The Chinese Fine Arts Society (CFAS) was founded in 1984 as a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the education and promotion of the Chinese cultural arts.

Thank you to our fantastic audience for joining us in experiencing Rhythms of China at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Millennium Park, on July 31, 2011 at 6:30 PM.

This critically acclaimed eclectic concert showcased lively contemporary chamber music for percussion, strings, traditional Chinese instruments, electronics, piano, saxophone, and chorus, and included the world premiere of 2011 Pulitzer Prize winner Zhou Long’s “Taigu Rhyme III,” for saxophone, cello, and two percussion and the Midwest premiere of Neil Rolnick’s “The Economic Engine,” for traditional Chinese quartet, string quartet and electronics, as well as works by internationally acclaimed composers Tan Dun and Gu Guan Ren. The dynamic Cheng Da Drum Team and CFAS Chorus opened. CFAS received a prestigious Encore grant from the American Composers Forum to support a series of Chicago-based performances of the Rolnick work. More info

We are sorry to inform you that our concert scheduled for TODAY, Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 5:30 PM-6:30 PM has been cancelled by the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce due to an equipment failure at the venue. We are very disappointed, but hope to see you at our Rhythms of China concert on July 31, 2011 at 6:30 PM at Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.

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Please join us as we kick off our 2011 Live from Chicago Chinatown Concert series onstage in Chinatown Square, 2133 S. China Place this upcoming Saturday, June 25, 2011 from 5:30 PM-6:30 PM.

Featuring performances by classically trained cellist and hip-hop artist Kato, and dynamic guzheng duo Judy and Sherry Tseng, this eclectic concert is not to be missed! Free and open to the public!!

• Kato, composer, actor, musician, and performer. Classically trained in cello, Kato blends various genres into hip hop styled songs and composes classical melodies to act as counterpoints – using his cello as a second voice. He has written and recorded for Grammy winning artists and toured around the country, performing at festivals such as SXSW and appearing at various MTV events.

• Judy and Sherry Tseng, guzheng duo. College-bound cousins who have performed together for nearly a decade at cultural events in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and even Canada, their passion is to demonstrate the beauty of traditional Chinese guzheng music, encouraging cultural appreciation and understanding through their performances.

More program info…

Thanks to all that joined us today at noon for a program of Chinese Dance and Music at Daley Plaza in Chicago!  The program included the Arts in Bartlett Chorus – a talented group of primarily non-Asian individuals that have mastered Chinese, Japanese and Korean songs; and dancers from Jin Qiu Yue Dance Studio.  We hope to see you at our next event!

Thanks to all who attended our concert on April 17 at 3:00 pm in Preston Bradley Hall at the Chicago Cultural Center which showcased traditional and contemporary chamber music for piano, strings, woodwinds, percussion, erhu, and chorus! The house was full and the musicians were wonderful!

The program included works by award-winning composers Chen Yi, Huang Ruo, and Liu Wen Jin, the Chicago premiere of “Hot Pepper” by Bright Sheng and the North American premiere of Julia Liu Composition Competition Winner “Dream of Hometown” by Bo Chan Li

We also would like to thank our 2011-2012 Artists in Residence DUO DIORAMA, comprised of Winston Choi, piano and MingHuan Xu, violin, who curated and also performed in the concert. Finally, a big thank you to the outstanding line up of additional musicians: Katherine Jui Chang, piano; Robert Dillon, percussion; Haysun Kang, piano; Cheng-Hou Lee, cello; Sang Mee Lee, violin; Alexander Li, erhu; Melissa Snoza, flute; Masahito Sugihara, saxophone; Jennifer Woodrum, clarinet; Yuchi Chou, conductor and the CFAS Chorus – Lori Ho conducting, Wen Ming Leung, piano accompanist.

It’s the Year of the Rabbit Celebration!

Sunday, February 13, 2011
12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Navy Pier’s Crystal Gardens
600 E. Grand Avenue, Chicago, IL

Chicago’s Chinese Fine Arts Society celebrates the Chinese New Year with colorful, traditional music, dance and martial arts performances at Navy Pier’s Crystal Gardens, 600 E. Grand Ave., Chicago, on Sunday, February 13, 2011 from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Navy Pier’s Chinese New Year Celebration is a part of the Neighborhoods of the World series, Sundays, Feb. 6 – Apr. 3, 2011, in the Crystal Gardens.

Performances at Navy Pier’s Crystal Gardens will feature:

•    Lion Dance and Martial Arts by the Chicago Chinese Cultural Center Lion Dance Troupe
•    Chinese Fine Arts Society’s Chinese Instrument Ensemble featuring YuQi Deng, Guzheng;  Alex Li, Erhu; Kerry Leung, Bamboo flute; and Brent Roman, Yangqin.  GuZheng, Erhu, and Yangqin are traditional Chinese instruments.
•    Jin Qiu Yue Dance Studio featuring students of Northwestern University, members of Little Star Dance Troupe, Flying Fairies Dance Group, and The Oak Park FCC’s Dancing Daughters
•    Bei Dou Kung Fu All Stars
•    Peking Opera excerpt
•    Hakka Dance Troupe led by Rei Ling Chang
•    CFAS Chorus, under the direction of Lori Ho
•    Shadow Puppet Show led by Lori Ho
•    The Magical Strings of Youth of the Betty Haag Academy of Music
•    Fashion Show including traditional Chinese costumes from various dynasties

For more information, visit www.NavyPier.com.

Performances are free and open to the public.

Feb 3, 2011

Dear Friends of the Chinese Fine Arts Society,

We were just informed that our event which was to take place today at 12 noon has been cancelled by Daley Center due to the closure of the courts because of the weather. Please join us at our Chinese New Year Extravaganza event on Sunday, Feb. 13 from noon-5 at the Navy Pier Crystal Gardens.

Happy Chinese New Year!!