Song of Silk

"Song of Silk" is a concert orchestrated by CTAC, a mesmerizing fusion of Beijing Opera, Chinese songs, instruments, and dance. This captivating event showcases a remarkable ensemble of distinguished artists hailing from the National Academy of Chinese Arts, Binghamton University, and an array of guest musicians. Distinctively unrivaled in its category, this performance collective stands as a singular entity within the United States.

The symbolism woven into the essence of “Song of Silk” is threefold: first, Silk Road, an ancient trade route linking East and West, encapsulates cross-cultural dialogue; secondly, “silk and bamboo,” referencing string and wind instruments in China, symbolizes Chinese music and performing arts at large; moreover, the profound symbolic connection between silk and femininity across diverse cultures intertwines gracefully with this performance, as a significant majority, if not all, of the concert's performers are women.

For more details and inquiries pertaining to booking the enchanting "Song of Silk" concert, kindly reach out to Monica Liu at Liuc@binghamton.edu. Your path to an exquisite cultural experience awaits.

Please click below to watch the promotional video of "Song of Silk"!

Song of Silk: Beijing Opera, Songs, Instruments, Dance

The Performers

	Linghui Tu is a National Tier-One Performer of Chinese Opear as well as a renowed director in China. She has won many national awards, including the prestigious Plum Blossoms Award and the Wenhua Award. Currently, she teaches Beijing Opera courses at Binghamton University as a visiting professor.
	Hong Zhang stands as an internationally acclaimed singer and award-winning educator. She has performed and presented at nearly 100 universities in the U.S., China, Canada, Singapore, and Cuba. Currently, Zhang holds the position of tenured Instructor of Chinese and serves as an associate faculty member of Music at Binghamton University.
	Zhongbei (Daisy) Wu is an award-winning guzheng (Chinese zither) artist. Currently, she is a Professor of Music at Alfred University. She has performed in remarkable settings such as China Central Television, Carnegie Hall, the United Nations Headquarters at New York, and the National Press Club at Washington DC.
	Margaret Pej Reitz is currently on the faculty of Binghamton University and Ithaca College School of Music. She holds degrees in piano performance with accompanying emphasis from Boston University, the New England Conservatory and Binghamton University. She has accompanied throughout the United States and in England and Austria.
	Yimin Miao, a maestro of Chinese woodwind instruments, has established his artistry and educational endeavors in the vibrant city of New York. As a co-founder of the New York Ba Ban Chinese Music Society, he has been recognized for his exceptional contributions to performance and teaching in the concert halls, universities, and libraries across the United States.
	Yi Zhou, a virtuoso of the pipa and qin based in New York, has garnered acclaim from the Washington Post for her "breathtaking" precision in technique and profound expressiveness. As a co-founder of the New York Ba Ban Chinese Music Society, she has graced the stage alongside prestigious ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, among others.
	Xutong Shi is an undergraduate student majoring in Theatre Arts with a concentration in dance at Binghamton University. She has learned a variety of dance styles, including classical Chinese dance, modern dance and ballet. She has won awards in dance competitions organized by China Central TV and Hong Kong Youth Arts Festival respectively.

The Center for Theater Arts Collaboration (CTAC) was jointly formed by Binghamton University, State University of New York, and its partner, the National Academy of Chinese Theater Arts (NACTA) in Beijing, China, in December 2021. As the only center of its kind in the world, CTAC works with scholars and artists in the U.S., China, and across the world, advancing East-West theatrical exchange, communication, and collaboration through teaching, performance, research, and its unique electronic journal, https://www.binghamton.edu/centers/ctac/thea-comm/.