Nai-Ni Chen Troupe presents Chinese dance program

Nai-Ni Chen Troupe presents Chinese dance program

by John Koster

October 3, 2012 

Ridgewood residents who took time away from the street fair and the beautiful weather to visit the Ridgewood Library were glad they saw Nai-Ni Chen’s Dance Company perform exquisite samples of Chinese dances to a good-sized audience at the auditorium. The audience was instantly impressed by the beauty of the performance and costumes.

Dance soloist Ying Shi of Beijing captivated the audience with the classical Chinese Ribbon Dance. She used two colorful scarves and graceful gestures and facial expressions to take the audience through both happy and stormy emotions in pantomime as the scarves became arching rainbows, simmering waves, and -- in Ying Shi’s skilled hands -- spirals and enveloping helixes. 

Yao Zhong Zhang from Shanghai strode forth in fierce warrior makeup for a bold performance of the Long Spear Dance, a combination of ballet and the martial arts. He radiated strength and gymnastic skill, performing leaps and spins with his spear while clad in an archaic warrior costume and headdress.

Shi then returned with the Water Lily Dance. Nai-Ni Chen, the award-winning troupe leader, explained that, in Chinese allusion, a water lily can stand for a lovely girl. Shi began her dance as a mundane flat yellow-green lily pad from a pond, but emerged as a glorious pink blossom and took the responsive audience through a day in the life of a gorgeous water lily from dawn to dusk. The recorded dance music was punctuated with amusing drips and gurgles that suggested the pond life around the lily. 

 

Besides acting as narrator, Chen ultimately opened up the stage to a dozen pre-teen volunteers who wanted to learn something about how the dances were done.

 

First Chen taught the adults and children about the hand gestures: the “orchid hand” for girls means touching the pinkie and thumb while the three middle fingers remain separate and the wrist rotates. The “tiger hand” for boys means holding all four fingers together straight out with the thumb perpendicular. The real fun for the youngsters came when they climbed onto stage and learned, watching the taut, muscular Zhang how to swirl the ribbons into the rainbow, the ocean wave, and the waterfall.

“We got 90 people out, despite all the conflicts,” said Ridgewood Library Business Manager Toni Mathes. “People loved them, and I thought it was a great way to reflect the diverse cultures of Ridgewood.” About half the audience was of European ancestry, and the other half was Asian. Applause was warm and sustained.

Chen is an internationally known dancer and choreographer who began her career at the Cloud Gate Theater in Taiwan. She holds a master’s degree from New York University, and has performed all over the Eurasian continent.

  
Link to Full Article: http://www.villadom.com/VTNews/2012/Z2/Oct/1003/7.html

On the Silk Road to Learning

On the Silk Road to Learning: Students in Elizabeth immersed in the cultures of far-away lands

By Peggy McGlone/The Star-Ledger

June 3, 2012

Steve Hockstein/For the Star-Ledger
 Children at Elizabeth's Dr. Orlando Edreira Academy School No. 26 perform their Silk Road project for an audience that included students at their sister school in China via and internet hookup last month.

ELIZABETH — A swarm of third-grade dancers finished the final number of the "Silk Road" performance at Dr. Orlando Edreira Academy School No. 26 by unfurling their balls of cloth and sending a rainbow of color into the air.

As the dancers swirled their streamers in a choreographed design, the kindergartners from the Elizabeth public school "ooohed" their delight.

Using Chinese music and traditional Chinese dance, costumes and instruments, the students of this globally focused school have spent the spring traveling the Silk Road, learning about the cities, cultures and resources along the 4,000-mile trade route that linked Asia and Europe.

The school-wide program is intended to foster connections with other cultures and emphasize similarities between people, rather than their differences, principal Howard Teitelbaum said.

"We want learning that traverses subject areas, and learning by touching, seeing, singing, playing, dancing," said Teitelbaum, who dressed in the gold embroidered robes of an emperor for the event last month. "When you think back to school, you don’t remember that essay you wrote or that math lesson. But you remember things like this."

The school’s journey on the Silk Road — a partnership between the district and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company in Fort Lee — began in January and included all 10 grades from pre-kindergarten through grade eight.

Steve Hockstein/For the Star-Ledger
Min Zhou of the Nai Ni Chen Dance Co. performs a traditional Ribbon Dance for children at Elizabeth's Orlando Edreira Academy School 26.

