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Bard College Conservatory

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Educating the next generation of great musicians
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A night that left a lasting impression. ✨

A semi-staged production of THE RIFT, a powerful opera by composer Huang Ruo and Tony Award-winning librettist David Henry Hwang, made its New York premiere on October 2 at Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall, opening the ninth annual China Now Music Festival.

Inspired by the story of Maya Lin and the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, THE RIFT confronts the complexities of history, identity, and reconciliation, reminding us of the extraordinary power of art to challenge, connect, and heal.

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who brought this remarkable work to life. May THE RIFT continue to reach new audiences and travel to many more stages. ❤️

THE RIFT: Opera in One Act (Concert Version)
Composer: Huang Ruo
Librettist: David Henry Hwang

Cast & Creative Team:
Jindong Cai, conductor
Karen Vuong, soprano
Michelle Mariposa, mezzo-soprano
Edward Graves, tenor
Daniel Klein, bass-baritone
Eric Ting, director
Shawn Duan, projection designer
China Now Chamber Orchestra

📸 Photos by Fadi Kheir @londonisburning @fadikheirphoto

#ChinaNowMusicFestival #TheRift #HuangRuo #DavidHenryHwang #CarnegieHall #ChasingDreams #chineseamerican

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Wonderful time performing our “RESILIENCE “ project at Bard College with Desirée Ruhstrat and Melissa Reardon

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First Conservatory Orchestra Reading!
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Beethoven: Symphony No. 4, III. Menuetto - Allegro con brio
Bard College Conservatory Orchestra @bardcollegeconservatory
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#beethoven #symphony #conductor #bardconservatory #bardcollege

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🎶 Chinese Folk Songs Meet North American Ballads! 🌏🎵

Join us this Friday, October 9 for a special afternoon of music featuring the Choir of the Music Education Institute, Central Conservatory of Music, China, joined by guest chorus Xinsheng Chinese Choir of New York.

📅 Friday, October 9, 2026
🕑 2:00–4:00 PM
📍 Chapel of the Holy Innocents, Bard College
🎟️ Free and open to the public

Stop by and join us! We’d love to see you there. 💫

#ChinaNowMusicFestival #ChineseFolkSongs #NorthAmericanBallads #ChoralMusic #FreeConcert

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Yesterday, The Orchestra Now @theorchnow and guest suona soloist Zhang Weiwei came together for their first rehearsal ahead of the U.S. premiere of Li Shaosheng’s 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙠𝙮 this coming weekend.

Its second movement, titled "𝙌𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙠𝙮", looks back on humanity’s ancient dialogue with nature, from resisting floods and adapting to the rhythms of the seasons, to finding wisdom through hardship. That ancient spirit of perseverance lives on in today’s explorers, a collective force that continues to push humanity forward.

Suona artist Zhang Weiwei is an associate professor and master’s supervisor at the Central Conservatory of Music, China. While the suona is an ancient instrument, its voice continues to evolve in the modern world. Zhang frequently collaborates with contemporary composers on new works and premieres, as well as with leading Chinese traditional and symphony orchestras.

🎶 Hear the U.S. premiere of 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙠𝙮 this Saturday and Sunday!

🗓 Saturday, October 10, 2026 · 3:00 PM
📍 Fisher Center for the Performing Arts @fishercenterbard

📅 Sunday, October 11, 2026 · 3:00 PM
📍 Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center

🎟️ Ticket links in bio

#ChinaNowMusicFestival #NYCConcerts #suona #chinesemusic #lishaosheng

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Here, librettist Su Wei shares the story behind the birth of 𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙠𝙚, tracing its origins back to the 1980s, alongside archival clips from the premiere performance in 2019 at Stanford University.

As this epic work returns to the New York stage, composer Zhou Long reflects on why its story still matters today:

“By bringing this work back to the stage today, I also hope that through music, more people will recognize that American history is a history written by people of many different backgrounds and ethnicities, and that the story of the Chinese railroad workers deserves its rightful place in that history.

Seven years have passed since the work’s premiere, and both our social environment and our audience’s awareness of history have changed. I hope today’s audience will not only feel the hardship, suffering, and tragedy portrayed in the work, but also hear the human dignity, hope, and shared destiny that lie beneath it.

