2011 Minnesota Chinese New Year Gala Celebration

– “Embrace China”, Coming to MinnesotaThe Minnesota Chinese New Year Gala Celebration to be held on Feb. 13, 2011 has become a hot topic in local Chinese-American circles. The “Embrace China” All-Star Performing Troop, organized by the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, will be coming to Minnesota again during the 2011 Chinese Spring Festival!   Unlike previous performances which featured primarily local talent, this gala celebration will focus on the meticulously selected best numbers of the All-Star visiting troop, giving the audience in Minnesota the opportunity to enjoy nationally-renowned artists from China.     “Embrace China”, established by the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, is a very important platform for cultural exchanges between China and the outside world, promoting Chinese culture and friendship around the globe. In recent years, this series of cultural performances has provided a venue for artists to deliver greetings to the overseas Chinese communities from their native homeland while promoting Chinese culture allowing more people to learn about and know China. With respect to the location, Minnesota does not have the advantages of large cities such as New York, Washington, DC, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Nevertheless, in recent years, through the collaborative hard work of local Chinese American community organizations, we have been able to take advantage of the opportunity to have these visiting performing troops which include some nationally-renowned stars. Many volunteers from various community organizations have contributed to the success of each performance in Minnesota. Their hard work has received high praise from the organizers of the performance as well as from visiting artists. During the Spring Festival of 2010, Minnesota hosted another cultural series of the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese, entitled “Carnival China Style” Chinese New Year Gala Celebration. Mai Chen, the Director of the Cultural Exchange Department of the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese commented:  “Our successful performance in Minnesota was most enthusiastically received. The Chinese American communities in Minnesota are more able to host high quality shows than many large cities.” The China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese continues to demonstrate strong support for “Embracing China’s” visiting performances. We have learned that since its debut in the 2008 Chinese New Year, “Embrace China” has sent 23 performing troops to over 80 cities in 33 countries and regions putting on 112 performances. Over the years, the China Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese has organized over 50 performing arts troops, with over 300 shows in more than 40 countries and regions worldwide. The shows this year will be rich and colorful, including traditional singing and dances, folk hand shadow show, ventriloquy and magic. Here below are some of the artists: 

 Soprano:  Liying Sun            Renowned Soprano in China, National First Class Artist of Opera Ensemble of PLA Zongzheng, member of the 9th People’s Congress of China, member of the Association of Chinese Musicians,  member of the Association of Theater Artists of China, and Committee Member of China Federation of Youth.  She graduated from the Institute of Theater Arts of China.             Liying Sun portrayed roles as Hai Lin and Yun Bai in the opera “Dawn of Sorrow” and her outstanding performance in the opera “White Reed Cattail, Red Kapok Flowers” left a deep impression on the audience in China.  She won second prize in the Third National Young Singers TV Contest in 1989, and second prize in the National Ethnic Minority Young Singers TV Contest, and Golden Peacock Award in National Ethnic Minority Young Singers Contest. In 1995, she played the role of Anarhan in the opera “Krimu Joining the Army” and received high praise from the leaders of the central government of China and the Wenhua Performing Award.  The opera also received the National Wenhua New Opera Award.  She won the Shanghai Theater Baiyulan Award for her leading role in opera “Daughter of the Party”.  She won the 1996 National Opera Show Series Excellent Performing Award for her leading role as Luhua in the musical “White Reed Cattails, Red Kapok Flowers”. In the same year, she won First Prize at the National Fansen Kong Singing Contest.  She won a Gold medal in the National TV Music Contest for her MTV number “You are the Hero” in 1998.  