It ended with a 75-minute student performance that also featured the traditional Min Zhou Ribbon Dance performed by a member of Nai-Ni’s company and musician Jeff Werbock on sitar and a host of traditional drums and string instruments.

Also involved were students from its sister school, the East Street School in Dunhuang, China, one of the cities along the Silk Road. The Elizabeth and Dunhuang students collaborated on the development of the show, and several dozen students from that elementary school watched the performance via Skype. (Since Dunhuang is 12 hours ahead, the students had to return to their school at night to watch.)

When the internet connection to East Street was established, the Elizabeth students, who study Mandarin Chinese, yelled hello in Chinese. The Chinese students responded in English.

The five-month project was a risky undertaking because it included so many elements, its creators said. Nai-Ni Chen company members taught and rehearsed the dances, while band director Tom Siebenhuhner led the advanced band and the jazz ensemble in movements of "Dreams of the Past," a piece Nai-Ni Chen commissioned from Chinese composer Gao Dengxian.

"It was important that the whole school was involved, since that’s pretty rare," said Nai-Ni Chen, artistic director of the contemporary dance company that has worked with the academy since it opened in 1998.

The original music was important, too, because it gave the students a real sense of Chinese culture.

"It was a real East-West mix," said Chen. "That was a true collaboration."

Steve Hockstein/For the Star-Ledger
 Middle-school science teacher Bill Clark portrays a Chinese Warrior.

Each grade studied a stop along the route — beginning in Quanzhou and continuing through Xanadu (highlighted by a spirited performance of Kubla Khan), Kashgar, Baghdad, Antioch and Tyre. Students studied the cities, their culture, geography, natural resources and top exports, presenting skits in between the dance and music pieces.

Audience members learned that Antioch merchants "drive a hard bargain" and that Damascus was known for its beautiful purple dyes. They watched as traders from Quanzhou offered tea in return for silk, and Tyre traders bartered with cedar wood.

"The kids were really engaged," said second-grade teacher Julia Lehman. "It was really an experience in (having an) open mind. It was an exciting school project."

Seven-year-old Tameesan Miller, dressed in a green tunic costume, recited a poem in Chinese about his grade’s city, Dunhuang. Afterward, he said he enjoyed working on the project.

"It was fun because we said a poem and the third-graders did a dance," he said.

Members of the band were enthusiastic about the music, a three-part composition filled with Eastern influences.

"You get to learn about different cultures through music," said Deiontay Hall, 13, a seventh-grade sax player.

"I loved the music and its different sound," said trumpet player Brandon Wreckler, 12, also in seventh grade.
 "It wasn’t easy. It took weeks and weeks of practice but we pulled it together."


Link to original article: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/on_the_silk_road_to_learning_s.html  

 

Catching Up with Nai-Ni Chen

OBERON'S GROVE

Catching Up with Nai-Ni Chen

On Friday March 16th, photographer Norbert de la Cruz and I stopped in at the DANY studios to pay a visit to Nai-Ni Chen. Nai-Ni was expecting us and she had her wonderful troupe of dancers all warmed up and ready to go. They ran thru three works for us: Whirlwind (which is new), Quest (a solo for Noibis Licea) and Incense, a beautiful ensemble work.

I always love being in Nai-Ni Chen's studio; in rehearsal her dancers can shift smoothly into performance mode, giving not only the full expanse of the movement but the emotional nuances you only expect to see onstage. Beautiful personalities, always a pleasure to watch at close range.

Here are some of Norbert's images from this rehearsal:

Choreographer Nai-Ni Chen and Dancer Noibis Licea







Jung Hm Jo and Jamison Goodnight



















Jung Hm Jo and Ekaterina Chernikhova
















Jung Hm Jo and Jamison Goodnight














Riyo Mito
















Jamison & Ekaterina















Noibis Licea in the solo Quest























Riyo





















Nai-Ni Chen, Jamison Goodnight & Guanglei Hui















Jamison Goodnight & Jung Hm Jo

















Guanglei Hui & Ekaterina Chernikhova






















Jamison Goodnight

On March 24, 2012 Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company will take part in the Jersey Moves! Festival, and in the coming weeks will be performing in Oklahoma and Arkansas.

