On Friday Feb. 6, the Greater Cincinnati Chinese Chamber of Commerce held its festive and successful annual Lunar New Year’s Gala at the Horseshoe Casino. More than two-hundred guests attended the event.

Our guests were greeted by the beautifully decorated Horseshoe Casino banquet hall and a warm reception by the Chamber’s Board of Directors, volunteers and staff. After a short networking cocktail hour, the guests were dazzled by the traditional lion dancers as they drummed to scare away evil spirits and kicked off the Gala for the New Year.

Michael Kou, Chair of the Chamber’s Board of Directors, offered his opening remarks welcoming everyone to the Gala. Cincinnati City Councilwomen Amy Murray then presented the City’s Proclamation commemorating the tenth anniversary of the Chamber’s existence. This was followed by a speech of recognition and support by Dr. Santa J. Ono, the President of the University of Cincinnati—the only academic institution that is a diamond level member to the Chinese Chamber.  Also in attendance to the Gala are honored guests such as Chief Michael Bell, former Toledo Mayor, and representatives from the Detroit Chinese Business Association.  

While the guests enjoyed delicious Asian-inspired cuisines prepared by the Horseshoe Casino, Mr. Peter Landgren, Dean of College Conservatory of Music, introduced the evening’s featured performers, international award winning violinist Yang Liu and his pianist wife I-Hsuan Tsai (Olivia), to the stage. Yang and Olivia dazzled our guests with Polonaise in A Major by Wieniawski and Paganini’s Cantabile. They also performed a few emotional pieces written by a Chinese composer Sicong Ma including the “Nostalgia for Violin” and the “Xinjiang Spring” to the audience’s standing ovation.

Concluding the Gala, Michael Kou gave a remarkable speech about the journey of the Chinese Chamber through the past ten years and his vision of the Chamber’s future. Michael thanked all the Chamber members, sponsors, guests, and volunteers for their support through the last ten years and for their support given to make this year’s Gala an overwhelming success. Michael reminded us the continuing service of this Chamber to the greater Cincinnati region as a bridge to China and we believe this year’s Gala speak volumes as to the Chamber’s success in the future.

2015年2月6日星期五，辛辛那提中国商会在马蹄铁赌场成功地举行了一年一度庆春节大典。

参加这次庆典的二百多名辛辛那提各界的来宾，在董事会及其工作人员的热情迎接下，走进了马蹄铁赌场美丽装饰的宴会大厅。在简短的鸡尾酒招待会后，来宾们被精彩的舞狮所吸引。舞狮是中国农历新年的一个传统节目，意在舞者用铿锵的鼓声驱邪除魔，渲染吉祥喜庆的气氛，为新的一年带来好运。

在商会董事会主席Michael Kou作了开幕词，欢迎宾客们的到来后，辛辛那提市议员Amy Murray 女士发表了纪念中国商会成立十周年城市公告。之后，辛辛那提大学校长Santa J. Ono发表了演讲，对商会进行了肯定与支持。辛辛那提大学是商会唯一一个钻石级的学术机构。

在来宾们享用马蹄铁赌场为他们准备的精美可口的亚洲风味晚餐时，辛辛那提音乐学院院长Perter Landgren向大家介绍了当晚的特邀嘉宾—国际小提琴比赛大奖得主，刘杨和他的太太，也是他的演奏伙伴，钢琴家蔡宜璇。他们为大家带来了维尼亚夫斯基的《A大调波洛奈兹舞曲》和帕格尼尼的《柔美如歌》。之后他们还为大家演奏了马思聪的《思乡曲》和《新疆之春》。这两首深情并极具中国特色的乐曲激起了在场中国观众对祖国的思念，也使其他观众领略到了中国音乐文化的魅力。全场观众为演奏家的精彩表演起立鼓掌。

接下来，Michael Kou为来宾介绍了辛辛那提中国商会十年来的发展历程和对未来的展望。他还向商会成员，赞助者，所有来宾及志愿者们表示衷心的感谢；感谢在他们的大力支持下，庆典得以圆满成功。最后，Michael Kou表示辛辛那提中国商会将一如既往地为中国与辛辛那提的合作发展服务，建立纽带桥梁。

这样一个新老朋友相聚一堂，商业文化交流的盛会将是新的一年最良好的开端。它预示着2015将是吉祥喜庆，繁荣丰收的一年。

Written By Ye