From the family-friendly reception to the dragon dance, outstanding concert, and Imperial Dinner set in the Forbidden City, San Francisco Symphony’s Lunar New Year celebration at Davies Symphony Hall was a real crowd pleaser. Children received red envelopes from Asian beauties, played dice, and made signs in Chinese calligraphy. Guest Conductor Mei-Ann Chen led the concert that included traditional lunar new year celebration songs, selections from Tchaikovsky, and Rimsky-Korsakov. Guest soloist Tang Jun Qiao dazzled with her performance on the dizi, a Chinese bamboo flute.
After the concert, some 550 guests attended the Imperial Dinner in the Zellerbach Rehearsal Hall. The event welcomed the Year of the Rooster with the pomp and pageantry roosters enjoy.
More Scenes from San Francisco Symphony Lunar New Year Celebration on February 4, 2017:
Red Carpet Bay Area salutes the Lunar New Year Celebration volunteer committee:
Event Chair: Patricia Lee-Hoffmann
Honorary Chairs: Mindy Sun and Dr. Peter Sun
Imperial Dinners Chair: Thao Dodson and Pauline Le
Festival Reception Chairs: Daina Chiu and Vanna Shir
Event Committee: Lesley Hu, Catherine Kwong, Xiaojun Lee, Michael P. Nguyen, Maxine Raphael, Samantha Seto, Marian Tsang, Ge Wang, Leigh Wasson, Leslie Yang, Kevin Yeh, Judy Zafran
Photos by Agency Moanalani Jeffrey