All photos by Norbert de la Cruz.

Link to Blog: http://oberon481.typepad.com/oberons_grove/2012/03/catching-up-with-nai-ni-chen-.html

Dance: "Temptation of the muses" - preview with choreographer Nai-Ni Chen Continue reading on Examiner.com Dance: "Temptation of the muses" - preview

Dance: "Temptation of the muses" - preview with choreographer Nai-Ni Chen

March 7, 2012
By Eugene Chan, Queens Fine Arts Examiner

Founded in 1988, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company is an organization where the influences of the East (such as martial arts movements) meets West (modern dance discipline). In preview of an upcoming performance of "Temptation of the muses" here is an interview with group founder and artistic director Nai-Ni Chen.

Q1: Brief explain the origins of how "Temptation of the muses" came about.

A1 (Chen): In 2010, the intial idea was inspired by a poem called "A word for freedom" by Latif Nazemi, a Persian poet originally from Afghanistan. It was at a time when the company got a "Live music for dance" grant from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. Next, based on past associations we decided to work the Ahn Trio (made up of 3 Korean-born sisters) who play throughout "Temptation of the muses." The Ahn trio knew of NY-based Japanese-American composer Kenji Bunch who would write a new piece called "Concrete stream."

Q2: Why the title "Concrete stream?"

A2: It was Bunch's reaction to Nazemi's treatment of water in "A word for freedom." Working off of Bunch's interpretation of the poem, for the dancers stream came to mean the flow of movement across the confines of a stage. The use of the word stone in the poem made Bunch think of concrete in an urban setting. So concrete stream took on another layer of meaning -- freedom within structure-- like the way a big city or a dance can be.

Q3: This will be the fifth time the group will be performing "Temptation of the muses" since its premier at Harlem School of the Arts Theater in December 2010. How has the work evolved since that debut?

A3: It has evolved in two specific ways. Since the staging involves having the instrumentalists not be stationary, pianist Lucia Ahn came to me and said I want to be involved with the movement on stage. It took awhile to figure out how to do that, but early on in the piece I have Lucia with the dancers doing a pedestrian walk.

"Yu Ryung" is a section that features Jazz composer Pat Metheyny's music. My first reaction to the music's lyricism made me think about individuals in a city trying to enjoy a little piece of nature in the urban jungle. When I learned that "Yu Ryung" meant spirit or ghost in Korean, and that definition was the basis for Metheny's intent--it spurred me to make small changes to the dance.

Q4: In a composer's note you said that you gave the dancers a lot of freedom to express themselves while working on "Temptation of the muses." Have you always worked that way or is this practice a more recent development?

A4: It depends. When I have a clear vision of what a work is about, I take charge strongly. When I don't have a clear vision and I'm exploring an idea, the dancers are encouraged to contribute to the process.

As an example, say at one point during the process of creating a dance I have three sets of male/female dancers pair off. I throw two words at them like, "connect" and "disconnect," and then I ask them to improvise.

The pairs then explore those words. One pair might click and pop immediately, another pair might experiment and grind for quite awhile. Watching their processes gives me ideas to consider when creating a piece.

Q5: What qualities do you look for in a dancer who is looking to join the company?

A5: First I go beyond the personal background of a dancer, and consider how will they best fit into my concept. Of course a candidate must have strong, fundamental technique. Beyond that, I'm looking for a dancer who doesn't just move through a given space, but physically inhabits it. Simply by the way a dancer walks I can get a clue to their personality. I find it's hard for dancers to lie with their bodies.

Equally important is a candidate who shows open-mindedness to new styles and ideas. I've had some candidates who were technically exceptional, but set in their approach based on their training and therefore wouldn't be a good match. Also, a dancer who isn't shy about providing feedback can provide me with information that will inform my choreography. When starting on a work whose concept I'm unsure of, both of the aforementioned qualities can make my life easier.

Q6: Talk about the economic challenges the company has faced over the last three years.

This company has made it for 23 years, so we know how to survive during economic downtimes, but it has been rough. When times are good, my company has an atypical capacity to have 40 full-time total workweeks.

Right now it's just 20 full-time workweeks with some part-time opportunities.

That said, things are slowly improving as we are getting more performance requests and funding streams are starting to trickle in again. In my experience, economic climate for dance cannot get worse than it was during the low point of 2009 -10.

