Dear Audience and Friends in New York City,
The United States and China Foundation together with its Co-Presenter, China Arts and Entertainment Group, is proud to welcome you to this “REDWOOD: SINO – US FRIENDSHIP CONCERT”.
The concert has been planned symbolically to fall on the date of the traditional Chinese “Mid-Autumn Festival”, a joyous celebration of harvest, harmony, happiness, and reunion!
Further significance of this date is that it marks the 30th anniversary of the momentous establishment of diplomatic relations between the US and China, and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. The Redwood tree, as reflected in the title, refers to the planting of the Redwood Tree by both US and Chinese leaders in China in 1972, which continues to flourish as an enduring symbol of US-China friendship.
Planning this peformance has been splendid and exciting Artists from China and the US have been brought together to perform on the same stage in a program that combines elements of both Cultures. Chinese and American folk songs, Italian Opera selections, as well as Beijing Opera excerpts will be heard. The famous Chinese Erhu player, Ma Xiaohui, will play both Chinese and western music on her traditional Chinese String Instrument.
We hope that the audience will enjoy this afternoon and that this presentation will inspire a harmonious, memorable experience that expresses the universality between our two great nations and strengthens our cultural ties.
Thank you for joining us.
Sincerely
Larry L. Lee, President and Co-Founder
The United States and China Foundation
ARTISTS
ZHAO XIAOOU, CONDUCTOR/MUSIC DIRECTOR is currently the Assistant Dean of Conducting Department of Shanghai Conservatory of Music (SCM). Meanwhile he is also the Music Director of the Youth Symphony Orchestra of SCM. Born in l978 in Shanghai, he began his early studies as a student under Professor Zhang Mei of SCM. In 2003 he received a full scholarship from the University of Memphis where he studied under Dr. Jiang Puqi. While there, he conducted numerous concerts for the University of Memphis Symphony Orchestra. After getting the Master’s Degree in 2005, he was awarded the fellowship in the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen Music Festival during which he furthered his studies under David Zinman. Returning from the overseas studies, he has had a busy schedule conducting concerts in various cities in China, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, St. Louis, Berlin, Stuttgart, Ehingen and Salzburg. His conducting and performance has received recognition and many accolades both inside China and abroad.
JULIA (JIALI) ZHU, Soprano, graduated from Shenyang Conservatory of Music in China with a baccalaureate degree in Chinese traditional vocal art in 1997. She is currently a graduate student at the Chinese Conservatory in Beijing, mentored by the most esteemed Professor, Jin Tielin, with further studies under the guidance of Ms. Liang Ning, Mezzo Soprano, one of China’s most highly regarded vocalists. In 2004, while visiting china, President George Bush heard Julia sing at the People’s Hall in Beijing. He encouraged her to come to Houston to sing. She received further encouragement from Dr. Henry Kissinger, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, and Honorary Chairman of the US – China Foundation, Chai Zemin. Following this was her solo concert debut in Houston, in which she presented a unique concert of both Chinese and Western/American songs. Her beautiful voice and expressive style earned high praise from mainstream media in the U.S. and her public. (See www.famehall.com. ) This concert marks Ms. Zhu’s New York City debut.
MS. MA XIAOHUI, Internationally famous Erhu Artist of the Shanghai Folk Orchestra, graduated from Shanghai Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of the renowned Professor, Wang Yi. She is Artistic Adviser of the Shanghai grand Theatre, Ambassador to the Special Olympics in 2007, and Director of the Shanghai Xiaohui Art Center, and is famous for her duet with Yo-Yo Ma on the soundtrack for the film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In June, 2008, Ms. Xiaohui gave her first Carnegie Hall recital, “Erhu Holding Hands with the World.” Tan Dun praised her saying, “Ms Ma one of the most talented musicians of our time.” Based in China, she has a successful international career, having toured to Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas in more than 500 concerts, recitals and lectures in such prominent concerts halls as the Champs Elysee Concert Hall, Beethoven House, Herkulessaal Munich, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Stockholm Concert Hall, Kennedy Center, NHK Concert Hall, Shanghai Grand Theatre and numerous other venue worldwide. She is featured in 20 CDs, in over 40 recordings and DVDs. Her theme is “Erhu Holding Hands with the World” in dialog with different musicians and instruments.
