The Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival: A Symphony Of Friendship And Peace

NEW YORK, NY – July 12, 2025 –To celebrate International Friendship Day, the Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival, organized by the Paulus Hook Music Foundation, will grandly take place from July 19th to 20th, 2025, at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. This two-day musical extravaganza aims to convey a profound message of friendship and peace to the world through artistic exchanges that transcend geographical and cultural boundaries.

The festival will officially open at 2:00 PM on July 19th in Stern Auditorium, with the opening concert "Echoes of Humanity: From Origins to Unity" raising the curtain on this artistic feast. This grand musical event will bring together top artists and performing groups from around the globe. Distinguished guests, including officials from various UN member states and other dignitaries from the New York area, will be in attendance, jointly composing a moving chapter of human civilization's exchange and mutual learning amidst the symphony of notes.

Professor Yong Ge from the China Conservatory of Music will lead the Pipa π Ensemble, guiding the audience through time with the clear and stirring sound of the pipa—at times listening to the distant echoes of ancient civilizations, and at times feeling the heroic spirit of battle. 

Under the leadership of principal vocalists Dr. Somdutta Singh and Jogiraj Sikidar, the Malhaar Ensemble from Dubai will present an exquisite interpretation of Indian classical music through 'A Tune of Harmony.' This multisensory performance is a vibrant celebration of India’s musical and cultural unity. Featuring traditional Indian instruments, classical dancers, and a vibrant children’s choir, 'A Tune of Harmony' evokes a powerful journey from the meditative to the ecstatic, with its sonic landscape moving from serene chants to energetic crescendos, weaving an immersive arc of emotion and expression.

The New York Celadon Stars World Orchestra, founded by Ms. Anchi Lin, is renowned for its unique fusion style, blending Chinese folk music with Western classical traditions. Under the baton of conductor Julian Gao, the orchestra will present a captivating series of classic Chinese works. Their program includes selected movements from 'The Dream of the Red Chamber Suite,' the exotic 'Kutsi Dance,' and the U.S. premiere of 'Double Erhu and Orchestra: Shared Winds, Shared Moon, One Universe,' masterfully performed by Bin Zhang and Hina Zhang. Additionally, the ensemble features other distinguished performers such as Wei Sun, Xiaoran Liu, Katelyn Weng, Hiu-Man Chan, and Tsujui Carrie Chin. These meticulously arranged pieces not only demonstrate the rich historical development of Chinese music but also effectively build a musical bridge connecting Eastern and Western civilizations.”

Chinese violinists Yeshuang Ella Chen, Shiqi Luo, cellist Xia Wu, Qianci Liu, percussionists Yi Ru, Jacky Xu, vocal doctor Xiaoming Tian, and pipa virtuoso Qifeng Lin will lead outstanding young musicians from China, New York, and New Jersey. Under the baton of China's National First-Class Conductor Zhang Chunhe, this festival's (teacher-student orchestra) will present magnificent world classical music pieces to the audience. Participating young musicians include: Yuming Yang, Yuchen Yang, Charles Fong, Kevin Zhao, Adaline Fang, Zixuan Jiang, Bryan Yan, Carson Widjaja, Katherine Xin, Theodore Li, Audrey Hong, Carrie Zhang, Kerry Li, Airan Zeng, Ruby Wang, Victor Wang, Lucas Wang, Xiangbo Wang, William Huang, Matthew Zheng, Jaydon Mei, Ethan Chen, Tiffany Wu, Chloe Wu, Hank Pan, Hannah Liao, Joanna Liang, Bliss Liang, Angela Tang, Ruiqi Xu, Bo Wang, and Buyao Zhang.

Pianist Sherry Li and cellist Qianci Liu will collaborate with the United Nations Symphony Orchestra to perform two works celebrating friendship and peace. "Flowers of Peace," composed by Qianci Liu in 2022, draws its inspiration from a touching historical moment: during the inaugural United Nations meeting in 1945, each delegate's room featured a "Peace" rose symbolizing the wish for "We hope for peace." Today, the Rose Garden at the UN Headquarters in New York continues this legacy, blooming with diverse roses as a tribute to past generations' pursuit of peace. The other work is Wang Meng's "Dream, Thousand… (??)." This piece premiered in 2025 at the "Harmonics of Entreprise" Charity Concert at the Harvard Club in Boston. The performance at Carnegie Hall will present an orchestral version, expanding the original's gentle yet powerful qualities, expressing the power of profound emotions transcending time.

The grand finale will be "Voice of Humanity," the third movement of "Ode to Peace," composed by Chinese composer Luo Wei with lyrics by Nuo Xu. This work was specially created for the 2024 UN Chinese Language Day event in New York and was emotionally performed by renowned Chinese singer Shen Zhou at the UN Headquarters. For this concert, accompanied by the United Nations Symphony Orchestra, the United Nations Singers will lead a formidable 200-member choir, including the New York Xinsheng Chinese Choir, New Jersey Edison Chinese Chorus, and Chord to Joy Music Studio Choir. Through magnificent movements in both Chinese and English, the message of peace will be conveyed to every corner of the world by each singer and instrumentalist.

At 1:00 PM on July 20th, Weill Recital Hall will host the festival's second major performance – 'Pipa Unbound: Tradition and Beyond, Professor Yong Ge and Students Recital.' This concert will use the art of the pipa as its central vehicle, building a musical bridge between traditional charm and modern innovation. At the heart of this performance is Pipa π, an ensemble founded in 2019. It serves as a practical extension of the pipa ensemble training course offered by Dr. Yong Ge, its artistic director. The mathematical concept of 'π' was chosen to symbolize the exploration of more changes, development, extensions, possibilities, and uncertainties in music within the scope of rational thinking. The ensemble comprises Dr. Yong Ge herself and her outstanding students, all of whom have achieved high professional artistic accomplishments and gained rich practical experience. These include Jia-Yu Qiu, Wan-Xin Bai, Xiao-Qian Guo, Ruo-Shui Yang, Yu-Qiao Wang, Xuan-Yu Shi, Jia-Yi Wen, and Yue-Meng Li. During the concert, Professor Yong Ge and the Pipa π Ensemble will engage in a deep artistic dialogue with the New York Celadon Stars World Orchestra and the Dubai Malhaar Ensemble, igniting brilliant sparks of world ethnic instruments on stage. This event promises not only a musical exploration across time and space but also a heartfelt exchange through music, conveying warmth with pulsating notes and composing a beautiful movement of tranquility, trust, and hope for the world.

The two-day New York Big Apple Music Festival has already transcended a mere musical performance; it is a magnificent epic about humanity's dreams, diverse world cultures, and shared human empathy. It is precisely thanks to the staunch support of esteemed sponsors such as Celadon Stars, Assiduus Global Inc, Wanyi Faith Foundation, and ITC that this intercontinental musical journey, transcending language and ethnicity, can flourish. We eagerly look forward to joining you, allowing hearts to listen in "distant echoes" and embrace the world tightly in "harmonious resonance.”

Production: Paulus Hook Music Foundation

Producer: Qianci Liu | Executive Director: Yoonjung Hwang

More Information:

• July 19th Opening Concert: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2025/07/19/The-Sixth-New-York-Big-Apple-Music-Festival-0200PM
• July 20th Professor Yong Ge and Students Recital: https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2025/07/20/Pipa-Unbound-Tradition-and-Beyond-Professor-Yong-Ge-and-Students-Recital-0100PM