The Starlight Art Ensemble (SAE) held its 5th Anniversary Concert on Saturday, January 11, 2025, at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center in Rockville, MD. The concert showed how far the group has come since it began in March 2019.
The program mixed full chorus pieces, ensemble works, and solo acts, bringing together Chinese folk songs and Western classical music.
The full chorus began with Li Shutong’s “Spring Outing,” followed by Li Shutong’s “Farewell,” with lyrics by Li Shutong and music by John Pond Ordway. The performance continued with “A Half Moon Rising,” a folk song from Qinghai, and concluded with “Almihan,” a Xinjiang folk song.
The solo acts brought fresh energy to the show. Rena Gong directed a female vocal group in the Romanian folk song “Looking in the Mirror.” Jiayue Yang played “Delightful Woman Soldiers” on piano, and Ken Ding performed Fauré’s “Sicilienne” on cello.
Combination of musical performances at the 5th Starlight Art Ensemble Anniversary Concert held at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Rockville, Maryland on Saturday, January 11, 2025@Wecaa_official @JanDuPlain @PatrickRealiza @Popeson @HealthyLights @gotebs pic.twitter.com/pHqvL5Vmxx
— DiplomaticWatch (@Diplo_Watch) January 12, 2025
The men sang “On the other side of the river” and “Grandma’s Penghu Bay,” while the women performed “Shepherds Song,” “Sounds of Spring Rivers,” and “Daylily Flower.”
A special part of the concert, “The Spring Moon over the River,” combined poetry, dance, and music under Rena Gong’s direction. Soprano Guofang Yi and mezzo-soprano Lihui Zhang sang “The Little Road” and Schubert’s “Die Forelle” as a duet. The full chorus ended the show with “You Raise Me Up,” “Come To The Music,” and “The Song We Share.”
Phil Peng conducted the ensemble, with Chang Xiang accompanying on piano. Guest artists included Sherry Yi, Lihui Zhang, Jiayue Yang, and Ken Ding, all accomplished musicians and teachers.
Short clips from the stunning performances of "You Raise Me Up," "Come to the Music," and "The Song We Share" at the Starlight Art Ensemble 5th Anniversary Concert, held at the Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center in Rockville, MD, on January 11, 2025@Wecaa_official… pic.twitter.com/pZDUwW1gOD
— DiplomaticWatch (@Diplo_Watch) January 12, 2025
SAE has grown to over 100 members, mostly from Northern Virginia. They’ve performed at cultural festivals and holiday events, and kept going with virtual concerts during COVID-19. Their first full concert happened in October 2022 at Bender JCC of Greater Washington.
The group does more than perform – they teach music too. Members can join weekly choir practice and learn about music theory, dance, poetry, and culture.
With support from sponsors like McDonald’s and work from dedicated members and teachers, SAE has become a key part of the Greater Washington arts community. The 5th Anniversary Concert proved how music brings people together and helps the arts thrive locally.
