The District 99 Orchestra will perform in Chicago’s Millennium Park on Sunday, September 16 as part of a festival showcasing Chinese and American cultures.
The District 99 Orchestra, which includes students from both North High and South High, was invited to perform at the Great Lakes Confucius Institute Music Festival on Sunday, September 16, 2018 at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park. The orchestra is led by Director Jennifer Mullen. The two-hour gala concert, entitled Friendship Lasts Forever, will begin at 2:30 p.m. The District 99 students are among a limited number of high school orchestra programs from around the midwest (including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin) invited to participate.
According to organizers, over 1,000 performers will participate in “a wondrous spectacle of music, dance and more, showcasing Chinese and American cultures.” Performers are from both China and the U.S. and will include leading pop music artists, a grand orchestra, choir, and dancers in traditional Chinese attire.
“With over 30 performing groups from the US and China, this concert signifies what it means to be unified, not only in enjoyment of the performing arts, but also in cultural sharing,” says Mullen. “It demonstrates the greatness we can create in cooperation across cultures, and performances will include American groups performing Chinese pieces and vice versa.”
As part of this music festival, District 99 Orchestra students will participate in workshops led by students from China, during which they will to learn about and play a variety of traditional Chinese instruments. District 99 student musicians will combine forces with other high school orchestras from around the midwest, the Valparaiso University Symphony Orchestra, and musicians from China and perform five selections of music together.
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