At the beginning of March, top management of USCF, Cai Zhe Min, Larry Lee, Qin Hua Sun, Qiu Sheng Yun, Zhou Hong Xing, Dai Tong De, etc, held a business meeting in Beijing. They discusssed the main work of USCF in 2007; decided a development strategy for USCF at this meeting----a main goal of promoting bilateral relationship between China and the US and being supported with providing financial services and cultural exchange programs.
On March 7, Larry Lee, President of USCF met with Mr. Michael Bianco in San Francisco and they extensively discussed the financial cooperation between China and the US.
On March 18, Kim Russell, President of Neuisys, Joe Jenkson, CMO of Neuisys, Larry Lee, President of USCF, flew to Dallas from three different places respectively and met there with Dr. Liu Ji Ren, President of Neusoft. The meeting between both parties lasted over 4 hours. Both parties were very confident about the cooperation in the future. Kim Russell said Neuisys’ annual profit would double in the next three years and Neuisys would have a very bright prospect of market.
Larry Lee, the President of USCF met with the leaders from China Educational Department in Houston, the USA. In the late March.
The preparation work for “the Redwood Concert---A Celebration for Sino-US Friendship”proceeded smoothly. All related promotion materials had been printed. Mr. Dai Tong De, assistant to president of USCF, flied to Houston on March 22 to take part in the preparation work for this concert.
The Press Conference for the Redwood Concert for Celebration of Sino-US Fridendship featuring Miss Julia Zhu, soprano, was held officially at Chinese Consulate General in Houston on 25 March, from 4 till 6 pm. The guests attending this event included: Chinese Consul General, Hua Jin Zhou, Cultural Attache, Li Ji Ping; Cultural Consul, Wang Dong Wen; News and Cultural Consul, Sun Ai Ping; President of USCF, Larry Lee; Chief Representative of USCF Beijing Office, Dai Tong De; President of the Center for Chinese Activities Yang Jun LI; Vice President of the Center for Chinese Activities, Chen Ke; Chairman of the Association for Chinese Scholars, Liu Kai; former Chairman of the Association for Chinese Scholars, Hu Jun; Chairman of Association of fellow townsmen of Shangdong, Sun Tie Han; Chairman of Association of fellow townsmen of Northeast, Li Qing Yuan; Head of Huanghe Chorus, Liang Yang Yan; Lawyer, Xu Jian Xun; Miss Lu Xiao Mei from Culture and Art Association of North America; Ms. Wang Gui Sheng from HSBC; Mr. Huang Jia Hua from Southern Chinese Daily News.
Chinese Consul General, Hua Jin Zhou announced that the Redwood Concert for Celebration of Sino-US Fridendship featuring Miss Julia Zhu, soprano, would be held at Cullen Hall, University of Houston on 30 April , 8 pm. Chinese Consul General, Hua Jin Zhou introduced that the background of this concert: In the early spring of 35 years ago, a redwood tree from North America, with good expectation of American and Chinese people, was planted on the edge of China's beautiful West Lake. The tree now stands over 14 meters high with thick green leaves and tens of thousand redwood trees of this type are growing healthily in tens of cities across China. The redwood tree has become a symbol of Sino-US Friendship. Chinese Consulate General in Houston , as one of co-organizers of this concert, would make its best efforts to organize this concert.
Larry Lee, president of USCF, introduced the preparation work for this concert. The year 2007 will mark the 35th anniversary of former US President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China as well as that of the signing of the Sino-US Shanghai Joint Communiqué. The United States and China Foundation (USCF), will host a solo concert of Julia Zhu, Artistic Director of USCF to pay tribute to this historic event. Larry Lee added that after this concert, Miss Julia Zhu would give her another solo concert, the Redwood Concert at well-known Baoli Thearter in Beijing in the early July of 2007, from the date of the anniversary of Chinese ruling party to US National Day. Professor Jin Tie Lin, well-known vocal educator in China , Julia Zhu’s vocal instructor along with Ms. Liang Ning, world-famous mezzo-soprano, Julia Zhu’s western vocal instructor would attend this concert in Houston . Larry Lee thanked very much for the great support given by the Center for Chinese Activities, the Association for Chinese Scholars, the Association of fellow townsmen of Northeast and the Association of fellow townsmen of Shangdong at the initial stage of preparation of this concert.
Dai Tong De, Chief Representative of USCF Beijing Office, introduced the details of his communications in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhao Xing and his inscriptions for this concert and other preparation work.
Cultural Attache, Li Ji Ping made a excellent speech on Julia Zhu’s artistic charateristics and studying. She said that Julia Zhu’s voice is sweet; Julia Zhu’s vocal instructor Jin Tie Lin is well-known vocal educator in China , who summarized scientific sounding methods of Chinese Traditional Vocal Art and put these methods into use in his teaching. Famous singer Li Gu Yi, well-known singing stars Shong Zhu Ying and Peng Li Yuan, etc. are Professor Jin’s students. Julia Zhu’s another vocal instructor, Liang Ning, well-known mezzo-soprano, the best student of Shen Xiang, who is vocal master in China . Liang Ning won many important prizes at international vocal competitions. ‘Julia Zhu is a gifted singing star, so please give your great support to her’, Cultural Attache, Li Ji Ping concluded.
In the end, many reporters asked interesting questions about this concert and the pleasant atmosphere of this press conference reached a climax.
Blog about Miss Julia Zhu (http://blog.sina.com.cn/musicjulia)
has been linked to the website of USCF, many people visited it and left messages in a short period of half month. This column contains much information in words, also in the form of video and sound, visitors of this blog can enjoy Julia Zhu’s songs and her MTV programs, therefore, this collumn is very popular.
Professor Shen Chuan Xin, member of Shanghai Branch of China Democradic Association, President of the School for further education in TV, Movie, Music, member of the Association for Shanghai Musician, member of the Association for Shanghai TV Artist, a well-known composer, along with his wife and friends would fly to Houston to attend Julia Zhu’s solo concert. The song “ Redwood Tree”, which won the major award issued by Chinese Cultural Ministry, is composed by Professor Shen Chuan Xin. Nearly 1000 musical works of Professor Shen Chuan Xin had been pulished and won 30 major awards. Professor Shen
Chuan Xin would accompany for Miss Julia Zhu at her solo concert in Houston.
On 31 March, the third news conference for this Redwood Concert was held at the studio building of Southern America in Houston. People from all walks of society attended this event. The preparation for this concert moved a step forward after this news conference.
During his stay in the US, Larry Lee, President of USCF, attended various social events and met with many Chinese and American celebrities from financial, business, educational, social services, political and other sectors.
