Wear Yellow Proudly Presents Inaugural In-Person Concert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            Contact: Jeremy Chan

October 18, 2021                                                                         wearyellowproudly@gmail.com

                                                                                                    917-913-4681

WEAR YELLOW PROUDLY PRESENTS INAUGURAL IN-PERSON CONCERT

NEW YORK, N.Y. – Wear Yellow Proudly will present its first live concert entitled Songs to the Moon at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music on Saturday, October 30th at 8PM Eastern Time. Performing in the event will be soprano Helen Zhibing Huang, bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca, pianist Jeremy Chan, and motion graphic designer Duke Winn.

This intimate concert of songs will include folk songs from China, the Philippines, and America. “Folk songs are the songs of the people and songs of comfort. They are songs that show the essence of a culture,” said Huang, who is a co-founder of Wear Yellow Proudly. “The moon is a recurring symbol for nostalgia, home, and comfort in the folklore of many Asian cultures”.

In many ways, the inspiration for Songs to the Moon draws on the events of the past two years, such as the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the #StopAsianHate and BLM movements. Huang says, “Even though attacks of Asian elders and xenophobia towards Asians are no longer a hot topic, we want to dedicate these folk songs to Asian elders across the country, with the hope of bringing up feelings of nostalgia and comfort.” 

Chan expressed that he has become increasingly uncomfortable and aware of the gap between his identity as an Asian-Australian immigrant in America, and the world of classical music. “As a musician, I have been raised playing Western classical music by white, male composers, worked for companies run by white men, and cultivated to champion music written by white men,” said Chan. “This project is a response to the dearth of Asian composers and Asian music heard on the concert stage. It is motivated by a need to create an inviting space for Asian Americans to celebrate their cultural identity and heritage, and to share with the whole world the beautiful music of this neglected repertoire.” 

For the past year and a half, Wear Yellow Proudly has been producing virtual content, using music, art, and poetry to spread culture awareness and for activism. Now that performing arts are returning in New York City and across the country, they are able to present an in-person event.  “It is so thrilling to be making music live again,” Huang expressed. “The human to human connection in live performances is special. It’s almost a spiritual experience and cannot be replaced by technology.”

Songs to the Moon is made possible by the support of City Artist Corps Grants. 

Tickets are free to the public and can be reserved online or at the door. To reserve tickets, please go to www.eventbrite.com/e/songs-to-the-moon-tickets-179359297487 or visit www.wearyellowproudly.org

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ABOUT WEAR YELLOW PROUDLY 

Wear Yellow Proudly is an Aural Compass Projects initiative that was created as a response to the increasing amount of xenophobia towards Asians across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic. WYP aims to bring awareness to Asian culture by showcasing curated performances of music and poetry, hosting panel discussions, and celebrating the skills of Asian artists. The initiative hopes to strengthen the ties within the global community during the pandemic and beyond. For more information follow Wear Yellow Proudly on social media @wearyellowproudly and visit www.wearyellowproudly.org. 

ABOUT CITY ARTIST CORPS GRANTS

City Artist Corps Grants was launched in June 2021 by NYFA and DCLA with support from the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) as well as Queens Theatre. The program is funded by the $25 million New York City Artist Corps recovery initiative announced by Mayor de Blasio and DCLA earlier this year. The grants are intended to support NYC-based working artists who have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. It is strongly recommended that a portion of the grant be used to support artist fees, both for the applying artist and any other artist that are engaged to support the project. 

ABOUT THE ARTISTS 

Helen Zhibing Huang is a Chinese-born soprano with a wide range of musical interests. She has performed on the operatic, concert, and recital stages with organizations such as Portland Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, The Glimmerglass Festival, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Nashville Opera, Central City Opera, Naples Philharmonic, and Ravinia Festival. Huang holds degrees from New England Conservatory, Bard Vocal Arts Program, Eastman School of Music, and University of Rochester (B.A. Economics). She is a co-founder of Wear Yellow Proudly. In her spare time, Miss Huang enjoys cooking and eating traditional Chinese dishes. www.helenhuangsoprano.com

Acclaimed as having “a beautiful sound” (New York Times), bass-baritone Enrico Lagasca is enjoying a career as a soloist and chorister across America with repertoire from Early to Contemporary Music. He is regularly seen with the Choir of Trinity Wall Street and frequently sings with the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Choir of St. Ignatius Loyola, Bach Choir of Holy Trinity Lutheran, Musica Sacra NY, Tenet Vocal Artists, Clarion Music Society, Santa Fe Desert Chorale, Bach Collegium San Diego, Conspirare, Spire, Skylark Vocal Ensemble, Seraphic Fire. Performances with the New York Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke's, American Classical Orchestra, Pacific Symphony. Follow him online at www.enricolagasca.com and @enricolee. 

Jeremy Chan is an Australian pianist and vocal coach based in New York City. Recently appointed opera coaching faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, Jeremy is also on staff at Juilliard and serves as Director of Music at Advent Lutheran Church. His recent engagements include performances at Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and St. John's in the Village. Together with mezzo soprano Kristin Gornstein, Jeremy established the Vertex Duo in 2020, which will be in residence at Yellow Barn this Fall. Jeremy also moonlights as a cover pianist for various popular music from Adele to Korean drama songs under the pseudonym Nangman Pianist. Outside of music, Jeremy enjoys meditation, yoga, tea, and food adventures. www.jeremychanpiano.com, @jeremychanpiano

Duke Winn is a Motion Graphic Designer at Nickelodeon and former Art Director of Resident Magazine, New York. He is the founder of MOT Pictures - a media production company in New York known for documentaries, fashion campaigns, commercials, and music videos. Also a fashion photographer, Duke's work has been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, GQ, Glamour, FashionTV. www.motpictures.com