The Minnesota Orchestra rang in the Lunar New Year with a celebratory evening of music, culture and a dancing dragon. Featuring both folk and contemporary music from China, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea and beyond, the show emphasized cross-cultural explorations even as it honored musical traditions of countries who mark their calendars by the moon.
Pipa player Gao Hong and the Carleton College Chinese Music Ensemble got things started with a pre-show in the atrium before the concert. Hong performed in group pieces and accompanied soloists throughout the short presentation. An exquisite player herself, Hong mostly let her talented students take the spotlight for the warm-up show.
After the pre-show, the evening began in earnest in the auditorium, where guest conductor Chia-Hsuan Lin led a crowd-pleasing program, thanks in part to principal bassoon Fei Xie, who was artistic consultant for the event.
The first two works came from alumni of the Minnesota Orchestra Composer Institute, a program that nurtures emerging composers each year. Zhou Tian, who participated in the program in 2006 and has since been nominated for a Grammy, wrote a marvelous piece titled “Gift,” which the orchestra performed, while Texu Kim created a commissioned new arrangement of Hong Nan-pa’s “Spring in My Hometown,” and the orchestra gave its world premiere at the concert.
Both works carried cinematic, pastoral qualities. Zhou’s work swelled with sweet detail and texture, while “Spring in My Hometown” brought an earthy, meditative feeling.
Then, guest suona player Yazhi Guo played two numbers. A member of the Silk Road Ensemble, a group founded by Yo-Yo Ma, who is also coming to play a sold-out concert with the Minnesota Orchestra on March 3, Guo’s performance was a journey.
The suona is a squeaky instrument. It has a double reed, looks a bit like a trumpet, and sounded like a cross between an oboe and a saxophone, and at times a bagpipe without the drone. Guo’s performance was a whirlwind of unexpected rhythms, inspired characters, and joyful play.
First up was Hao-Fu Zhang’s “The River Crosses the Desert,” opening with a gong and continuing with mysterious percussive sounds — one section sounded like a descent of woodpeckers. Between gurgling cello and moody brass, the orchestra reached cacophony.
Guo’s second piece, the traditional Chinese “Hundreds of Birds Worshipping the Phoenix,” arranged by Huihui Cheng, featured Guo channeling the squawks and squabbles of birds, approximating nature’s rhythms.
At intermission, guests watched a dragon dance performed by the Alliance of Minnesota Chinese Organizations and the CAAM Chinese Dance Theater. Accompanied by boisterous drumming, puppeteers swept through the foyer and up the stairs with thunderous artistry.
After intermission, the orchestra performed a series of shorter pieces, beginning with an excerpt of Bright Sheng’s Concerto for Orchestra: “Zodiac Tales,” titled “The Flying Horses.” With its riveting trombone and smashing rhythms, the music exhilarated.
Next, the Minnesota Orchestra’s assistant concertmaster, Rui Du, shared his rich tone and emotional nuance in “Nostalgia” by Ma Sicong and “Seed of Eternal Love,” by Gordon She-Wen Chin.
The orchestra closed out the evening with a series of joyful numbers: “Confluence” by Wang Chenwei had a swinging sense of excitement, while Huang Ruos’s “Flower Drum Song from Feng Yang,” and Li Huanzhi’s “Spring Festival Overture” brought the program to a festive end.
The orchestra also played an encore. In a nod to host Roz Tsai, who likened “Spring Festival Overture” to Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture,” the orchestra finished off the evening with the Western classic. The choice made for a somewhat disjointed conclusion as it veered from the rest of the concert celebrating Asian traditions.
The Minnesota Orchestra
Next up: Ben Rector: Symphonies Across America
When: 7 p.m. on Sat. Feb. 28
Where: Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Tickets: $54-$136
Info: minnesotaorchestra.org
Accessibility: See minnesotaorchestra.org/plan-your-visit/accessibility
Capsule: After a riveting Lunar New Year Concert, the Minnesota Orchestra teams up with Ben Rector for an Anthem Sing-Along.
Related Articles
Tommy James and the Shondells and Herman’s Hermits to play MN State Fair
Minnesota Orchestra names first principal guest conductor in 40 years
Here’s what happens at a sensory-friendly live performance
Concert review: Brandi Carlile proclaims her love for Minnesotans at joyous Target Center show
Review: With new director, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres’ ‘Guys and Dolls’ shines
Leave a Reply