Q7: What is the technically or interpretatively most difficult section for the dancers in "Temptation of the muses?"

Technically, the finale called "Groove box" is hard because there are parts of this section that require the male dancer among many things, to sustain handstands of considerable duration while displaying total command over his entire body.

From an interpretive standpoint, a particularly difficult section is called "Lullaby." I have a certain idea of the meaning behind "Lullaby," but communicating that idea through physical movement is a challenge. I don't reveal too much in the program notes about this section though, because I want an audience member to come at this part from their own viewpoint.

Q8: Does audience feedback-- whether it's the person who pays for a ticket or someone in your creative circle-- matter enough to influence the development of a given piece?

A8: Andrew Chiang is executive director of the company and his opinion means most to me. He also happens to be my husband and is often the ensemble's toughest critic. He was a dance student in his younger days and has so many years in this business in an administrative role, including a stint with the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

For me, I think that dance companies should regularly hold question and answer sessions with audience members as much as possible. This, to break through the third wall and get their feedback whether positive or negative.

I'm confident in my abilities, but not stubborn. If I hear useful criticism, I'll use it to grow as an artist.

This Saturday at 8 pm, the New Jersey-based group will be performing "Temptation of the Muses" at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center in Long Island City, Queens. Tickets: $15/advance, $20/door. Directions

Article Link: http://www.examiner.com/fine-arts-in-new-york/dance-preview-temptation-of-the-muses-interview-of-choreographer-nai-ni-chen

Ahn Trio unites with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company for performance

Ahn Trio unites with Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company for performance

Published: Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:14 p.m.

The sparkling Ahn Trio accompanies the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company for their Gainesville premiere onstage tonight in “Temptation of the Muses,” a concert of original music and dance.

The UF Performing Arts program begins at 7:30 tonight at the Phillips Center. Tickets range from $25-$40 and are available at the door.

Choreographer Nai-Ni Chen, along with violinist Angella Ahn, talked about what's in store, as well as how the collaboration came to be.

“We (the Ahn Trio and Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company) are both under the same management in America,” says Ahn. “So my sisters and I had seen the company perform and really liked it. Nia-Ni had heard us before, we all met at an event, and we thought we'd like to work together. Plus, I guess there is that Asian connection,” says Ahn, who was born in Seoul, Korea, while Chen is originally from Taiwan.

“Plus, going to school in New York City and being used to being surrounded by so many interesting and talented people who are all so different, my sisters and I just really love to collaborate often,” Ahn adds. “We've worked with singers of all styles, and we had even worked with another dance company before (Parsons Dance Company).”

“But ‘Temptation of the Muses' feels more organic, natural and comfortable for us”, she says.

In “Temptation,” choreographer Chen places the three strings players right onstage amid the dancing — so the musicians become immersed in the visual element of the piece along with the dancers.

“We move around during the performance, and the dancers interact with us,” Ahn says. Dancers slide through the piano and mimic the cellist's movements.

Chen says the it was important to her that the be musicians be part of the visual effect. “I did not want a collaborative effect where it was like, here is this one color over here, and another separate, over there,” she says. “The whole work is like an Impressionist painting, where all the colors mix together.”

Chen launched the collaboration with inspiration from a poem, “A Word for Freedom,” by Persian poet Latif Nazemi. “The poem talks about water, and water as a symbol of freedom,” she says. “In a lot of my work, I am very interested in nature, and in our human relationship with nature.

“I loved the idea of water, something that we all need that connects all people. And I also wanted to explore an idea that though water symbolizes freedom in both the poem and in ‘Temptation', that it can be contained.

“A large container of water is on the stage both at the beginning and close of the program,” she adds. “And the dancers work directly with water throughout the performance.”

“Temptation of the Muses” contains a commissioned musical score by composer Kenji Bunch, who was heralded by The New York Times as a “composer to watch.” Bunch, one of only three composers selected nationwide to inaugurate the Meet the Composer “Magnum Opus” Project, is also a favorite of The Ahn Trio.

“We perform Kenji's music more than any other composer,” Ahn says. “We love him, he's probably our favorite composer to work with.”

There are also musical selections by Pat Metheny, David Balakrishnan and Ronn Yedidia.

