As part of our effort to promote Chinese culture in the Midwest, the Confucius Institute at Valparaiso University is sponsoring the first Great Lakes Confucius Institute Music Festival from September 12-21, 2008.

The festival will include a total of 9 performances in Valparaiso, Indianapolis, West Lafayette, Chesterton, and Culver in Indiana; as well as a performance in Minneapolis, Minnesota, all of which will feature the Silk & Bamboo Performing Troupe from the Jiangsu Province in China.

The Deputy Consul General Maoming Chu, Consul Ji Yuan, and Consul Jiajie Jiang will be attending the main performance at the VUCA (Valparaiso University Center for Arts) at 7:00 pm on September 16, together with local government, business, education, and community leaders.

At 5:00 pm on Saturday, September 20, Valparaiso University Symphony and five high school orchestras with a total of more than 200 student musicians will join the visiting Chinese musicians to give a gala concert at VU’s ARC (Athletic and recreational Center). The Chinese and American musicians will play Chinese music, such as Confucian Ritual Music (祭孔音乐), Kangding Love Song(康定情歌), Good News from Beijing (北京喜讯到边寨), etc. As this will be the biggest joint concert we have ever had, we are working closely with VU’s Music Department to ensure that every participant has a positive experience.

The enormous success of CIVU sponsored Windiana Concert Band China Tours have greatly inspired CIVU and its American musician friends to do likewise. The launch of the first Great Lakes Confucius Institute Music Festival represents another culmination of VU’s long time effort and commitment to promote musical exchange between China and America. We firmly believe that music is one of the best ways for people not just to learn about each other’s culture, but also to appreciate and enjoy them. Our experience has proved what Confucius said more than two thousand years ago: Music can help bring harmony to the world (乐以和同).

The first Great Lakes Confucius Music Festival is also a product of close cooperation of Chinese Consulate in Chicago and several other CIs in the region. Second Secretary Counsellorial Consul Xiaoyang Wang, Education Consul Ji Yuan, Director Zao Xu of CI at IUPUI, Director Wei Hong of CI at Purdue University, Director Joan Brzezinski of CI at University of Minnesota have all given us valuable suggestions and help to make the festival a reality.

The Confucius Institute, the Jiangsu Performing Group Corporation has provided the funding for the US performance tour of the visiting of Silk & Bamboo Troupe. The Culture and Arts Committee of Valparaiso University has provided funding for the group’s performances at VU. We would like to extend our deep appreciation and gratitude for their generous contributions.

The Jiangsu Silk & Bamboo Performing Group
Invited by Confucius Institute at Valparaiso University (CIVU), Jiangsu Silk & Bamboo Performing Group (JSBPG) is making a special trip to America in mid-September to perform for the First Great Lakes Confucius Institute Music Festival.  The group will also give about 8 performances at Valparaiso University and other schools in the Great Lakes area.

The 25-member JSBPG will include 13 instrumentalists, 2 vocalists, 2 dancers, 2 acrobats, 3 Beijing Opera actors and actress, and 1 puppet show actress, who are the principle performers of Jiangsu Performing Arts Company.  Jiangsu Performing Arts Company is one of the largest performing companies of China. It currently employs about 1,200 performers and supporting personals and also owns many performance venues in the area. During their visit to America, the artists of JSBPG will present programs featuring traditional Chinese instrumental and vocal music, folk dance, magic, puppet show, acrobatics and excerpts from the most famous Beijing Opera classics. All the artists have toured extensively in and outside China and performed at many famous venues around the world.

JSPBG will be headed by the renowned Erhu player and composer Changyao Zhu. Zhu is an Erhu maestro, composer, national first-class artist, and the vice-general manager and chief inspector of arts in Jiangsu Performing Arts Group. He is also the director of China Musician Association, the standing director of China National Orchestral Academy, the vice- chairman of China Erhu Academy, the vice-chairman of Jiangsu Literature and Art Joint Association and chairman of Jiangsu Musician Association. Zhu has been hailed as "National treasure of the world" and "One of the world's most excellent players of stringed instruments" and has visited many countries to give performance or speech.

Jiangsu is a province located to the north and west of Shanghai in the lower valley of the Yangtze River. It has a long history and unique culture, and its capital Nanjing used to serve as China’s capital several times. The province also enjoys a highly developed economy with its GDP ranked No. 1 among all the provinces of China. Valparaiso University has long had a very productive relation with the universities and cultural institutions in Jiangsu and Nanjing. In 2002 a group of 4 musicians led by Mr. Changyao Zhu visited VU. Their performance was warmly received by Valpo community. The upcoming visit and performance by the artists of Jiangsu Silk & Bamboo Performing Group to the Great Lakes area of America will definitely further strengthen and develop the existing cultural and economical ties the two regions.

Schedule

Information

• Jiangsu Silk & Bamboo Performing Group of China Performance Program
• Jiangsu Silk & Bamboo Performing Group of China Performance Schedule
• Jiangsu Silk & Bamboo Performing Group of China Performer Roster
• Jiangsu Silk & Bamboo Performing Group of China Tour Schedule
  
• Great Lakes Confucius Institute Music Festival Flyer