Southern Cross Soloists: Lunar New Year

Celebrate the 2019 Lunar New Year with Australia’s leading chamber ensemble, Southern Cross Soloists, and an impressive lineup of guest soloists as they bid adieu (zàijiàn) to the Chinese Year of the Dog and usher in the Year of the Pig—a year which promises to be full of good fortune and luck.

Brilliant colour and sheer exuberance will feature in this jubilant concert of East meets West, with a vibrant mix of modern and age-old traditional folk songs. Southern Cross Soloists shares the stage with special guests: cello virtuoso Li-Wei Qin; piano soloist Kristian Chong; and international erhu superstar George Gao, one of the most exciting, innovative and respected erhu masters of our time.

From Chinese folk song and virtuosic artistry to Saint Saëns’ grand zoological fantasy and Stravinsky’s elusive Firebird Suite, a highlight of the concert will be the world premiere of a new work by Australia’s own Lyle Chan, inspired by the ancient folk story of the animals of the Chinese Zodiac.

Guest Artists
Li-Wei Qin - cello
George Gao - erhu
Kristian Chong - piano

Program
Saint Saëns Carnival of the Animals - selections
Bao Yuan Kai Happy Lantern Festival
Mountain Tune
Yangge Dance
Mao Yuan Happy Spring
Chen Yao-Xin Galloping Horses
Gao Mongolian Fantasy/Erhu of the Night
Paganini Moses Fantasy MS 23
Lyle Chan Carnival of the Chinese Animals World Premiere
Stravinsky The Firebird Suite – selections