She is active on the stage of the capital city Beijing and across the country, and has also recorded theme songs for many movies and TV shows.  She served as judge at the Ethnic Minority Division of the Fourth CCTV National TV Singer Contest.  She has toured countries and regions including Singapore, Japan, United States of America, Germany, France, Hong Kong and Macau with great success. Vocalist: Tingting Jin             Vocal artist of Opera Ensemble of PLA Zongzheng, in 1999, she won the Gold medal at the 22nd Bydgoszcz International Music Festival in Poland.  She won the Award for outstanding Folk Singing Style at the 12th CCTV National Young Singers TV Contest in 2006, the Bronze Prize at the 6th China Music Golden Bell Folk Singing Contest, and was also awarded a third class medal by the PLA.  She won the New Talent Award in Folk Singing Style at the 6th China Gold Record Award in 2008.  She won Second Prize at the 9th PLA Performance Series in 2009.  In 2010, she participated in the Music and Dance Splendor Show “Road of Revitalization”. She also played roles in “Sister Jiang”, “Struggle in the Ancient Town”, and “Sunny Snow”.  She also participated in the Spring Festival Music and Dance Gala Show at CCTV, the Spring Festival Gala Show at China Education TV, the Spring Festival Gala Show of Ministry of Police, the 1st Sino-Japan New Talent in Singing International Exchange Concert, the “Same Song” Program at CCTV and the Music and Arts Program.            Her TV appearances include “The Banner”, “Song of Joy”, “Green China”, “Red Roses in the Army Camp”, and “Xishi”. Vocalist: Yi Sun             Vocal artist of the China Mining Performing Ensemble won the title of one of the “Ten Most Talented Singers” of  Dongyang Cup of Zhejiang Province in 1990.  He won the first place in the Pop Music Division at the Six Provinces and Cities TV Contest in 1991, the Gold Prize in Pop Music Division at the “Long Gang” Cup National Singing Contest in 1993, and signed a contract with Beijing Dazang Record Label in 1994.  He released his first album entitled “Anxiously Longing” in Singapore in 1995. He won first place in Pop Music Division at the National “Loving My China” TV Contest sponsored by the Ministry of Culture of China, and released his single “Unchained scar” in 2006. Vocalist: Ningna Luo             She is a Committee Member of the National Youth Federation of China and a former singer in the Singing and Dance Ensemble of Guangxi Province.  She was transferred to the China Mining Performing Ensemble in 1997.  She won second place in the folk style group of the professional artist division at the National Young Singers TV Contest in 1990, and Silver medals in three consecutive years at the CCTV National MTV Contest.  Her song “Guilin is my Home” was voted the first place by the Audience as the Most Favorite at CCTV.  She has participated in important TV Chinese New Year Gala Shows and other shows organized by the Ministry of Culture of China and other provincial and city TV stations for six consecutive years.  She also recorded four albums and is followed by many fans.             She was known as the most talented and inspiring queen of folk song. Her singing demonstrated magnificent vocal quality and mastered the best combination of voice and instrumental accompaniment. Her songs represent poetry, emotional expressions, beauty and imagination.  Her work has already surpassed that of Sister Liu-a well know folklore in China, and has become the new master piece for Chinese folk songs.  Her main numbers include “Guilin is my Home”, “Please Stay the Guest Came from Far Away”, “Beautiful Expectations”, “Friends Forever”, “Ranting”, “Red Moon”, “Story of the South”, “Jasmine Flowers”, “Only have Mountain Songs to Offer to Dear Ones”, “Give You a Sunny Day”, “The Farmer”, “Hold the Hand of Mama China”, “Soldier Brother”, “the Cruel Brother”, and “Flowery Dress”, etc.                       Her newest songs are “The Pristine Waters of My Hometown”, “Fortunate and Blessed”, “Flowers Are Red”. Vocalist: Zhen Ren (Ting Zhang)             As a vocal artist of the China Mining Performing Ensemble and a national second level artist, she has won Ten Gold Song Awards in the Third and Fourth Quarters for the China Original Song Billboard in 1999 with “Follow Me Dance” and “The Happy Remote Control”.  She won the title of Golden Singer at the Beijing “Futian Cup” Century Original Song in November of 1999.  In December of the same year, she won the Guangzhou TV Station Year 1999 New Music Contest “Ten Golden Music”, and the title of “Most Promising Female Singer of 1999”.  