into an integrated art and cultural district with world-class facilities, distinguished talent from all over the world, iconic architecture and quality programmes," said Mr Tong.
Director of the HKETO, Ms Monica Chen, added, "This inimitable performance here in Chicago is an amalgamation of East meets West that is truly a reflection of Hong Kong as a city rich in mixed culture and traditions."
Besides the concert, the Windpipe Chinese Ensemble also conducted two educational programmes, one at the Alexander Graham Bell School on February 23 and the second one at the Alexandre Dumas Elementary School on February 24. The Windpipe Chinese Ensemble will continue their well-received concert tour in Atlanta on March 1, also hosted by the HKETO as part of its Spring Reception.
Ends/Friday, February 26, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:51
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