Chen named the piece “Temptation of the Muses” by taking the word “temptation” from Nazemi's poem, and combining it with “muses” after the effect that all of the collaborators had on each other. “‘Muses' is all of us, all of the collaborators involved,” Chen says. “We have inspired each other working together, not just the Ahn Trio and myself, but the composers, the costume and lighting designers, everyone.”

And while “Temptation of the Muses” premiered in New York City in 2010, Gainesville audiences will see a work that has only been performed a handful of times. “It's a pretty new work,” Chen says. “We just started touring it last fall.”

Ahn says the piece has been performed less than 10 times. “I feel like the show keeps growing each time we perform it,” she says. “My sisters and I are so inspired by the music and definitely by the dancers; and I feel like we in turn hopefully inspire the dancers. And we think the audience also really takes in the inspiration as well.”

Since forming in 1988, The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has mounted more than 20 national tours, appearing in some of the nation's most prestigious concert halls.

Angella Ahn is the youngest of the Juilliard-educated Ahn Trio. Her sisters Maria (cello), and Lucia (piano) make up the energetic trio.

“I have always thought our personalities match our instruments,” Ahn laughs. “I'm the youngest, but I'm definitely the bossiest. My sisters would back that up completely; I'm kind of a Type A control freak. And Lucia, she's the middle child, knowing how to get along with everyone, which is just right for a pianist.

“And while Maria is the oldest only by ten minutes, our parents definitely raised her as the oldest child, and that has always been her role. Which I think suits the cello.”

With six albums and 10 years of successful touring, they are favorites of UF Performing Arts, and reportedly the feeling is mutual.

“We love Gainesville, and we love the Phillips Center,” says Ahn. “It really is one of our favorite places to perform.”

Sarah Maze can be reached at sarahi@ufl.edu.

Article Link: http://www.gainesville.com/article/20120207/ENT/120209613?p=1&tc=pg

NY Social Diary: Year of the Dragon

Year of the Dragon

January 27, 2012

Traditional Dragon Dance on the Josie Robertson Plaza at the New York Philharmonic's first-ever Chinese New Year Gala concert. Photo Credit: Chris Lee.

This past Tuesday night, the New York Philharmonic hosted its first-ever Chinese New Year Gala concert. 390 guests attended the event and over $1 million was raised for the Philharmonic.

The evening celebrated the Year of the Dragon with a program of Chinese and western orchestral music. The performance was led by Long Yu in his Philharmonic conducting debut, and featured pianist Lang Lang and Philharmonic Principal Oboe Liang Wang, as well as bamboo flutist Junqiao Tang and the Quintessenso Mongolian Children’s Choir, also making their Philharmonic debuts.

A special Dragon Dance took place on the Josie Robertson Plaza preceding the concert and inside Avery Fisher Hall throughout the evening. Arranged by Nai-Ni Chen in collaboration with Sifu Henry Lee for the occasion, the dance was performed by the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company and members of its youth program, accompanied by live percussion music by Mr. Lee.

Philharmonic President and Executive Director Zarin Mehta watches as Lang Lang feeds the Chinese dragon on the Josie Robetson Plaza. Photo Credit: Chris Lee.

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company. Photo Credit: Lindsey Lindekins.

Gala Co-Chairmen. Photo Credit: Lindsey Lindekins.

Article Link: http://newyorksocialdiary.com/node/1907750

NJPAC’s FamilyTime Performance Series Offer So Much More Than A Show

NJPAC’s FamilyTime Performance Series Offer So Much More Than A Show

BY Georgette Gilmore | Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 10:00am

Last Sunday, I was invited to take my family to NJPAC to see the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company’s Show. I was so grateful for the invite and jumped at the chance to take my 8-year-old. She has been learning Mandarin as part of Nisuane’s Mandarin program since kindergarten, I love dance and it was the start of the Lunar New Year, so it was a perfect opportunity for both of us.

If you haven’t been to NJPAC yet, what are you waiting for? No seriously? It’s a beautiful space with great shows. The truth is, I have been there many times, but only once before for a family show. I took my girls to a Dan Zanes show a couple of years ago. But this was the first time that I, or my daughter, got to experience a FamilyTime performance, which includes either a pre- or a post-show workshop.

