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Bard Chinese Ensemble Spring Concert

  • US China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music (map)
The Ensemble dress rehearsal at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, May 2021. Conductor Chen Tao is appearing via livestream from New York on the screen at right.

The Ensemble dress rehearsal at the Central Conservatory in Beijing, May 2021. Conductor Chen Tao is appearing via livestream from New York on the screen at right.

Celebrate a year of hard work, patience, and creativity with the Bard Chinese Ensemble! This online concert, recorded live at the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) in Beijing, features members of the Ensemble currently studying at CCOM due to travel restrictions, as well as guest performers from CCOM. Conducted by ensemble director Chen Tao remotely from New York, the ensemble will perform a varied selection of traditional and contemporary pieces for Chinese and Western instruments. Ensemble members who are not studying in Beijing will present solo performances during the concert.


Livestream starting at 8:00pm EDT on Thursday, May 27 below.


the program

Purple Bamboo 紫竹调
JiangNan Silk & Bamboo music, arr. Chen Tao

Little Boat 小行舟
Folk tune, arr. Chen Tao

Sadness of Chang Men Palace 长门怨
Traditional, arr. Zhu Yi
Qi Miao, An Qizhi, guqin
Liu Chang, Lin Chenxiehang, erhu

Three-Six 三六
Gu Guan-Ren, arr. Chen Tao

Mihu Tune 迷胡调
Lu Ri-Rong
Beitong Liu, erhu

Northwest Rain 西北雨
Taiwanese folk tune, arr. Chen Tao 

Happy Life 幸福的日子
Folk tune, arr. Chen Tao
Sun Dunlong, trumpet

Jasmine Flower茉莉花
Folk tune, arr. Chen Tao

Song of Joy 欢乐歌
JiangNan Silk & Bamboo music

Jackdaw Splashing in Water 寒鸦戏水
Trad. Chaozhou tune
Yixin Wang, guzheng

A Beautiful Place 美丽的地方
Folk tune, arr. Chen Tao
Sun Dunlong, trumpet

Night of Frontier Village 边寨之夜
Wang Zhi-Xin, arr. Chen Tao


The Performers (in alphabetical order)

About the Music Director and Arranger

Chen Tao. Photo courtesy of artist.

Chen Tao. Photo courtesy of artist.

Chen Tao is a Visiting Professor of Chinese Music at the Bard College Conservatory of Music. He is an internationally acclaimed Chinese flutist, music educator, composer, and conductor of Chinese orchestra; founder and director of Melody of Dragon, Inc., and of Melody of Dragon & the Youth; artistic director and conductor of the Chinese Music Ensemble of New York and conductor of New Jersey Buddha’s Light Youth Chinese Orchestra; director of New York Guqin Association; and executive chairman of the New York Chinese Music Instruments International Competition since 2015. He is also a 27th-generation musician of Zhi-Hua Buddhism music. On the faculty of Bard’s US-China Music Institute, Chen Tao teaches dizi and directs the Bard Chinese Ensemble. Read his full biography on the Melody of Dragon website, HERE.


For more information about the Bard Chinese Ensemble visit barduschinamusic.org/chinese-ensemble.