Lunar New Year 2025

A Carillon Concert for Lunar New Year
Jon Lehrer, University Carillonist
February 2nd, 2025

1. Prelude

Lunar New Year Fantasy on Full of Joy                               Matthew Tran-Adams (b. 1977)

2. Traditional Classics

Mo Li Hua (Jasmine Flower)                                                        trad. Chinese arr. R. De Waardt

Haro no Umi (Sea in Spring)                                                        Michio Miyaghi (1894-1956) arr.  T. Takao

Arirang                                                                                                            trad Korean arr. R. De Waardt and D. Guo

3. Contemporary Carillon Compositions

Hypnos                                                                                                          Phyllis Chen (b. 1988) arr. T. Ng

Cloudless Sky                                                                                          Naoko Tsujita (b. 1985)

4. Animated Scoresx

To Zanarkand from Final Fantasy X                                      Nobuo Uematsu (b. 1959) arr. J. Lehrer

One Summer’s Day from Spirited Away                           Joe Hisaishi (b. 1950)

5. Sweet Partings

The Moon Represents My Heart                                              Weng Ching-hsi (1936-2012) arr. A. Gao

Before each group of pieces, a bell will toll the relevant section number above.

The Lunar New Year Fantasy was composed several years ago for the Peace Tower in the Canadian house of parliament. Though we are now entering the year of the snake, it still rings joyfully true.

Mo Li Hua has been called a "significant national musical and cultural icon" of China. It dates back at least to the late 18th century, with the lyrics that praise the beauty and joy of the jasmine flower blooms in early spring.

Haro no Umi is among the most famous Japanese pieces for Koto (plucked string instrument) and Shakuhachi (bamboo flute) and is often played in shopping streets and other public venues at this time of year.

Arirang, perhaps the most famous traditional Korean melody is a UNESCO listed significant intangible cultural asset. This tale of star-crossed lovers also became an important resistance anthem during the Japanese occupation when singing patriotic songs was outlawed.

Award winning composer Phyllis Chen’s Hypnos was originally composed for toy piano which surprisingly has made its way into many serious contemporary works. A steady 3-note bassline and highly variable upper voice make for a striking combination of regularity and unpredictability, hopefully living up to its entrancing title.

Cloudless Sky was originally commissioned by the Japan Certified Carillonists’ Society to serve as a prayer for the victims of a 2005 train derailment in Amagasaki. It is beautiful, quiet, and tranquil, though punctuated by a somewhat more unsettled middle theme. 

To Zanarkand may be familiar to those who played either the original or re-released Final Fantasy X game. The protagonists journey to the destroyed city of Zanarkand and this music is heard as the protagonists first gaze upon its ruins.

The 2001 Japanese animated fantasy film Spirited Away was a massive worldwide success, holding the record of highest grossing film in Japanese history for nearly 20 years. One Summer’s Day, the main theme, carries sad, yearning, and reflective themes that combine the fun and adventure of youth with the bittersweetness of growing up and growing out of things.

We end as we started, with the moon. The Taiwanese love ballad The Moon Represents My Heart was one of the first foreign songs to achieve widespread popularity in mainland China following the Cultural Revolution and the initiation of the Open Door Policy in 1978. It is often cited as of the most famous and beloved Chinese songs of all time.

Thank you for joining us and Happy New Year!

Jon Lehrer is the 6th University Carillonist of Michigan State University. A graduate of Yale University and the Royal Carillon School of Belgium, Jon is also a laureate of 5 international competitions for carillon: The Queen Fabiola Carillon Competition, three competitions of the Dutch Carillon Guild, and the Alexius Julien Baroque Competition. A regular on the international stage, he has also toured as a soloist on behalf of the Canada Council for the Arts and as an entertainer on the North American renaissance festival circuit. Jon was once a data scientist and cancer researcher but finds greater meaning in creating moments of beauty for a busy university community and instructing the next generation of carillonists.