After the show, which we both really enjoyed, we were invited to the workshop. My daughter and a group of other children were greeted by a man from Nai-Ni Chen. He talked about Chinese New Year and the year of the dragon. He discussed the other Chinese Zodiac animals and then showed the kids his own Lion mask he made out of a paper plate and some construction paper. The kids were excited to get to work and created their own Chinese Lions. Once they were compete he had the kids take their masks over to an open area and taught them a traditional Lion Dance. The kids, and their photo snapping parents, loved it.

Next, we were honored by Ms. Nai-Ni Chen herself, who handed out ribbons and taught the kids a traditional Chinese ribbon dance.

The workshop, which included arts & crafts, cultural lessons and dance lasted about an hour. My daughter had a blast and was so proud when Ms. Chen told her she was impressed with her Mandarin pronunciation when she wished her a Happy New Year. It was a great experience.

NJPAC’s FamilyTime Programs serve students PreK-12th grade, and families with children ages 3 to 18. NJPAC also provides curriculum materials, professional development workshops, pre-performance workshops, and meet-the-artist sessions, all designed to reinforce the educational value of each program.

Photo Slide Show: http://www.flickr.com//photos/baristakids/sets/72157629017357633/show/

Article Link: http://kids.baristanet.com/2012/01/njpacs-familytime-performance-series-offer-so-much-more-than-a-show/

Scene Last Night: Wilbur Ross, Kenneth Buckfire, Henry Cornell

By Amanda Gordon - Jan 25, 2012 9:54 AM ET

At the New York Philharmonic’s Year of the Dragon gala last night, plenty of guests had advice for doing business in China.

Wilbur Ross, dressed in a black-and-red Chinese jacket, said, “You’re dealing with a much more sophisticated culture than we have.”

Thomas Wu, a consultant based in Dusseldorf, Germany, who helps foreign companies do business in China, was more exact.

“When you invest according to the Five Year Plan, the likelihood of success is high,” Wu said. “The plan is future- oriented, so good investments are clean tech, renewable energy and rare earths, used to produce LED chips. China will be leading in lighting products.”

As Kenneth Buckfire, chief executive officer of Miller Buckfire & Co., mingled with fellow Philharmonic board member Daisy Soros, Gary Parr, Philharmonic chairman and vice chairman of Lazard Ltd. (LAZ), talked with Joan Weill about Alvin Ailey’s tentative plans to perform in China.

Ansso Wang of American International Group Inc. (AIG) knew the Year of the Dragon was auspicious: “This is the year to have children.”

The topic of doing business with China returned as waiters passed duck rolls and dumplings.

U.S. diplomat Nicholas Platt, father of actor Oliver Platt and restaurant critic Adam Platt, said the key is to “keep showing up.”

“Be patient,” added Andrew Xuejun Mao, chief marketing officer of the New York branch of China Merchants Bank (600036) Co.

“Ensure you have a really good Chinese friend,” said Anthony Walton, vice chairman, Americas, at Standard Chartered Bank.

Dragon Puppet

Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg.

A dragon puppet made an appearance at the New York Philharmonic party and concert.

“All of the above,” said Maurice Greenberg, chairman and chief executive of C.V. Starr & Co.

The concert at Avery Fisher Hall began, to the beating of a drum wrapped in red silk. A dragon puppet danced across the stage.

The showstopper was the Quintessenso Mongolian Children’s Choir, from the area of the Hulun Buir Grassland. Dressed in colorful robes, boots and white-fur pompoms, the 22 children performed folk songs without an ounce of stage fright.

Their sweet voices and Lady Gaga-caliber dance moves earned them a standing ovation, led by Damian Woetzel, a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and Alan Patricof, managing director and founder of Greycroft Partners LLC.

At intermission, Henry Cornell, a partner at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS), said he was looking forward to the oboe piece, “Extase” by Quigang Chen, featuring New York Philharmonic oboist Liang Wang.

“I played the bassoon and oboe until I was 16,” Cornell said. “Now my 6-year-old is studying piano. We take lessons together on Saturday mornings.”

(Amanda Gordon is a writer and photographer for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Any opinions expressed are her own.)

To contact the writer on this story: Amanda Gordon in New York at agordon01@bloomberg.net or on Twitter at @amandagordon.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff at mhoelterhoff@bloomberg.net.

Article Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-25/scene-last-night-wilbur-ross-kenneth-buckfire-henry-cornell-gary-parr.html