The Yueh Fei Competition 1999-2000
Celebrating the new millennium, CFAS sponsored the Yueh Fei International Music Composition Competition of 2000. The competition, the first of its kind, invited composers worldwide to write and submit original music inspired by the life of Chinese folk hero Yueh Fei, whose life exemplified universal virtues of courage, loyalty, patriotism and filial piety. A distinguished panel of music composers and educators selected the winners. Winning works were premiered in two concerts as part of the millennium celebration series sponsored by the City of Chicago. The Chicago Tribune hailed these concerts, which featured Chicago-based musical luminaries Rachel Barton Pine, Violin; Yang Wei, Pipa; Betti Xiang, Erhu; and 6 musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, among the ten best classical music concerts in 2000 in Chicago.
The Great Wall Competition, 2005-2006
In 2005, CFAS launched the Great Wall International Music Composition Competition, inviting composers worldwide to submit original compositions inspired by the Great Wall of China. The finalists of this composition debuted at the Great Wall International Music Composition Competition Gala World Premiere in Buntrock Hall at the Chicago Symphony Center on June 25th, 2006 performed by Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians Lawrie Bloom, Russell Hershow, Eugenia Moliner, Ken Olson, Rami Solomonow, and Yuan-Qing Yu. The concert also featured renowned Chicago musicians Denis Azabagic, Katherine Jui Chang, Amy Briggs Dissanayake and Betti Xiang. This concert culminated in a series of three concerts featuring world premieres of music from the Great Wall competition.