𝙈𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙄𝙧𝙤𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙣 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙠𝙚 tells the story of the Chinese railroad workers, but ultimately, it is a story about all those who helped build this country, people who gave so much, often without being fully remembered by history.

I hope audiences from different cultural backgrounds can find an emotional connection through the music, and reflect on the meaning of historical memory, cultural inclusion, and our shared responsibility to create the future together.”

🗓 Saturday, October 10, 2026 · 3:00 PM
📍 Fisher Center for the Performing Arts

📅 Sunday, October 11, 2026 · 3:00 PM
📍 Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Use code 【FENGYA】 for 20% off

🎟️ Ticket links in bio.

#ChinaNowMusicFestival #NYCConcerts #cantonese #ChineseAmericanHistory #goldenspike

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Off to a running start with my masters at @bardcollegeconservatory 😬
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Brahms: Symphony No. 2
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#brahms #symphony #conductor #bardconservatory #bardcollege

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Incredible concert today performed by the Bard East/West Ensemble Conducted by Jindong Cai. Thank you for playing at TEMPO!

That a lot of great classical music coming of the season as well as other wonderful events. So follow us here and sign up for our email list on our website.

See link in bio.

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Bard East/West Ensemble Conducted by Jindong Cai

Sunday, October 4, 2026
3:00 PM

$10

TEMPO Concert Hall ~ Doors 2:30 PM | Show at 3 PM

As a part of the 2026 China Now Music Festival, Chasing Dreams, the Bard East/West Ensemble celebrates America’s 250th anniversary by performing pieces from their recent tour.

Returning home from a tour in China that took them to 8 cities for 15 performances, the ensemble will showcase their cross-cultural sound through unique arrangements of works by Aaron Copland, Astor Piazzolla, and Jiang Ying, among others.

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, China.

About the Bard East/West Ensemble (巴德中西乐团)

The Bard East/West Ensemble (BE/WE) is a bold and original group that fuses Chinese and Western musical traditions to create a new model of cross-cultural performance.

Founded by conductor and educator Jindong Cai, the ensemble features a Western string quintet alongside seven traditional Chinese instruments, including dizi, erhu, pipa, ruan, suona, guzheng, and sheng, supported by Chinese and Western percussionists.

BE/WE has appeared at major U.S. venues including the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. The group has collaborated with acclaimed soloists such as Guo Yazhi, Wu Man, and Duo Chinoiserie.

Its repertoire includes original works and dynamic new arrangements by renowned composers like Zhou Long, Tan Dun, and Xinyan Li.

Committed to cultural exchange, BE/WE seeks to foster US-China understanding through music—and in July 2026 completed their second tour of China following their inaugural June 2025 tour of China.

More about the Bard East/West Ensemble
#bardeastwestensemble

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.

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Our violist Mason Haskett @uvuvervuevweujitutunitinuwei got some tips from visiting suona artist Zhang Weiwei and is seriously leveling up on the suona, one of the world’s most challenging double-reed instruments! 🎶

Yes, you read that right — the violist of the Bard East/West Ensemble is learning to play the suona! 😄

A little guidance, a lot of music, and a shared language beyond words. ❤️

Zhang Weiwei, an Associate Professor and suona performer at the Central Conservatory of Music, will be performing with the Bard East/West Ensemble and The Orchestra Now in multiple concerts during the 9th annual China Now Music Festival, October 2–11!

Come hear them in action! Learn more about the Festival on our page! ✨

#ChinaNowMusicFestival #ChasingDreams #bardeastwestensemble #suona

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Behind the scenes at Bard! 🎶 Composer Huang Ruo and director Eric Ting are in rehearsal with an incredible team of singers and musicians, bringing the semi-staged concert version of The Rift to life.

So much music, energy, and creativity in the room as we get ready for the stage! ✨

#chinanowmusicfestival #therift #vietnamveteransmemorial #thingstodonyc #mayalin

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You heard him! (PS. no baritones or pianos were harmed in the making of this video)

#bardvap #opera #classicalvoice #gradschool #masterofmusic

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