US-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music Presents Ninth Annual China Now Music Festival, "Chasing Dreams," October 2–11, 2026

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, NY — The US–China Music Institute at Bard College Conservatory announces the launch of the ninth annual China Now Music Festival, taking place in New York City, Kingston, and at Bard College from October 2–11, 2026 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of America and the evolution of the American Dream.

This year’s festival “Chasing Dreams” reminds us that the pursuit of dreams is a shared human experience that connects all people. Artistic director of the China Now Music Festival, Jindong Cai, emphasizes the power of music in sustaining hope and preserving historical memory as we navigate turbulent times. He says, “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. Through music, we can be reminded that our histories and aspirations are deeply intertwined.”

With works by an outstanding roster of contemporary Chinese-American and Chinese composers including Huang Ruo, Zhou Long, and Li Shaosheng, the festival reflects the tenacity of the human spirit through stories of creativity, perseverance, and innovation. From Maya Lin’s determination to realize a bold artistic vision, to the sacrifices of the Chinese railroad workers to build a nation, to the scientists and explorers whose ambitions continue to expand humanity’s horizons, these works celebrate the many ways dreams have shaped American history and continue to inspire future generations. Together, they embody the China Now Music Festival’s mission of fostering cross-cultural understanding through music while honoring the enduring contributions of Chinese people who have chased freedom, unity, and equality in what has historically been called the American Dream.

Led by conductor Jindong Cai, the opening night at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall on October 2 at 7:30 pm features a performance of renowned composer Huang Ruo and Tony-award winning librettist David Henry Hwang’s chamber opera, The Rift. The chamber opera recounts the creation of architect Maya Lin’s iconic Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Although it is now one of the most beloved and most visited memorials in the United States, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial had a deeply contentious beginning. The controversial origin of the memorial is at the heart of this story featuring interconnected yet conflicting characters: architect Maya Lin sung by soprano Karen Vuong; a Vietnam War veteran sung by tenor Edward Graves; a Vietnamese refugee sung by mezzo-soprano Michelle Mariposa; and former secretary of defense Robert McNamara sung by Daniel Klein. In an article by AsAmNews, librettist David Henry Hwang describes Maya Lin’s journey as “a story about how a work of art can help to heal a country.” That same night, the festival’s resident ensemble, the Bard East/West Ensemble, will perform three works written for the group by Zhang Zheng, Luk Wai Chun, and Wang Danhong. The core members of the ensemble are composed of a Western string quintet and seven Chinese instruments including dizi, erhu, pipa, ruan, suona, guzheng and sheng, with Chinese and Western percussionists.

For the final two concerts at Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at Bard College on October 10 at 3 pm and at Frederick P. Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center on October 11 at 3 pm, artistic director Jindong Cai conducts The Orchestra Now (TŌN), China Now Chorus, and vocal soloists, bringing to life Pulitzer-winning composer Zhou Long and librettist Sun Wei’s powerful symphonic oratorio Men of Iron and the Golden Spike. The work honors the thousands of Chinese laborers who came to America in the 1860s to build the Transcontinental Railroad that connected the US coasts and transformed the nation. Zhou Long writes, “In this divisive moment in our country, I hope this piece reminds audiences that America has always been shaped by diverse ethnic communities, and that the stories of Chinese laborers deserve their rightful place in our shared history.” This monumental work returns to the stage in New York City after its premiere during the 2019 China Now Music Festival and features a large orchestra, 120 choristers, and vocal soloists.

In the same program as the oratorio is the US premiere of Li Shaosheng’s symphonic suite Chasing the Sky which explores humanity’s enduring fascination with the skies and the journey of space exploration. The piece traces the relationship between ancient imagination, scientific discovery, and contemporary innovation. Through five interconnected movements, the work reflects on the timeless human desire to understand the universe as we push the boundaries of knowledge while remaining connected to the world we call home. The work celebrates generations of dreamers, researchers, engineers, and explorers whose curiosity and dedication have expanded our understanding of the cosmos. The performance features a suona soloist in the second movement, Questioning the Sky, and a tenor soloist Li Yi in the powerful finale. The soaring vocal lines embody the timeless spirit of discovery and humanity's shared aspiration to reach beyond the horizon.

Additional musical performances include a concert on Sunday, October 4 at 3 pm at TEMPO Performing Arts Center in Kingston and another on Friday, October 9 at 2 pm at Chapel of the Holy Innocents at Bard College. At TEMPO, the Bard East/West Ensemble will present the three pieces from the previous concert at Carnegie Hall in addition to repertoire that further showcases their innovative, cross-cultural sound. Returning home from a 2026 tour in China that took them to 8 cities for 15 performances, the Bard East/West Ensemble will perform unique arrangements of works by Aaron Copland, Astor Piazzolla, and Jiang Ying, among others. At the Chapel of the Holy Innocents, singers from the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing, will perform Chinese and American folk songs, along with other contemporary works. 

Through opera, orchestral works, chamber music, and conversation, the 2026 China Now Music Festival reminds audiences of important moments in American history and invites the listeners to reflect on how the “American Dream” has changed over time. As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, the festival offers an opportunity to listen to music that explores the impact and contributions of Chinese people on the development of America.

