Bard College Conservatory of Music Presents
China Now Music Festival: Music in Motion NYC
Jazz at Lincoln Center
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT/GMT-4
The eighth season of the China Now Music Festival presents three major concerts and a discussion forum over two weekends at Bard and in New York City. Our theme is expressed in the two characters 乐 (yuè - music) and 动 (dòng - movement or motion) — Music in Motion.3:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT/GMT-4
“This year’s theme explores the dynamic flow of contemporary Chinese music—its innovation, cross-cultural dialogues, and ability to evolve with the times,” said Jindong Cai, artistic director and conductor of the festival.
Schedule of Programs at New York City's Jazz at Lincoln Center:
Concert 1
The Orchestra Now Performs Three Generations of Composers from China
September 28, 3:00 pm
Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center
Tickets: $15–$55
https://ticketing.jazz.org/19439/19440
NOTE: This program will also be performed at Bard's Fisher Center on Saturday, September 27. Learn more.
Concert 2
Bard East/West Ensemble Chamber Opera and Dance Concert
October 5, 3:00 pm
Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center
Tickets: $15–$55
https://ticketing.jazz.org/19439/19443
NOTE: A free preview of this performance will take place on Saturday October 4 at 3pm in the Lázló Z. Bitó Conservatory Building at Bard. Open to the public.
US–China Music Forum
Music in Motion
A Bridge for US-China Cultural Exchange
Co-presented by China Daily
September 28, 5:00 pm
Ertugun Atrium, Jazz at Lincoln Center
Tickets: $10 (includes wine and refreshments)
https://us-china-music-forum-2025.eventbrite.com
The first program will be performed by The Orchestra Now (TŌN) under the baton of Jindong Cai, featuring guest cellist Hai-Ye Ni and singers Manli Deng and Yue Wu. Works by Ye Xiaogang, Zou Hang, Dai Bo, and Yu Mengshi—composers spanning from the post-1950s to post-1980s generations—will illuminate the lineage of Chinese music from the late 20th century to today, evoking reflections on nature, time, and society.
The second program will feature the Bard East/West Ensemble (BE/WE) in a boundary-crossing performance with a Western string quintet, seven Chinese instruments, and Chinese-Western percussion. The concert begins with two movements from Guan Naizhong’s electrifying double percussion concerto The Age of the Dragon, followed by the haunting 30-minute chamber opera Mi 谜 (The Enigma), featuring tenor Eric Carey, baritone Nathaniel Sullivan, and Peking opera performer Xiangwei Yu. The program closes with Wang Danhong’s Four Seasons of the Lingering Garden, a music-and-dance collaboration with choreographer Dai Jian (France) and dancers Mi Peng and Wang Kan (China), where music and movement interweave.
After the September 28 concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center the festival will co-host a US-China Music Forum, co-presented by China Daily. Centered on the theme “Music in Motion” and the core topic of cross-cultural exchange, the forum will draw on the Bard East/West Ensemble’s recent China tour. Moderated by journalist Belinda Robinson (China Daily). Speakers includeing BE/WE Artistic Director Jindong Cai, former Kennedy Center Producer Alicia Adams, and participating musicians will share their experiences, highlighting the unique role of music as a universal language of connection. A reception with drinks and light refreshments will follow.
For more information, call 845-758-7026, e-mail [email protected],
or visit https://www.barduschinamusic.org/music-in-motion.
Time: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm EDT/GMT-4
Location: Jazz at Lincoln Center