During the Spring Festival of the Year of the Wood Rabbit, dozens of Chinese community organizations in Vancouver held numerous welcoming Spring Gala events, filling the air with festive songs. On February 17, the "Anbo Night · 2024 Vancouver New Year Concert" shone like a brilliant star amidst the vibrant celebrations!
The "Anbo Night · 2024 Vancouver New Year Concert" is co-hosted by the Vancouver Alumni Association of the China Europe International Business School and the Vancouver Alumni Association of Peking University's Guanghua School of Management, with the support of 16 alumni associations from Chinese universities, marking the fourth concert.
Learning and making friends, expressing emotions through rhythm, the goodwill of university alumni gathers to compose a splendid chapter. The 2024 concert once again invited the renowned professional symphony orchestra VMO (The Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra) to perform. Established in 2002, VMO is a professional orchestra under the American Federation of Musicians, hailed as "Vancouver's most imaginative and creative symphony orchestra," with the famous young Chinese conductor Ken Hsieh leading for 15 consecutive years. They bring warmth and blessings to the beautiful city of Vancouver!
Every pulsating note is a passionate heart. All charitable proceeds from the concert will be donated to Canuck Place Children's Hospice. The continuous contributions of the Chinese community not only demonstrate community cohesion but also make significant contributions to local charitable causes and progress. Meanwhile, the sense of community responsibility and positive influence of the Chinese university alumni associations are also driving the Chinese community towards a more harmonious and inclusive direction.
The concert featured a well-crafted program and strong performances, successfully attracting a large audience, with the theater completely full. Compared to the previous three editions, this event showed an increasing number of people participating in charity, and the recognition of classical music in society is also on the rise.
I walked into the spacious and grand Chen Performing Arts Center's concert hall, enjoying this high-level, heartfelt concert, and penned a poem to document this harmonious blend of Eastern and Western music.
The concert opened with the well-known "Spring Festival Overture" composed by the famous Chinese composer Li HuanZhi, whose cheerful melody is filled with the essence of the New Year, creating a joyful atmosphere both on and off the stage.
On February 17, coinciding with the eighth day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, the number "eight" sounds like "prosper," so the VMO orchestra specially performed the "Gold and Silver Waltz," which felt particularly festive for the Chinese audience on this auspicious day.
Gold and silver symbolize wealth, and this waltz signifies a prosperous path and abundant resources. The light melody reminds the audience of the traditional greeting "Gong Xi Fa Cai," which is beloved by every Chinese person.
After the intermission, the VMO orchestra performed a segment from the operetta "The Land of Smiles" composed by Franz Lehár in the 1920s. The operetta's protagonist is a charming and romantic Chinese prince, Su Cheng, who embarks on a romantic yet unfulfilled love story with Lisa, the daughter of a Viennese count. Although the story is tragic, the young singer's powerful and nearly perfect voice brought the evening to a climax.
Music heals the soul; it can empower life. The audience listened quietly, as the singing transported them into beautiful memories and longings of love. I couldn't help but take out my phone to record this heavenly sound rich in Eastern colors, and I recited a verse from "Tasha Xing" to express my feelings.
The conductor's gestures astonished, the bow dazzled the eyes, and the singing transformed into a myriad of sounds.
A wonderful night shared between heaven and earth, the soul-stirring echoes linger in the hall.
Classic melodies from the past reappear, orchestral music adds to the longing.
In the fleeting dreams of spring and autumn, only the exquisite charm remains.
The principal violinist of VMO is a young Chinese, who left a deep impression on me. Many second-generation Chinese musicians are award winners in international competitions. They are the soul of the orchestra, and the soul determines the quality. I couldn't help but marvel at the high-level performance of this young violinist, and I could hear the vibrant symphony orchestra, composed of young musicians, marching towards international high standards.
Anbo Night blends true feelings
A clever fusion of Eastern and Western sounds
The double oriole sings sweetly
Jade fingers play the strings, a hundred phoenixes sing
Flying through the clear skies, a rainbow is born
With light transforming the melody, dreams come true
With kindred spirits filling the hall, dust and thoughts fade away
Music halts the clouds, bathing the spirit
The symphony concert concluded with the "Radetzky March." Under the conductor's guidance, the audience clapped along to the rhythm, some enthusiastically, some gently, opening the New Year march for the Year of the Wood Rabbit in a lively and joyful atmosphere!
"Music is the medicine of sound, poetry is the medicine of verse." Whether in ancient Greece, ancient Rome, or during the Han and Tang dynasties, music and poetry have always been essential subjects for scholars and a soothing remedy for the common people. Listening to symphonies and writing poetry can relax the body and mind, alleviating stress and anxiety. I believe that after the successful conclusion of the fourth Anbo Night 2024 Vancouver New Year Charity Concert, next year's fifth edition will see even more ordinary people entering the concert hall to appreciate classical and elegant music.
Western music and Chinese poetry complement each other beautifully; music has melody, and poetry has charm. Congratulations on the successful conclusion of the Anbo Night Vancouver New Year Charity Concert, and I present a poem:
Jade brocade and red scarf hang the lanterns, welcoming the new while seeking poetic sentiments.
High mountains and waterfalls arise from the strings, as the sun and moon are born under the Year of the Wood Rabbit.
Thoughts linger, dreams entwine.
Falling flowers and leaves enter the old hall.
Harmonious sounds surpass wine in celebrating the festival, intoxicated by the spring breeze melting the ice.
After the concert, I conducted an exclusive interview with Cindy, the Vice President of Anbo Financial. Here are the records of the interview:
Me: Anbo Financial has been the title sponsor for four consecutive Vancouver New Year Charity Concerts. What is your original intention?
CINDY: Vancouver has various concerts, such as Spring Festival Galas and variety shows, but symphony concerts are rarely presented within the Chinese community. Therefore, we invited a professional symphony orchestra like VMO to offer a different form of contribution for the Chinese New Year. We aim to emulate the Vienna New Year Concert, hoping to provide Vancouver's audience with a high-level concert and encourage them to appreciate elegant music. All our programs are carefully selected, many of which are classic repertoires from the Vienna New Year Concert.
Me: Thank you very much to Anbo Financial for bringing this elegant concert to Vancouver's audience. I know Anbo Financial has a high reputation locally. What new goals does Anbo Financial have in the new year?
Cindy: As a representative of Anbo Financial, our goal in the new year is to assist individuals, families, and businesses in achieving their housing aspirations and financial goals through our financial services. Our core values are integrity, rigor, professionalism, multiculturalism, community contribution, and sustainability. Our mission is to always provide borrowers with fast and flexible loan services while offering investors high-yield and stable investment opportunities. Through these efforts, we hope to create more value and opportunities for society.