Home Away From Home

Canadian Chinese Orchestra Presents Annual Concert on May 27th with the Theme of Home Away from Home
TORONTO, ON – The Canadian Chinese Orchestra is excited to announce its upcoming annual concert on May 27th with a theme of “Home Away from Home.” This theme not only celebrates Asian Heritage Month but also commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Chinese exclusion act. Through music, the orchestra wants to showcase the struggles and hardships that Chinese immigrants faced when they traveled to Canada and how they adapted to their new home.

Under the baton of esteemed Guest Conductor, Dr. Matthew Poon, and with the leadership of Music Director Amely Zhou, the CCO has curated a captivating program that showcases the talents of its accomplished soloists and ensembles. The concert will feature a lineup of repertoires that revolves around this theme. The opening song, “Fisherman’s Song of East Sea,” will take the audience on a journey back in time to understand the difficulties and challenges those Chinese immigrants faced when traveling by boat to Canada in the early times. The second song, “Journey to West,” will depict the trials and tribulations of Chinese immigrants as they adapted to their new life in Canada. The third song, “Fighting the Typhoon”, will showcase the hard work that Chinese immigrants contributed to Canada’s growth and development.

Renowned Suona Soloist, Huiming Li, will perform “Longing for Home,” a heartfelt piece that evokes the yearning for one’s homeland. Lilian Yang, an accomplished Pipa Soloist, will captivate the audience with her rendition of “Love for Wei River,” a piece that reflects the beauty and charm of the ancient Chinese river. Lina, a skilled Guzheng Soloist, will lead the Toronto Guzheng Ensemble in performing two dynamic pieces, “Fighting the Typhoon” and “Dance of Liujing,” displaying the virtuosity of the guzheng, a traditional Chinese plucked string instrument. Lipeng Wu, a masterful dizi player, will mesmerize the audience with his performance of “Homeland,” a stirring piece that pays homage to the spirit of the Chinese people. Tracy Chan, an accomplished Zhongruan soloist, will take the audience on a musical journey with her performance of “Journey to the West,” a piece that embodies the adventurous spirit of the famous Chinese literary classic.

The concert will culminate with a theme of missing home and settling in Canada as their new home. The music will showcase the emotions that Chinese immigrants felt when they left their homeland and how they found solace in their new surroundings.
“We are excited to present this concert that showcases the rich history of Chinese immigrants and how they adapted to their new home in Canada,” said the Canadian Chinese Orchestra’s music director Amely Zhou. “Through music, we hope to educate people about the hardships that Chinese immigrants faced and how they contributed to Canada’s growth and development.”

The Canadian Chinese Orchestra is a non-profit organization that aims to promote Chinese music and culture in Canada. The annual concert is the highlight of the organization’s calendar, and this year’s theme promises to be a memorable one.

The concert will take place on May 27th at the Cornell Community Centre Recital Hall. Tickets are available online at $30 each, and a portion of the proceeds will go towards supporting the Canadian Chinese Orchestra’s mission of promoting Chinese music and culture.