8 THE QUEENS COURIER • DRAGON BOAT • AUGUST 6, 2015 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.queenscourier.com dragon boat festival s A world of sound at Dragon Boat fest Along with enjoying two days of exciting competition, guests at this weekend’s Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival can enjoy a variety of music and entertainment with Far East roots. Saturday’s musical program gets underway at 10:30 a.m. with the Chinese Music Ensemble of New York. Founded in 1961, the ensemble is the oldest and only full Chinese orchestra in the U.S. and features musicians playing practically every type of ancient and modern Chinese music. During this performance, a smaller ensemble — including solo artists in traditional costume — will play a selection of their repertoire complete with drums and cymbals. Lion and dragon dance teams with percussionists will be part of the formal Dragon Boat Festival opening ceremonies, which get underway at 11:30 a.m. following the ensemble’s concert. The rest of Saturday’s entertainment lineup is as follows: • Selina Chau, 12:30 to 1 p.m. — A dance artist from Hong Kong, Chau started professional ballet training at the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts and went on to dance with Hong Kong Ballet. As a coryphée dancer and choreographic apprentice of the company, Chau took on leading roles in the company’s classical and contemporary repertoire, and also created original choreography for the company’s classical production of Swan Lake. Chau was granted the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund full scholarship in 2008 to pursue her Master of Fine Arts degree at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, with a focus in choreography and pedagogy. Her dance work has been presented in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Manila, Taipei, Hong Kong, Seoul and New York. • Hsu-Nami, 1 to 2 p.m. — Led by Jack Hsu, this Asian-infused progressive rock band blends the hauntingly versatile er-hu, a twostringed Chinese violin, with traditional American rock engineering. • Jane and Rob Lok, 2 to the The Hsu-nami have gained international renown by leaving their home 3 p.m. — Having performed in over 35 countries across the world, Jane and Rob Lok offer audiences a unique and memorable show experience fi lled with comic dance numbers, juggling, circus acts and physical comedy. Their fast-paced, interactive routine is full of costume quickchanges and other slapstick humor that will leave audience members in stitches. • Omny Taiko, 3 to 3:30 p.m. — This group of fi ve drummers and one bass drum resonates the mythological origin in Japanese folklore. Historical records suggest that Taiko were introduced to Japan through Korean and Chinese cultural infl uence as early as the sixth century B.C. • Shaolin Masters, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. — Warrior monks from the Shaolin Temple will perform martial arts. In the history of the Shaolin Temple, founded in 495 A.D., generation after generation of monk generals and soldiers protected the temples from wars and riots of society. They will also perform on Sunday from 3 to 4 p.m. Sunday’s entertainment lineup includes the following: • FJ Music Fusion, 10 to 11 a.m. — Founded by Feifei Yang and Jiaju Shen, FJ Music Fusion is dedicated to bringing China’s traditional music to contemporary audiences through modern interpretations of classical pieces and integration with other musical genres. Their collaborations to date have included works with pop music, rock bands, electronic music, vocalists, dance improvisation, and many others. • CASYM Steel Orchestra, 11 a.m. to noon — An ensemble of performers between ages 7 and 21 bring a Caribbean beat to the Asian festival with their steel drum sounds. • New York Chinese Cultural Center Dance China NY, noon to 1 p.m. — The resident company from America’s premier traditional Chinese dance company, which includes international renowned artists, performs traditional and folk dances transporting audiences to a world of colorful myths, historical drama and timeless beauty. • Bailen, 1 to 2 p.m. — A home grown band featuring twin sisters and a close friend, Bailen offers “twin harmonies to rival Simon and Garfunkel,” as described on EW.com, and a soulful voice reminiscent of Amy Winehouse and Laura Nyro. Bailen’s sound pays homage to the past while redefi ning the new. They have toured extensively in the U.S. and abroad, and recently sang at Madison Square Garden for the Knicks and Rangers. They are currently working on their debut album planned for release in 2015. • I Giullari di Piazza Italian Folk Music & Dance Company, 2 to 3 p.m. — The group, featuring Alessandra Belloni, will perform the tarantata and other southern Italian music and ritual dances. Selina Chau AN ASIAN-INFUSED PROGRESSIVE ROCK BAND THAT BLENDS THE HAUNTINGLY VERSATILE ER-HU, A TWO-STRINGED CHINESE VIOLIN, WITH AMERCAN ROCK ENGINEERING. turf of New York City to play all over the world to crowds of up to 10,000 people. They have lit up stages from China and Taiwan and back to Canada and the United States by amplifying the er-hu, a traditionally ancient classical music instrument, and integrating it into a modern rock lineup. The band composes intriguing and complex melody based instrumental songs featuring stark dynamic contrast and heavy guitar riffs, nuanced bass lines, and erratic solos that trade between er-hu and guitar. The Hsu-nami define the New World Order of globalization by combining cultures and genres that makes a sound that is genuinely their own. The global appeal of The Hsu-nami has garnered many accolades. Their song Rising of the Sun was the entrance theme for the Chinese basketball team during the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics. The Hsunami has been building their brand since 2005 by gaining a reputation for explosive live shows and exceptional musicianship. They have two independent releases under their belts, Entering the Mandala (2007) and The Four Noble Truths (2009). They are currently in the studio writing their third album, which will be an expansion of their cultural barrier and genre destroying sound. Follow The Hsu-nami as they continue to tour the world. contact: hsunami.rock@gmail.com
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