Bard East/West Ensemble Conducted by Jindong Cai
Performers
Location
About
TEMPO Concert Hall
Sunday, October 4
Doors at 2:30 PM; concert at 3:00 PM
TEMPO Performing Arts Center, 29 Wurts St., Kingston, NY 12401
As part of the 2026 China Now Music Festival, Chasing Dreams, the Bard East/West Ensemble celebrates America’s 250th anniversary with pieces from its recent tour. After performing 15 shows in 8 cities in China, the ensemble will showcase its cross-cultural sound through arrangements of works by Aaron Copland, Astor Piazzolla, and Jiang Ying, among others. Conducted by Jindong Cai.
Tickets: $10 standard; free for kids 12 and under. All tickets are general admission seating. An accessible entrance is available. Beer, wine, and cider are offered at the bar.
About the Bard East/West Ensemble (巴德中西乐团)
Founded by conductor and educator Jindong Cai, the ensemble fuses Chinese and Western musical traditions. It features a Western string quintet alongside seven traditional Chinese instruments—dizi, erhu, pipa, ruan, suona, guzheng, and sheng—with Chinese and Western percussionists.
The ensemble has appeared at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. It has collaborated with soloists including Guo Yazhi, Wu Man, and Duo Chinoiserie. Its repertoire includes original works and arrangements by composers such as Zhou Long, Tan Dun, and Xinyan Li. In July 2026, it completed its second tour of China, following its inaugural tour in June 2025.
About the China Now Music Festival
Founded in 2018, the festival is co-presented by the US-China Music Institute of the Bard College Conservatory of Music and the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. It presents concerts and forums featuring composers and performers, with each year exploring a distinct theme.
Learn more: https://www.barduschinamusic.org/chasing-dreams