ZHU LIQING, Folk Signer graduated from the department of music in the People’s Liberation Army College for Artists. She won the coveted National Young Singer TV Competition of the “Shanghui Cup” and in l996, special prize at the National Young Singer TV Competition of “Da Hongying Cup”, and in l998 was first prize winner in the National Cities Song Competition. In 1998 she was contracted with the CCTV Media Performance Center, and performed in major shows including, “Heart to Heart”, “Super Variety Show”, “May 1 Events” and various specials. She was featured in performances of the China Cultural Ministry’s “Spring Festival Song and Dance Evening” and the “China Public Security Ministry’s Spring Festival Evening”. She was a CCTV Artist in Australia. Her CDs for CCTV include “Wang Chuan Qiu Shui”, “Jiu Yun You You” and “Wang Qiu Shui”. She published a personal single, “Shuijing San Yue San”.
GERARD POWERS, Tenor has enjoyed acclaim from critics and audiences for his glowing voice and innovative opera characterizations. He has recently concluded the title role in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Boston Lyric Opera, Rodolfo in La Boheme with the Gothenberg Opera, Don Jose in Carmen with the Bolshoi Opera, Cavaradossi in Tosca with Arizona Opera. In the 2007-2008 Mr. Powers was heard as Prunier in Puccini’s La Rondine with San Francisco Opera. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that “the evening’s true jewel was tenor Gerard Powers, making a vocally resplendent and dramatically canny debut”. Other performances of the season were with Opera Columbus (Rodolfo in La Boheme), Fresno Grand Opera (Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly), Don Jose in Carmen (Opera Bolshoi ) in St Petersburg, Russia. Other operas in which he has appeared across North America include Cavaradossi in Tosca, Germont in La Traviata, Nicias in Thais, Gerald in Lakme, the Duke in Rigoletto, Fenton in Falstaff, Leicester in Rossini’s Elisabetta, Regina D’Inghilterra. European engagements include Luigi in Il Tabarro by Puccini in Robert Carsen’s renowed production, Anatol in Vanessa at Teatro Massimo in Palermo, Penelope with the Wexford Opera Festival in Ireland and Ismaele in Nabucco at the Cologne Arena. He is a favorite on primary concert venues such as Carnegie and Alice Tully Halls in New York.
JENNIFER ROWLEY, Soprano, made her professional debut in April, 2003, as the First Lady in Die Zauberflote with the Cleveland Opera.During the 2008 – 2009 season she joined the Scuola dell’Opera at te Teatro comunale di Bologna where she made her debut as Magda in La rondine. In summer, 2009, she was heard as Konstanze in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail with Opera New Jersey, and she was heard in the title role of Ballad of Baby Doe at Chelsea Opera, New York. She sang Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, Konstanze in Die Entfuhring aus dem Serail, and Ophelia in Thomas’s Hamlet with the Opera Company of Brooklyn. Other performances are the roles of Zerbinetta in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Juno in Orpheus in the Underworld at the Brevard Music Center’s Janiec Opera Co, Antonia in Les contes d’Hoffman at the Palace of the Secretary of Arts and Culture of Buenos Aires, Mimi in La Boheme at the Salon Dorado of the Teatro Colon. In addition to her opera credits, Ms. Rowley has appeared in Oratorio and concerts, including performances of The Chichester Psalms with the Cleveland Orchestra. She graduated Magna cum laude from the Baldwin Wallace College Conservatory of Music and holds a Masters Degree from Indiana School of Music.
