SAN FRANCISCO, CA—On February 20, 2021, the San Francisco Symphony presents the Chinese New Year Virtual Celebration: Year of the Ox—the Symphony’s annual celebration of the Lunar New Year, now in its twenty-first season and, for the first time, in a virtual format. The event is an elegant and colorful celebration that draws upon vibrant Asian traditions, past and present, and features a program of traditional folk music and works by Asian composers. The concert program will be available for free streaming on SFSymphony+ via sfsymphonyplus.org and broadcast on NBC Bay Area at 4pm on February 20; it will rebroadcast February 20 at 7pm on UChannel TV, February 27 at 4pm on NBC Bay Area, and KTSF 26 on February 21 & 27 at 3:30pm.

Hosted by acclaimed Bay Area actor-director Joan Chen, this season’s virtual program focuses on themes that coordinate with the Year of the Ox—prosperity, unity, and growth. Works featured on the program include Chen Yi’s Romance of Hsiao and Ch’in, “Driving the Mule Team” and “When Will the Acacia Bloom?” from Zhou Long’s Chinese Folk Songs, Julian Yu’s “Flower Riddle” and “Dry Boat Dance” from Chinese Folk Song Suite, Yaoxing Chen’s Gallop of Warhorses, Yuankai Bao’s “Little Cabbage” from Chinese Sights and Sounds, and Wenying Wu’s arrangement of the traditional tune Tajiks Festival. Performances feature conductor Ming Luke, erhu player Tao Shi, yangqin player Wenying Wu, pianist Samantha Cho, and members of the San Francisco Symphony.
 
Ming Luke says, “Nothing could be more auspicious than Chinese New Year's music with San Francisco Symphony musicians celebrating the Year of the Ox, a year of strength, honesty and positivity! With so much to look forward to this year, recording with these amazing musicians is an absolute treat and a gift from us to you to celebrate the new year. From sweet Chinese folk songs to the thrill of Gallop of Warhorses with erhu soloist Tao Shi, it was a wonderful joy to make music with these musicians and we can't wait for you to join the celebration!”
 
For an elevated experience, guests are invited to upgrade to a VIP Sponsor Package. Sponsor benefits include access to an exclusive VIP virtual experience created by Blueprint Studios, featuring special guests and musical surprises, prior to and immediately following the concert event, and a themed “Spring Celebration Kit” by McCalls Catering, home-delivered to pair with this concert event. Sponsors of the Chinese New Year celebration support the San Francisco Symphony’s myriad artistic, education, and community programs, and allow the Symphony to provide this virtual event free of charge and accessible to all. For more information or to purchase a VIP Sponsor Package, please call 415-503-5351 or visit sfsymphony.org/cny.
 
Chinese New Year Virtual Celebration: Year of the Ox is co-chaired by Tiffany Chang and Nanci Nishimura and made possible through the generosity of Presenting Sponsors John & Sherry Chen and Margaret Liu Collins & Edward B. Collins. The event is presented in partnership with the San Francisco Arts Commission.
 
Click here to access the Online Press Kit, which includes downloadable guest artist headshots, behind-the-scenes production images, and a PDF of this press release in English and Traditional Chinese.

[To view the full PDF version of this press release, click the link at the top of this page]