North America’s first professional Chinese music group will perform two concerts next month at a popular Vancouver tourist attraction. The Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble’s first show, Ripples of Sound, begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday (May 4) at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (578 Carrall Street).
This comes near the start of Asian Heritage Month, which is celebrated in May across Canada.
Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble founder and musical director Jirong Huang is one of the performers. A highly regarded erhu player and composer, he launched the ensemble in 1989. He’ll be joined by Yong Sun (dizi), Sarah Yusha Tan (guzheng), Zhongxi Wu (sheng, suona), Zhimin Yu (ruan), Allen Zhou (cello), and Alan Lau (keyboard).
They will play Yong’s Picking Tea Leaves and Chasing Butterflies and Lau’s Sea View.
According to a Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble news release, Yong’s composition “evokes the tea-growing landscapes in Fujian, where the delicate ripples of tea poured into a cup are a metaphor for the flowing, interconnected nature of sound and life”. It adds that Lau’s composition also offers a reminder of ripples, this time from the ocean, echoing themes from the past.
Jasmine Jazz brings a contemporary twist to ancient Chinese music.
Jasmine Jazz follows Ripples of Sound
Later in May, Jasmine Jazz will return to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. It will bring three Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble members—Huang, Wu, and Tan—together with the Jodi Proznick Trio. Proznick plays bass, with Bill Coon on guitar and James Danderfer on clarinet. They will premiere Coon’s Breath of Joy with Liam McDonald as guest percussionist.
The Vancouver Chinese Instrumental Music Society and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Classical Garden are co-presenting Jasmine Jazz. It will begin at 2 p.m. on May 25.
“This is more than a concert—it’s a celebration of cross-cultural artistry, where fiery jazz improvisation dances with the elegance of Chinese classical music,” they say. “Each piece tells a story, blending the spontaneity of jazz with the timeless beauty of ancient melodies. Set against the tranquil serenity of the garden, this performance promises an afternoon of transcendent music where every note resonates with harmony, respect, and shared joy.”
For more information and tickets to Ripples of Sound or Jasmine Jazz, visit chinesemusicvancouver.com. Follow Pancouver on X @PancouverMedia and Bluesky @pancouver.bsky.social. Also find Pancouver on Instagram @PancouverMedia. Follow Charlie Smith on Bluesky @charliesmithvcr.bsky.social.
