Carleton's acclaimed Chinese Music Ensemble will celebrate the sights and sounds of China in a public recital on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 3 p.m. in the College's Concert Hall. Directed by world renowned musician and composer Gao Hong, the Chinese Music Ensemble has also been invited to perform at St. Paul's Landmark Center on Thursday, Nov. 8 at 5 p.m. as part of The Schubert Club's "Cocktails with Culture" Concert Series. Both performances are free and open to the public.
This unique musical group performs throughout the year at various campus events including Carleton’s international festival, Chinese New Year celebration and gallery openings. Audiences in the Twin Cities have also had the chance to enjoy Carleton’s Chinese Music Ensemble thanks to performances at the Chinese Minghua Language School in St. Paul, the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, and at the Mall of America, where the group was invited especially at the invitation of the Chinese Heritage Foundation.
Members of the Chinese Music Ensemble include Yawen Chen on the dizi; Kim Bauer, Xiaodi Wang, Tantuo Xu, Johanna Olsen, Faye Merritt (Carleton Faculty), Yuanbo Wang, and Guanlu Guanall (St. Olaf College) on the erhu; Wenyue Wu on the guzheng; Guang Yang (St. Olaf College) on the yangqin; Ming Sheng Wang on the sanxian; Joseph Concannon on the hulusi; and Yonas Hailu on guitar. The performance will also feature special guests Nada Batu and Shirley Yang (vocals); and Gus Holley on the zhongruan.
Gao Hong, a world-renowned composer and pipa player, began performing at age 12 and later graduated with honors from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. She has earned numerous recognition awards, including first prize in the Hebei Professional Young Music Performers Competition, a Bush Artist Fellowship, and an Asian Pacific Award. Gao Hong has performed throughout Europe, Australia, China, and the United States in solo concerts and with symphony orchestras.
The Schubert Club's Concert Series, "Cocktails With Culture," takes place on the second floor gallery space of the Landmark Center in St. Paul. The Carleton College Concert Hall is located on First Street between Nevada and Winona Streets on the Carleton College campus in Northfield. For more information on the performance, including disability accommodations, please contact Gao Hong at (507) 222-4475.
