Janelle Kruly

janellek@reveilleinc.com

(714) 858-0945

Suzanna Choi

suzanna@tashirochoi.com

(949) 254-8080

LINK TO PHOTOS

Pacific Symphony invites audiences to welcome the Year of the Horse this Lunar New Year with a vibrant evening of music and dance on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at 8 p.m. The orchestra’s annual celebration returns to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall with a dynamic program that blends Eastern and Western traditions and brings together more than 200 community performers from Orange County and beyond. Led by Music Director Laureate Carl St.Clair, the annual tradition sells out every year as communities gather to celebrate culture, heritage and share in the joy of live performance. The evening is hosted by emcee Ron Banks and Cao Keran and features a wide range of guest artists, dancers and choirs performing alongside Pacific Symphony.

“Each year, our Lunar New Year celebration offers a special opportunity to showcase remarkable artists and to honor culture in a way that feels both festive and meaningful,” said St.Clair. “We’re honored to highlight the vibrant traditions of pan-Asian music and dance through an exciting lineup of exceptional performers from both near and far—a vision inspired and made possible by the dedication of long-time visionary supporter, Charlie Zhang.”

The 2026 program spans centuries and continents, beginning with Huanzhi Li’s Spring Festival Overture and continuing through works by Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Rossini, Orff, and Samuel Ward, alongside traditional and contemporary pieces rooted in Asian musical traditions. Pianist Xiangdong Kong performs Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, while featured soloists include jinghu player Shunxiang Zhang and Pacific Symphony Concertmaster Dennis Kim on violin.

Dance plays a central role throughout the evening, with performances by Yaya Dance Academy under the direction of Yaya Zhang and the T.O.P. Awards Dancers. The concert also highlights the talents of young musicians and singers, including the Orange County Music and Dance Violin Studio of Wendy Castille and the American Feel Young Chorus, directed by Sam Wei-Chi Sun. Pacific Chorale, led by Artistic Director Robert Istad, is featured on several major works on the program, culminating in selections from Carmina Burana and a closing performance of “America the Beautiful.”

Pacific Symphony’s Lunar New Year celebration is made possible through the generous support of presenting sponsors, Hoag and Hoag Hospital Foundation and concert sponsors, Charlie and Ling Zhang.

Tickets are available at www.pacificsymphony.org/lunar-new-year or by calling (714) 755-5799.

Pacific Symphony is the largest orchestra formed in the United States in the past 50 years and is ranked among the top orchestras in the U.S. by the League of American Orchestras. In 2024, Alexander Shelley was appointed to become Pacific Symphony’s third artistic leader, taking the title of Artistic and Music Director, beginning in the 2026-27 season. He is serving as Artistic and Music Director Designate during the 2025-26 season, which marks Pacific Symphony’s 47th season. Founded in 1978, the Symphony was led for 35 years by Carl St.Clair, who is honored with the title of Music Director Laureate starting in the 2025-26 season.

In its 47-year history, Pacific Symphony has gained national and international recognition, with recent highlights including a 2018 Carnegie Hall debut in celebration of composer Philip Glass; a five-city tour of China; and a PBS Great Performances broadcast of Peter Boyer’s “Ellis Island: The Dream of America.” In 2024, Pacific Symphony released the world-premiere recording of “Fiat Lux,” a stirring new commission by composer Sir James MacMillan performed with long-time artistic partner Pacific Chorale. The Symphony has been recognized with multiple ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming and included among the country’s five most innovative orchestras by the League of American Orchestras.

With a purpose to lift the human spirit through the power of music, the Symphony is a cornerstone of the cultural landscape of Southern California, enriching lives and bringing communities together through creative and diverse programming. As the resident orchestra of the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, the Symphony presents more than 100 concerts and events each year and a rich array of education and community engagement programs, reaching more than 300,000 residents of all ages.

Title: LUNAR NEW YEAR CONCERT

Dates: Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, at 8 p.m.

Location: Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall located at 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Carl St.Clair, conductor

Ron Banks, emcee

Cao Kafan, emcee

Xiangdong Kong, piano

Shunxiang Zhang, jinghu

Dennis Kim, violin

Yaya Dance Academy, Yaya Zhang, artistic director

T.O.P. Awards Dancers

OCMD Violin Studio of Wendy Castille

American Feel Young Chorus — Sam Wei-Chi Sun, director

Pacific Chorale — Robert Istad, artistic director

HUANZHI LI: Spring Festival Overture

     Yaya Dance Academy

SHUNXIANG ZHANG: Jinghu Solo

     Shunxiang Zhang, jinghu

JIANG LIU: Echoes of the Earth A Musical Odyssey, Part II

Arr. Shizhe Wang

     OCMD Violin Studio of Wendy Castille

DEBUSSY: Claire de lune

     Yaya Dance Academy

TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1

      Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso

       Xiangdong Kong, piano

- Intermission -

ROSSINI: Overture to William Tell

     Yaya Dance Academy/T.O.P Awards Dancers

LIU/SHIZHE WANG: My Homeland

HAN-KI KIM: Spring of Hometown

     Dennis Kim, violin

TRADITIONAL IRISH: Suzhou River

     Arr. Shirunyu Liu

    American Feel Young Chorus and Pacific Chorale

     Lyrics Cheng Zhang/Yue Yin/Shridhar Solanki

     Orch. Elbert Liu

ORFF: Carmina Burana

     O Fortuna

      Yaya Dance Academy, AFYC, Pacific Chorale

SAMUEL WARD: "America the Beautiful"

     Arr. Greg Prechel

     Lyricist Katherine Lee Bates

     American Feel Young Chorus and Pacific Chorale

Tickets:

Tickets for Pacific Symphony can be purchased at PacificSymphony.org or by calling the box office at (714) 755-5799.