Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2019 To download photos, click HERE.
(WASHINGTON)—From January 22–February 2, 2020, the Kennedy Center presents its fifth annual Lunar New Year Celebration, honoring the traditional holiday that is observed in countries and territories around the globe. This coming year’s festivities include the debut of a Winter Lanterns display in the recently-opened REACH campus, a ticketed concert by the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra in the Concert Hall, the ever-popular KC Chinese New Year Family Day followed by a Beijing Bamboo Orchestra performance on the Millennium Stage, and 2 weeks of special evening programs—REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS, celebrating Chinese and Korean arts and culture.
The 2020 Lunar New Year Celebration kicks off with a one-of-a-kind concert by the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra under the baton of internationally renowned Maestro Muhai Tang. Mr. Tang most recently appeared at the Kennedy Center in the 2017 Lunar New Year Celebration, leading the Beijing Symphony Orchestra. Showcasing myriad instruments that are endemic to its culture, the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra is widely recognized as the first modern orchestra of traditional instruments in China. For the January 22 program, the ensemble presents a varied repertoire of works written by current Chinese composers that prominently feature Chinese instruments in solos.
A highlight of the upcoming celebration is the REACH Winter Lanterns, a stunning display of approximately 100 Winter Lanterns that are made up of 10,000 colored LED lights and crafted by Chinese artisans. The Winter Lanterns will adorn outdoor spaces in The REACH, offering a whimsical experience that is enhanced by art, food trucks, and more. Focusing on Chinese tradition and nature, the Winter Lanterns display includes a four-piece installation of the Chinese “Four Symbols”—Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and Black Tortoise— which represent a direction and a season in Chinese mythology. In addition, other installations include the 12 Zodiac Signs, Panda Grove, Mushroom Garden, Floral Garden, Jelly Fish corner, and Water Lilies displays.
REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS will add excitement and entertainment to the evenings. Among other activities, the first week will offer demonstrations by Chinese artists of Beijing Opera make up, sugar painting, and calligraphy, as well as special performances by internationally acclaimed magicians from Shenzhen. The second week of the celebration spotlights Korean arts and culture and includes activities such as Hangeul Calligraphy, Korean mural and mask painting, Korean kite flying demonstrations, and performances by the Feelak Company. Activities will vary daily.
As in previous years, the Kennedy Center welcomes children of all ages and their families to the KC Chinese New Year Family Day celebrating “The Year of the RAT.” This year, the Family Day will take place on January 25 from the early afternoon until the evening at The REACH. Afternoon at the Family Day offers hand-on arts and crafts such as coloring, lantern making, photo booths, sugar painting demonstrations, and woodblock painting printing. The evening starts with a Millennium Stage performance featuring the Beijing Bamboo Orchestra, China’s first orchestra of all-bamboo instruments, and continues with artist demonstrations and interactive activities at The REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS.
Alicia Adams, Vice President of International Programming and curator of the Kennedy Center’s Lunar New Year celebrations says, “The 2020 edition of our Lunar New Year is a very exciting one. We welcome a new decade in our first winter season of The REACH. In addition to Chinese and Korean programs, we decided to extend the activities for two weeks and cover the
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entire Reach campus with fantastic displays of Winter Lanterns that will glow and enchant audiences of all ages.”
A full schedule of events follows:
Shanghai Chinese Orchestra Muhai Tang, conductor Wednesday, January 22, 2020 8 p.m. Kennedy Center Concert Hall Tickets $15–$59
Don't miss the cornerstone event of our Lunar New Year Celebration as world-renowned, Grammy Award®–winning artist Muhai Tang returns to the Kennedy Center to lead the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra in a special concert.
Shanghai Chinese Orchestra members are specialized in instruments such as erhu, also known as the Chinese violin; dizi a bamboo flute; sheng, a wind instrument consisting of multiple reed pipes; ruan or moon guitar; and zheng or zither. The orchestra is dedicated to presenting Chinese music with an international vision and a contemporary style.
Muhai Tang is a world-renowned Chinese maestro. He is the laureled conductor of China National Symphony Orchestra and art director of Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, and Harbin Symphony Orchestra.
Program: Han Wenhe Landscape Around the Lake Jin Kai and ZhaoYunmeng, dizi
Luo Xiaoci Spirit of Chinese Calligraphy Orch. Xie Peng Lu Shasha, zheng
Arr. Han Wenhe Chu-Han War Yu Bin, pipa Zhang Jiawei, gaohu
Tan Dun Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon Ma Xiaohui, erhu
Huang Lei Dancing Phoenix
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Hu Chenyun, suona
Fang Dongqing Caterpillar Fungus
Jiang Ying Silk Road
Tan Dun Whispers of Wind and Birds
Kong Zhixuan Flying Bees Adapted from Flight of the Bumblebee by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Ding Long and Chen Shi, erhu Li Lin, ruan Zhao Zhen, sheng Wang Yinrui, percussion
Immediately following the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra Concert, the REACH Winter Lanterns kick off will take place at the outdoor campus of The REACH.
