Chinese New Year Live Music Stage at St Ann’s Square
Andrew Anderson
We’re all familiar with the parades, fireworks and food, but music is also an important part of Chinese New Year. In 2017 the musical merrymaking extends over four days in St Ann’s Square, with a special live music stage bringing both traditional and contemporary Chinese music to Manchester
Manchester’s Confucius Institute – who celebrate their 10th anniversary in 2017 – will play a big part in the proceedings, programming the Saturday afternoon session. In partnership with Manchester University and Beijing Normal University, the Institute is an epicentre for Chinese culture and, as a result, has a network of talented performers at its fingertips. These include the Ad Solem choir, who will perform Chinese New Year songs, as well as solo artists playing traditional Chinese, Mongolian and Tajik music on instruments like the zither, erhu and Chinese guitar.
Another highlight is a performance from erhu player Henry Fung. Fung is musical director of Manchester’s Cantonese Opera, and a virtuoso of the erhu – a two stringed instrument known for its smooth, calm sound. He is a fixture on the Chinese music scene in Manchester, and has performed at venues like the Bridgewater Hall.
