Musical tribute to Chinese New Year, philanthropist

An audience gathered at the Lincoln Center in New York City to hear the delightful sounds of the New York Philharmonic orchestra in celebration of the Chinese New Year and to honor Chinese American philanthropist Angela Chen.

At the event Tuesday evening, Oscar Tang, co-chairman of the Philharmonic board, praised Chen's tireless work in establishing the first Lunar New Year Gala with the New York Phil in 2012 along with Chinese conductor Yu Long.

Chen, also a board member and co-chair of the NY Phil International Advisory Board, has not only spent 14 years championing the Chinese New Year concert but also acted as a conduit to bring Chinese music and culture to Western audiences.

"I think that cultural exchanges are very important, and 14 years ago, I wanted to do a cultural exchange and thought that the New York Philharmonic is the perfect platform to do that," Chen told China Daily.