REACH Winter Lanterns Presented in Collaboration with NEWYORKEE—New York Events & Entertainment January 22–February 2, 2020 The REACH FREE
The REACH glows with the D.C. debut of approximately 100 stunning Winter Lanterns crafted by Chinese artisans and made up of 10,000 colored LED lights, including the Chinese Four Symbols and 12 Zodiac Signs, Panda Grove, Mushroom Garden, Floral Garden, Jelly Fish Corner and Water Lilies display. Along with the beautiful lantern displays, visitors can enjoy performances and artisan demonstrations, food trucks, and more.
REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS: China Supported by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United States of America, the Department of Culture and Tourism of Shenzhen, and the Municipal Government of Guangdong Province of China. January 23, 2020 5:30–10 p.m. January 24, 2020 5:30–10:30 p.m. January 25, 2020 5:30–10:30 p.m. January 26, 2020 4–9:30 p.m. The REACH FREE
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In the first week of REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS, guests will enjoy interactive performances by magicians from Shenzhen, sugar painting, Beijing Opera make up demonstrations, yo-yo performances, wood-carved New Year painting printing, shadow puppet demonstrations, lantern making, calligraphy, zodiac stickers, and the opportunity to dress up in traditional costumes and share your photos.
REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS: Korea Supported by Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Cultural Center in Washington D.C. January 30, 2020 5:30–10 p.m. January 31, 2020 5:30–10:30 p.m. February 1, 2020 5:30–10:30 p.m. February 2, 2020 4–9:30 p.m. The REACH FREE
The second week of REACH Winter Lanterns PLUS brings performances of drumming and spinning dishes by Feelak Company, the opportunity to dress up in Hanbok (Korean traditional costume), create your name tags in Korean Calligraphy, stations for coloring traditional Korean fans, tattoo stickers, a Hangeul calligraphy performance in which local artist Myoungwon demonstrates Korean calligraphy on large scale paper, a demonstration of mural painting by artist Julia Chon who paints and completes a paper mural artwork installation, Korean mask painting, and a South Korean kite-flying master will demonstrate traditional Korean kites and teach attendees how to fly them.
KC Chinese New Year Family Day January 25, 2020 1:30–4:30 p.m. The REACH FREE
The popular event returns! A number of free activities will be offered for children of all ages including arts and crafts, a traditional costume photo booth, zodiac stickers, and demonstrations of calligraphy, plus exciting performances of an internationally acclaimed magician from Shenzhen, and more.
Beijing Bamboo Orchestra Saturday, January 25, 2020 6 p.m. Millennium Stage FREE
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The Beijing Bamboo Orchestra, known as China’s only “green orchestra,” includes more than 30 types of instruments made entirely from bamboo. In addition to various unique Chinese traditional folk instruments, there are handcrafted creations of new bamboo instruments, many of which have obtained national patents. The distinctive appearance of the instruments, innovative method of playing, and beautiful timbre makes the orchestra a unique ensemble.
The orchestra has appeared on many major radio and television shows in Beijing and throughout China. In 2013, the orchestra performed in New York and Washington D.C., and received the "China Culture Festival Best Performance Award." In 2016, sponsored by China’s Ministry of Culture, the ensemble performed in the "Happy Chinese New Year" project in Cincinnati, Ohio and Atlanta, Georgia. The group’s founder, Wang Wei, received honors in the International Bamboo Art Competition held in New Orleans, Louisiana. China is the world's largest bamboo- producing country. Its bamboo culture is broad and profound, and its bamboo musical instruments have a long history and rich variety. The materials for its instruments are taken from mountain forests, and provide pure and simple sound.
FUNDING CREDITS
Shanghai Chinese Orchestra US Tour is supported by the Government of the People’s Republic of China
REACH Winter Lanterns is presented in collaboration with NEWYORKEE New York Events & Entertainment Inc.
REACH Winter Lanterns Plus: CHINA and KC Chinese New Year Family Day are supported by Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United States of America and Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports, Tourism, Radio & Television.
REACH Winter Lanterns Plus: Korea is supported by Korean Cultural Center, Washington D.C., Embassy of the Republic of Korea.
International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.
The Centene Charitable Foundation is the Presenting Sponsor of Millennium Stage.
The Millennium Stage is brought to you by Target and the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation.
The Millennium Stage was created and underwritten by James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs to make the performing arts accessible to everyone in fulfillment of the Kennedy Center’s mission to its community and the nation.
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For more information, please visit the Kennedy Center website. Discover the Kennedy Center on social media:
#LunarNewYear2020 #KennedyCenter
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PRESS CONTACTS TICKETS & INFORMATION Brendan Padgett (202) 467-4600; (800) 444-1324 (202) 416-8004 www.kennedy-center.org [email protected]
Camille C. Devlin (571) 317-9317 [email protected]
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