She won a Bronze medal in the Pop Music group of the professional division at the CCTV 9th “Higher by Each Step” National Young Singers TV Contest in July of 2000.  In December of the same year, she was voted the Audience’s Most Favorite Singer by Hebei TV Station and was awarded the annual Ten Golden Song award.  In April of 2001, her song “Moonlight Serene” won the first quarter of the year Ten Golden Song award for the China Original Song Billboard.  She was voted as the Year 2001 Public Benefit Star by Beijing TV in December of 2001.  She was also nominated for the 2009 Best Female Singer of China Song Billboard in January 2010 by Beijing Music TV Station. She can sing and dance well, with unique vocal color.  Her creative power and ability engages the audience like no one else can.           She has toured France, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Brazil, Argentina, The Republic of Korea, Hong Kong, Canada and the United States of America. She received multiple invitations from some of the countries.Vocalist: Lingyun Shen             Vocal artist of the China Mining Performing Ensemble, he was born of a family of artistic traditions.  He loved music at a very young age.  In 1998, he was admitted by the Music Department of Shanghai Normal University with outstanding Entrance Examination scores.  He then enrolled in the Vocal Department of the Central Music Institute in 2001.  He participated in many important concerts at CCTV, Beijing TV and other Stations.  He has also toured the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, and Italy by invitation.  He won many awards and prizes abroad such as the 2005 Piazza International Singing Competition Excellence Award in Italy, the Gold medal at the 2007 Asia Youth International Vocal Competition, the Gold medal given by the judging committee at the 2007 Saint Angel International Singing Competition, and the Gold medal at the 2009 Hong Kong International Artist Vocal Competition. Horsehead Violin Player:  Wuri Tuoya             Mongolian instrumental player, joined Haya Horsehead Violin Band, and performed with the band at Starlight Theater, Zhongshan Music Hall, Beijing Exhibition Hall, and CCTV. Wuri Tuoya won the title of “Attractive Star” at the third Olympic Show of China Postal University in 2007.  She participated in the “Colorful China” –great original folk song and dance show organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2008, and received the Best Contribution Award for her outstanding performance in the show.  She took part in the visiting performance at the 40th Anniversary of the Establishment of the China Astronaut Center in 2008, performed the most famous piece for Horsehead Violin, “Thousands of Horses Galloping”, and in the same year, was invited to take part in “Entering the Prairie”–Love of the Prairie Choir special show, performed and sang “Seeking of the Heart”, which received high praise.  In the same year, she played folk music of the People’s Republic of Mongolia in the People’s Hall in Beijing. After the show, she was received and praised by Bangguo Wu, President of the People’s Congress of China and Chairman of the Mongolian Republic Parliament.  Ventriloquist & Hand Shadow Performer: Guoli Xu             A famous ventriloquist and hand shadow performer of the China Mining Performing Ensemble, he participated in numerous large gala performances at CCTV, and was enthusiastically received by the audience.  He gave a first class performance and provided many voiceovers for movies and TV shows. He has performed in over 30 countries and has always been well received by audiences. Magician: Bingqiang Fan             He is an acrobatic and magician artist of the China Mining Performing Ensemble, member of the Acrobatic Artist Association of China Acrobatic Ensemble, member of the U.S. World Magician Association, and a board member of the Association for Chinese Traditional Culture Promotion. He started learning flying fork from his father, Lijian Fan, the famous Flying Fork Performer of the China Acrobatic Ensemble at a very young age. Later, he followed the teaching of the famous acrobat performer Qingyuan Wang, the renowned ventriloquist Hua Zhang, and the celebrated magician Jifa Zi, of the China Acrobatic Ensemble. He has constantly made innovations in the art, and has many outstanding accomplishments to his credit.You can purchase tickets by contacting the following locations:Huaxin Bookstore 651-387-0234Shanghai Market  651-646-6181Tea House        763-544-3422Little Sichuan   651-222-1333Southeast        652-707-2158 612-986-2518Northeast        651-246-3387West             612-819-7626

阅读次数: 3486