New York Philharmonic rings in Year of Sheep with concert

The New York Philharmonic rings in the Year of the Sheep with its fourth annual Chinese New Year concert in the Avery Fisher Hall of the Lincoln Center in New York, Feb 24. [Photo/Xinhua]

"It is a very nice combination of wonderful pieces. I think the last two pieces were really my favorites," Marjorie Gurney Hat told Xinhua, referring to the duo of Ma and Tong.

"Sheng is very special, very romantic. It is not unusually done. Yo-Yo Ma's instrument is a very special cello. It has beautiful sound and of course, he is such a wonderful player. And the composer also did a beautiful job, I think," the New Yorker said.

The Philharmonic's salute to the Year of the Sheep also included an outdoor event on Lincoln Center's Josie Robertson Plaza on Tuesday afternoon.

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company performed the traditional Dragon Dance, and public school students from the National Dance Institute staged folk-inspired dances.

"I love their dancing, it is very colorful and their movements are fluent," said Donna Whitley, who comes from North Carolina and now lives with her daughter in New York City.

The retired dance teacher told Xinhua that she even brought her grandson here to see the performance, who also enjoyed the dance a lot.

The concept of Lunar Chinese New Year seems to seep into ordinary Americans' lives. The 13 year-old dancer, Flor Massey, told Xinhua that she and her family this year danced together to celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival.

"I also taught them how to use chopsticks," said Massey, who chose ballet and Chinese dance as two of her favorites.