Artists perform at the Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival in New York, the United States, on July 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

by Xinhua writer Liu Yanan

NEW YORK, July 19 (Xinhua) -- The two-day Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival kicked off at the Stern Auditorium of Carnegie Hall on Saturday, resonating with themes of friendship and peace.

With the theme of "Echoes of Humanity: From Origins to Unity," the opening concert of the music festival aims to convey a message of "friendship and peace to the world through artistic exchanges that transcend geographical and cultural boundaries," according to Paulus Hook Music Foundation, the organizer of the event.

To celebrate International Friendship Day, which falls on July 30 each year, the three-hour concert drew artists from various backgrounds and featured presentations of a number of thematic pieces.

The world now needs some tranquility and peace and that's why to have such a finale to promote friendship, Liu Qianci, cellist and producer of the music festival, told Xinhua.

This festival's teacher-student orchestra presented magnificent world classical music pieces under the title "One Voice, One World: A Musical Medley for Peace."

The Malhaar Ensemble from Dubai then showcased an exquisite interpretation of Indian classical music through "a Tune of Harmony."

Renowned Erhu player Zhang Bin and his daughter Hina performed the U.S. premiere of his piece "Erhu Duet: Shared Winds, Shared Moon, One Universe."

Notably, the United Nations (UN) Symphony Orchestra performed two pieces celebrating friendship and peace. In particular, "Flowers of Peace," composed by Liu in 2022, draws inspiration from the inaugural United Nations meeting in 1945, when each delegate's room featured a "Peace" rose, a symbol of the shared wish: "We hope for peace."

Nearly 300 members from the UN Symphony Orchestra, the UN Singers and others jointly staged the finale "Voice of Humanity," the third movement of "Ode to Peace," composed by Chinese composer Luo Wei with lyrics by Nuo Xu.

Through the language of music, "we are not only reminded of our shared humanity, but also inspired to act with greater kindness and compassion toward one another," said Peter Dawkins, president of UN Staff Recreation Council, in addressing the audience.

"In a world often divided by borders, politics and misunderstandings, events like this give us hope. They remind us that we may come from different corners of the Earth, we share the same sky -- and, more importantly, we share the same future," said Dawkins.

The concert featured hundreds of artists and performers and drew an audience of around 1,000 people.

"It was a beautiful experience to see all the different cultures coming together and various instruments," said Ludney Jean-Philippe, an audience member.

The audience also had a chance to engage closely with a series of classic Chinese compositions, including selected movements from "the Dream of the Red Chamber Suite" and "Moon Night on an Autumn Night," performed on traditional instruments such as Guzheng, Pipa, Guanzi, Dizi and others.

Ge Yong, a professor of the China Conservatory of Music, led the Pipa π Ensemble in presenting "Ambush from All Sides."

Both Ge and Zhang emphasized the importance of exploring new ways and expanding the global presence of traditional Chinese instruments to woo international audiences.

As part of the festival, Ge and her students are scheduled to present "Pipa Unbound: Tradition and Beyond, Professor Yong Ge and Students Recital" in Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall on Sunday.

Featuring collaborations with the Celadon Stars Orchestra and Malhaar Ensemble, the recital aims to showcase the pipa's global reach by blending tradition with diverse world music styles to promote peace and unity through music, said Ge. ■

Dizi players (front) perform at the Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival in New York, the United States, on July 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Ge Yong (5th, L), a professor of the China Conservatory of Music, and her students perform at the Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival in New York, the United States, on July 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Artists from the Malhaar Ensemble perform at the Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival in New York, the United States, on July 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Liu Qianci (C, front), cellist and producer of the music festival, plays the cello at the Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival in New York, the United States, on July 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

Renowned Erhu player Zhang Bin (R, front) and his daughter Hina (L, front) play the Erhu at the Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival in New York, the United States, on July 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)

A teacher-student orchestra performs at the Sixth New York Big Apple Music Festival in New York, the United States, on July 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Yanan)