US-China Music Forum:
This year, on October 3rd at 3:00PM, alongside Asia Society, the China Now Music Festival will co-host the US-China Music Forum: Chasing Dreams, followed by a reception. The forum features live solo performances of excerpts from Huang Ruo and David Henry Hwang’s The Rift and Zhou Long and Su Wei’s Men of Iron and the Golden Spike, as well as a panel discussion. The creators and performers behind The Rift and the Men of Iron and the Golden Spike will discuss how music captures the emotion and power of history, what the “American Dream” means to them, and how they envision music and performance illuminating stories that have been neglected. The discussion will be followed with a Q&A.

For more information on the festival, visit https://www.barduschinamusic.org/chasing-dreams

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Schedule of Programs:
Bard East/West Ensemble and China Now Chamber Orchestra - NYC
October 2nd, 7:30 pm
Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall
Tickets: $25-$75
https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2026/10/02/Chasing-Dreams-Bard-EastWest-Ensemble-and-China-Now-Chamber-Orchestra-0730PM


US–China Music Forum: Chasing Dreams
October 3rd, 4:30 pm
Asia Society
Tickets: $30 (includes wine and refreshments)
Link: https://asiasociety.org/new-york/events/chasing-dreams-us-china-music-forum


Bard East/West Ensemble conducted by Jindong Cai - Kingston
October 4th, 3:00 pm
TEMPO Performing Arts Center
Tickets: $10
Link: https://www.barduschinamusic.org/events/2026/7/28/chasing-dreams-bard-eastwest-ensemble-kingston


Chasing Dreams: Chinese and American Folk Songs  - Bard College
October 9th, 2:00 pm
Chapel of the Holy Innocents, Bard College
Tickets: Free
Link: https://www.barduschinamusic.org/events/2026/8/19/chinese-and-american-folk-songs


The Orchestra Now Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary - Bard College
October 10th, 3:00 pm
Sosnoff Theater, Fisher Center at Bard College
Tickets: $15
Link: https://www.barduschinamusic.org/events/2026/7/29/the-orchestra-now-celebrates-americas-250th-anniversary-bard-college


The Orchestra Now Celebrates America’s 250th Anniversary - NYC
October 11th, 3:00 pm
Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center
Tickets: $35-$125
Link: https://ticketing.jazz.org/21583/21585

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About the China Now Music Festival
Founded in 2018, the China Now Music Festival is co-presented by the US–China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music and the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Each year, the festival presents concerts and forums that build cultural bridges between China and the United States, featuring distinguished composers and performers. Each year’s festival explores a singular theme. The inaugural festival in 2018, “Facing the Past, Looking to the Future: Chinese Composers in the 21st Century,” presented US and world premieres of orchestral works by 11 living Chinese composers in concerts at Bard College, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center. The following year, the festival presented “China and America: Unity in Music” at Bard College, Carnegie Hall, and Stanford University, and featured the world premiere of the symphonic oratorio Men of Iron and the Golden Spike, by Pulitzer Prize–winning composer Zhou Long, honoring the Chinese railroad workers of the American West on the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. Recent seasons featured “Beethoven and China” in 2020, “Asian American Voices” in 2021, “East of West” in 2022, “The Bridge of Music” in 2023, “Composing the Future” in 2024, and “Music in Motion” in 2025.

About the Presenters
The US–China Music Institute was founded in 2017 by conductor Jindong Cai and Robert Martin, founding director of Bard College Conservatory of Music, with the mission to promote the study, performance, and appreciation of music from contemporary China and to support musical exchange between the United States and China. In partnership with the prestigious Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the US–China Music Institute has embarked on several groundbreaking projects, including the first degree-granting program in Chinese instrument performance in a US conservatory and a Master of Arts in Chinese Music and Culture, a unique multidisciplinary opportunity for graduate-level academic study and performance of Chinese music outside of China. Planned is the construction of a permanent home for the US–China Music Institute on the Bard campus in upstate New York. The Chinese Music Pavilion will be a landmark for the study and appreciation of Chinese music in the United States and throughout the West. barduschinamusic.org

Established in 1949 and merged with the National College of Music and several other music educational institutions in China, the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM) is a specialized Chinese institution of higher education for nurturing high level music professionals. It currently enrolls 1,543 undergraduate students and 633 graduate students. Functioning as a national center of music education, composition, performance, research and social promotion of music, CCOM is a world-renowned institute of music that represents the highest caliber of music education in China. While carrying on the diverse musical heritage of China, CCOM is actively absorbing the essence of various music cultures across the world, embracing different artistic elements with an open mind. Facing a time of increasing opportunities, CCOM will continue its efforts to become a world-leading conservatory with top-notch programs in music education, dedicated to preparing future generations of professional music leaders for the development of art in China, and to bringing China’s vibrant music culture to the world.

Founded in 1860, Bard College is a four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences located 90 miles north of New York City. With the addition of the Montgomery Place and Massena properties, Bard’s campus consists of more than 1,200 parklike acres in the Hudson River Valley. It offers bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, and bachelor of music degrees, with majors in nearly 40 academic programs; advanced degrees through 13 graduate programs; nine early colleges; and numerous dual-degree programs nationally and internationally. Building on its 165-year history as a competitive and innovative undergraduate institution, Bard College has expanded its mission as a private institution acting in the public interest across the country and around the world to meet broader student needs and increase access to liberal arts education. The undergraduate program at the main campus in upstate New York has a reputation for scholarly excellence, a focus on the arts, and civic engagement. Bard is committed to enriching culture, public life, and democratic discourse by training tomorrow’s thought leaders. For more information about Bard College, visit bard.edu.
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Website: https://www.barduschinamusic.org/chasing-dreams

This event was last updated on 08-26-2026

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