UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Penn State School of Music will welcome the Lunar New Year with a vibrant, family-friendly concert on Friday, Feb. 13, at 5 p.m. in Recital Hall at the School of Music. The Lunar New Year Concert will feature performances by Penn State faculty, students, community musicians and young performers, celebrating musical traditions from across East Asia and beyond. Admission is free.
The event will begin with a pre-concert instrument showcase and children’s activities from 4:15 to 4:45 p.m. in the Recital Hall lobby, hosted by the Penn State Asian Classical Music Club. Audience members will have the opportunity to learn about traditional instruments, while families can enjoy arts and crafts designed for young attendees.
The concert will open at 5 p.m. with welcoming remarks, followed by a diverse program highlighting traditional and contemporary works for voice, piano, strings, winds and traditional Asian instruments.
The first half of the program will feature performances by a children’s vocal ensemble singing the traditional New Year song “Gong Xi Gong Xi (Best Wishes),” as well as Penn State’s Concert Choir performing the beloved Korean folk song “Arirang,” arranged by Hyo Won Woo and conducted by Professor Christopher Kiver. Additional selections include works by YoungJu Jung, Gao Ping, Fan Shang-e and Gesang Daji and HyeKyung Lee, showcasing collaborations between Penn State faculty, students and local middle school musicians.
Following a brief intermission, the second half will highlight ensemble performances by members of the Penn State Asian Classical Music Club, including “March of the Elephant King” by Guan Dazhou and “Dance of the Golden Snake” by Nie Er, featuring guzheng, pipa, erhu, dizi, percussion and piano. The program will also include a poetry and music collaboration in “Water” by Jeong Kang Kim, with Korean poetry recitation by Professor Jungwoo Ryoo, chancellor of Penn State DuBois; and Hyeseon Kim.
The concert will conclude with chamber and solo works by Yuko Uebayashi, Xian Sihua and An-Lun Huang, performed by Penn State faculty and guest artists.
The performance is expected to conclude between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m., followed by a reception in the Recital Hall lobby until 7 p.m.
The Lunar New Year Concert reflects Penn State’s commitment to cultural exchange, artistic collaboration and community engagement, offering audiences an opportunity to experience a wide range of musical traditions in celebration of the Lunar New Year.