NEW YORK, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- The ninth China Now Music Festival kicked off Friday night at Carnegie Hall in New York City, bringing together musical works that evoke the shared memories, aspirations and enduring bonds of the American and Chinese peoples.

The festival, running from Oct. 2-11 under the theme "Chasing Dreams," is co-hosted by the U.S.-China Music Institute of Bard College Conservatory of Music and the Central Conservatory of Music of China (CCOM).

Through a series of concerts and a music forum, the event paid tribute to the contributions and sacrifices of early Chinese American pioneers while exploring the ambition and struggles of younger generations.

The opening concert featured The Rift, an opera by Chinese composer Huang Ruo and Tony Award-winning librettist David Henry Hwang.

The work tells the story of Chinese American architect Maya Lin (or Lin Ying), who realized her bold artistic vision with determination, and the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., which became one of the most recognizable memorials in the United States.

The concert also featured works combining traditional Chinese instruments, including dizi, erhu and pipa, with Western instruments. The harmonious fusion of cultures and musical traditions resonated with the audience.

"The concert was perfect. I was impressed by the charm of both Chinese and Western music, and the passionate performances of the artists," said Cynthia Gorman, a New Yorker and music lover.

In the final two concerts scheduled for Oct. 10 at Bard College and Oct. 11 at Lincoln Center, the symphonic oratorio Men of Iron and the Golden Spike will return to the New York stage after its premiere at the 2019 China Now Music Festival. The work focuses on thousands of Chinese laborers who helped build the Transcontinental Railroad in the 1860s.

The closing concert will also feature the premiere of the symphonic suite Chasing the Sky, which explores humanity's enduring fascination with the skies and the journey of space exploration.

"For this year's festival, we aim to tell stories of the shared dreams, resilience, and creativity that connect all of us, American and Chinese alike," said Jindong Cai, artistic director of the China Now Music Festival.

"Through music, we can be reminded that our histories and aspirations are deeply intertwined," said Cai, who is also director of the U.S.-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music.

The China Now Music Festival, co-founded in 2018 by the U.S.-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music in collaboration with CCOM, is dedicated to promoting understanding and appreciation of music from contemporary China through concerts and academic programs. ■

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