24.01.2019 / With “Sounds from the Land of Gansu,” the Chinese Embassy congratulated Sofia on the Chinese New Year

The Sofia audience in Hall 11 of the National Palace of Culture applauded warmly the orchestra for traditional musical instruments of the Gansu Theatre of Music and Dance. The orchestra presented with taste and mastery ten characteristic and symbolic pieces. The concert with traditional musical instruments “Sounds from the lands of Gansu”, organized by the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Republic of Bulgaria and the Chinese Cultural Center in Sofia was held on the occasion of the Chinese New Year 2019. Chinese diplomats, politicians, music fans, friends and business partners attended the event.
Gansu Province is located at the top of the Yellow River (Northwest China) and is one of the cradles of Chinese traditions and culture. The Gansu Theatre of Music and Dance, founded in 1961, is primarily concerned with studying the heritage and placing traditional and contemporary music and dance performances. The main themes, inspiring the performers are the ancient Silk Road and the life of Dunhuang.
The attendees at the concert in Sofia saw what the traditional Gansu music instruments look like and heard the sounds of the Chinese violin Erhu, pear-shaped fretted lute with 4 strings, Pipa used for more than 2,000 years, the trapezoid Chinese cymbal Yangqin with hammers, the zither Guzheng, the Sheng is a Chinese mouth-blown free reed instrument consisting of vertical pipes, the inimitable Chinese zurna called Suona.
The Chinese New Year marks 1/6 of the world’s people – not only in China, Vietnam, Singapore and other Asian countries, but also in New York, London, Vancouver, Sydney and others. CNY changes each time, following the Lunar Calendar and usually falls between mid-January and mid-February. It’s called the Spring Festival and the celebrations last for 15 days.
In 2019, the Chinese New Year falls on February 5th.